Importing and Exporting to Lightwave/Modeler

Product: Lightwave

Platforms: Amiga Intel Alpha MIPS Macintosh

Lightwave 3D Objects Via LW Modeler Tools Available To Import: Translator 3d (Under Objects/Custom) in Modeler To Export: Translator 3d (Under Tools/Custom) in Modeler 3rd party: Interchange (Windows/amiga) from Syndesis


3d studio (.3ds)
From: 3D studio to Lightwave Use translator 3d under Objects/custom: 3ds option/ Color form:ambient Material mode:Original From lightwave to 3ds: Use translator 3d under tools/custom: 3ds *Note the .3ds extension is not added by LW


DXF (.Dxf)
DXF to lightwave Use Trans 3d under objects/custom: Dxf option/ Convert blocks on/Arc segments 16 *Note DXF files must be saved in the originating program with the following options 1. Saved in ASCII format 2. Convert Blocks 3. Save all entities Lightwave to DXf Use Translator 3d under tools/custom: DXF No other options *note the DXf extension is not added by LW


WaveFront (.Obj)
Wavefront to Lightwave Use Trans 3d under objects/custom: Option wavefront *Note no surface settings are imported, only names Lightwave to Wavefront Use translator 3d under tools/custom: Option wavefront *File is not saved with .OBJ extension


VRML (.Wrl)
VRML to Lightwave: not supported at this time Lightwave to VRML: Use VRMLSave plugin under objects/custom: *note: file will be saved with closest possible Object Parameters *Common error message "Unable to activate Global "Lwobjecthelp' "try adding Objaccess.p" They do this then they get "Vrml\*.wrl failed" Replace the Objacess.p with the new one from the web site(date Mar-17-97)


At this time all other object file formats are not supported. If you need to convert to other formats or need conversion capabilities not directly supported in LW, we recommend you research third party object conversion software at Flay.com.
Image File formats Modeler supports the following image file formats for background image Alias, BMP, Cineon, IFF RGB , Pixar, QRT, JPEG, Rendition, SGI, SunRaster, Targa, X Windows, YUV



FONTS
Modeler fonts Modeler supports IBM Adobe Postscript Type 1 fonts True Type Fonts

Adding Fonts and making Text in Modeler Under Objects/Text Type in Text in Text field Add type-1 will load a type-1 font These are found under Newtek/Psfonts/B&Pgraphics and also under Newtek/Psfonts/Softmaker **(You must use the show all files in order to see the fonts list) Type-1 are the fonts that Do NOT have a .AFM extension. Add true type- Will load a true type font from the System/fonts/folder

*Macintosh Notes; At this time Modeler will not support Macintosh Adobe Postscript Type-1 fonts. They must be converted over to IBM type 1 fonts and they must be placed in the Newtek/PSFonts directory. Fonts from the system/fonts directory cannot be used. Convert fonts using FontMonger.



Lightwave Layout import and export

Objects-

V1.0 LW Layout will load the following object formats: Videoscape, Sculpt 3d/4d, Autocad DXF, 3d Studio, Swivel 3d Pro, Wavefront

V2.0 LW Layout will load the following object formats: Sculpt 3d/4d, Autocad DXF, 3d Studio, Swivel 3d Pro, Wavefront

V3.1/3.5 LW Layout will load the following object formats: Sculpt 3d/4d, Autocad DXF, 3d Studio, Swivel 3d Pro, Wavefront

Lw4.0 Only Lightwave Objects (.lwo) can be used to import and export. 3DS, DXF, and Wavefront must go through Translator 3d in Modeler. See above.

Lw5.0 Only Lightwave Objects (.lwo) can be used to import and export. 3DS, DXF, and Wavefront must go through Translator 3d in Modeler. See above.

Export: V5.0 will save to Vrml 2.0 Objects and scenes Load the Vrmlout.p plugin from the layout plugins. The plugin is then run from Options/General Options/Generic Plugins *Common error message "Unable to activate Global "Lwobjecthelp' "Try adding Objaccess.p" They do this then they get "Vrml\*.wrl failed" Replace the Objacess.p with the new one from the web site(date Mar-17-97)



Images Import

Images are loaded via the Images panel. The following formats are supported:
V1.0 LW will load the following images: Framestore files, RGB files from ToasterPaint, Brushes from ToasterPaint, Amiga IFF images and brushes from 2-24 bits.

V2.0 LW will load the following Images System 2.0 Framestores, ToasterPaint RGB, ToasterPaint Brushes, Amiga IFF images and brushes from 2-24 bits.

V3.1/3.5 LW Layout will load the following images: System 2.0 Framestores, ToasterPaint RGB, ToasterPaint Brushes, Amiga IFF images and brushes from 2-24 bits, *Note V1.0 Framestores will no longer load in Lightwave, use ToasterPaint to convert them to 3.1 Framestore or RGB images.

V4.0 LW Layout will load the following images: Alias(.als) , Bmp (.Bmp), Cineon (.cin),Flic (.flc), Framestore (.FS), IFF(.iff), JPEG(.jpg), PCX(.pcx), Pict(.Pic), Pixar(.pxr), Qrt (.qrt), Raw, Rendition(.6rn), Sgi (.rgb), Softimage, Sunraster (.sun), Targa (.tga), Tiff(.tif), Wavefront (.rla), X windows (xwd), Yuv (.yuv)

V5.0 LW layout will load the following images: Alias(.als) , Bmp (.Bmp), Cineon (.cin),Flic (.flc), Framestore (.FS), IFF(.iff), JPEG(.jpg), PCX(.pcx), Pict(.Pic), Pixar(.pxr), Qrt (.qrt), Raw, Rendition(.6rn), Sgi (.rgb), Softimage, Sunraster (.sun), Targa (.tga), Tiff(.tif), Wavefront (.rla), X windows (xwd), Yuv (.yuv)


Images export (Rendering)
The following image file formats are supported for rendering. *note size is determined by the Camera settings

V1.0 LW will only save 24-bit Amiga IFF files.

V2.0 LW will only save 24-bit Amiga IFF files and framestores

V3.0/3.5 Lw will save Amiga 24-bit IFF and a 8-bit alpha channel and Framestores

V4.0 Lw Will save the following image file formats: Alias(.als) , Bmp (.Bmp), Cineon (.cin), IFF(.iff), JPEG(.jpg), PCX(.pcx), Pict(.Pic), Pixar(.pxr), Qrt (.qrt), Raw, Rendition(.6rn), SGI (.rgb), Sunraster (.sun), Toaster (.vti), Targa_24 (.tga), Targa32 (.tga), Tiff(.tif), Wavefront (.rla), X windows (xwd), Yuv (.yuv),

*There is a known bug with Targa_32. Don't use it. Use Targa_24 instead.

V5.0 Lw Will save the following image file formats: Alias(.als) , Bmp (.Bmp), Cineon (.cin), IFF(.iff), Jpeg(.jpg), Pcx(.pcx), Pict(.Pic), Pixar(.pxr), Qrt (.qrt), Raw, Rendition(.6rn), SGI (.rgb), Sunraster (.sun), Toaster (.vti), Targa_24 (.tga), Targa32 (.tga), Tiff(.tif), Wavefront (.rla), X windows (xwd), Yuv (.yuv), *There is a known bug with Targa_32. Don't use it. Use Targa_24 instead.



Image sequencing
All file formats that can be load as a image can be imported as a sequence.

Animation file formats
4X5 StoryBoard ; Makes a picture with storyboard pictures of the animation. 16pics in one picture. To use; Saveanim: (name)

Avi_256:saves a 256 color avi file to use; saveanim: (name) .avi

Flic; Saves animation as a .flic file To use; saveanim: (name) .flc

Filmexpand?

Hip_avi32(.Avi) Saves animation as a 32bit avi to use; saveanim: (name) .avi

Newtek-avi; saves animation in avi format to use; savenanim (name).avi *some problems arise when using the original version of Newtek avi. Have them download the ntavix86.zip from the ftp site.

Newtek-Flyerclip: saves anim to Flyer clip to use; saveanim (name) *Bug note: if you save the scene with Flyer clip selected as the animation type, when it is next loaded it will crash when the animation is rendered. Prevention tip: save scenes with no anim type selected or with a different anim type selected example; med res preview. If you have saved a scene with Flyerclip selected, when you reload it, change the animation type, save the scene, and then quite and re-enter Layout before you attempt to load and render the scene. If you find that you cannot render nor can you change the animation type without a crash, then you may need to load the scene into a text editor, locate the AnimationType line, and change the parameter on the line to a "0" (zero, without the quotes), then save the scene.


Amiga IntelMIPSAlphaMacintoshSGI



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