FloorPlan User Forum

General Category - V.16 and Earlier => V12 - V16 Looking for Help? => Topic started by: AdrianW on December 14, 2012, 01:04:42 AM

Title: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 14, 2012, 01:04:42 AM
Greetings all, So much thanks for your help so far.

Here I am again with another issue, just want to know if it is an error message seen before by anyone.

I obtained from a free 3ds site "Coconut palms".  These import to TPF fine, appear on the TFP 3d view fine, but when rendering I get the error message attached. I presume that the imported file is corrupt, but because I have had other issues with rendering am asking the question.

Cheers, Merry Christmas

Adrian



Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Allan Chesney on December 14, 2012, 09:03:08 AM
Hi Adrian,

If there is nothing else in your project, which appears to be the case from what I can see behind the error message box, then it would appear there is something in the imported object that TFP does not like. Does it render without it? The message is indicating an error with the Obj numbered in the message. There is no way to know what the Obj # is but if there is nothing else in the model then it must be that.

Do you get the same result in Basic and Advanced? Usually Advanced is more sensitive to these types of issues.

You could post the object for us to also try. If others have problems it will prove whether it is the object.

Allan
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Doug.S on December 14, 2012, 08:41:21 PM
Allan is correct as usual.

The error type message is not common, but seen many times before.

Yes, often by looking at the mesh of the model one can tell/see construction conditions that TFP or other programs may have problems with....but not always obvious.
Sometimes these constructs can be fixed. Sometimes just exporting and re-importing to/from TP or other 3D program will fix (or make things worse).
Is the file quite large?

Best to post the file (as you downloaded it) so others here can "play" with it.
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 15, 2012, 12:26:23 AM
Thanks guys

Here is the information

Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 15, 2012, 12:35:31 AM
mmm just noticed that that is a different tree on the basic render, that was a test I did yesterday....my "grey matter" getting tested now....

I remain
AdrianW
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 15, 2012, 07:37:39 AM
But that Basic render was generated today, be fore the advance render....mmmmmmm
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Draft Patrick on December 15, 2012, 06:05:13 PM
Hi there,

No problems to render in my end (see attached), however, notice that this palm is a heavy object (in polygons) --> try to reduce the number of polygons and see if it solves the problem

Pat
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Doug.S on December 15, 2012, 09:39:48 PM
The model seems OK but as noted it has many polygons. . . especially the trunk seems overly complex.

Since it rendered OK by Pat, it seems either your PC is underpowered/too little RAM or the graphics card may be incompatible in some way.  Did you try to render with HW acceleration turned off?; that might be a clue.

I was able to render both basic and adv with HA 'on' using my laptop; no errors...a bit slow because of the poly complexity/quantity.  I'd think a photoboard would look just fine (although sometimes the shadows are not great)

Doug.S
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 16, 2012, 12:30:20 AM
Thanks  Doug I shall try, I shall turn the Accelerator off, I am using my laptop which is not underpowered at all but may have other issues with it. I will keep u updated

Cheers
AdrianW
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Allan Chesney on December 16, 2012, 01:57:30 AM
Hi Adrian,

I tried a rendering also with your 3DS palm and while the Basic render was OK, I got the same error as you in Advanced.

I then opened the properties of the 3DS in TFP and use the Simplify button to reduce the polygons to 75% - it then rendered OK in Advanced. Whether it was just the high polygon count or whether the Simprlify removed somthing that TFP did not like (with some systems obviously since Pat and Doug's rendered OK) I don't know.

However, I tend to agree with Doug, that photoboards probably look better anyway. The attached image is with the 3DS in the middle and a photoboard each side. Shadows are not usually a problem if you get the sun angle correct.  3D plants are OK if they have a very high numbers of individual leaves and hence a high polygon count (and very expensive generally!) but otherwise they always tend to look rather 'stiff' and unnatural. Photoboards are usually a good compromise.

Allan
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Draft Patrick on December 16, 2012, 11:33:21 AM
Quote from: Allan Chesney on December 16, 2012, 01:57:30 AM
I tried a rendering also with your 3DS palm and while the Basic render was OK, I got the same error as you in Advanced.

Hi Allan,

perhaps we have a mixed problem here
Can you tell me if (in your computer) the error happened at the same polygon point as the OP?
The OP image shows the problem at 29544 and I detected a polygon potential issue at 28582 --> my computer overcame the error and rendered without problem. So perhaps (just perhaps) the object has a real problem  ::)
This is why I stated that the polygon reduction may be a solution.

Pat
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Allan Chesney on December 16, 2012, 12:28:42 PM
Hi Pat,

As mentioned before I had simplified it and it rendered OK but cannot remember what the polygon count was except that it was in the high 20,000's.

To answer your question imported it again without simplification. Basic rendered fine in a couple of seconds. Advanced sat on 32,000 for several minutes but no leaves were produced at this time. Raytrace then started, progressing quickly to leaf level after which it took several more minutes to produce the top leaves. It did finish this time but interestingly the top leaves were enshrouded in spider webs!

Switching to Radiosity view caused the leaves to disappear again.

Weird one. I am suspicious of the object itself as I have to had no problems before even rendering very large polygon count models.

Allan
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Draft Patrick on December 16, 2012, 03:13:05 PM
Hi Allan,

Yeah, I think that it is an object issue so some cleaning and polygon / vertex reduction could be the only solution here

Pat
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Allan Chesney on December 16, 2012, 06:06:06 PM
Hi Pat,

Seems like it but it appears my 25% Simplify was enough to fix it.
You may like to try that Adrian and see if it does it for you.

Allan
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Draft Patrick on December 16, 2012, 07:08:08 PM
Hi Allan,

When you simplify the object, you are changing the polygons and probably fixing the "bad polygons"

Pat
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 16, 2012, 07:28:17 PM
Thank you all for your help.  I turned of the accelerator and it worked, but as with Doug, it was very slow.  I would like the palms in 3ds as with my presentations I always do an animation, and dislike "static" structures.

I will experiment with all other suggestions.

Again thank you gentlemen...
Cheers

Adrian
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Doug.S on December 17, 2012, 09:23:45 PM
Of course the "simplify" (done automatically) can also change the object design; not always noticeable if the complexity is for closeup views and the simplified object is seen at a distance and if it was overly complex like many leaves.
But often simplify may make holes where there should be none or make flat surfaces or sharp angles when the design wants smoothness (seems like smoothing not available in TFP) or curved surfaces.

But always worth a try as it is easy to do and may work.

If not, suggest look for another palm tree .3ds model if the photoboard is not adequate.
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 18, 2012, 12:10:25 AM
Thanks again. Here is the result I have so far on the "project". I have simplified the palms to 40%, and the result is acceptable thus far. Also the Advance Render works fine also. Thanks for you help

AW
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: Doug.S on December 18, 2012, 10:24:15 PM
If using the same model more than one time in same scene, I recommend changing the size and rotation of each one so they don't look like obvious duplicates.

Glad to know you are having success and good progress.
Title: Re: Rendering Error
Post by: AdrianW on December 18, 2012, 11:59:48 PM
Yes Doug thanks, I knew that they were the same just wanted to test the progress and usage, I did not want to spend to much effort if it was going to fail...

Cheers.
Adrian