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T3D Layer Exporter for 3ds Max


Mud-H

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The T3D Layer Exporter is very similar than the T3D Mesh Exporter, they share almost the same script. The difference is that the Layer Exporter, like it's name suggest, will export all the objects in the selected object parent layer. As I am not very familliar with MaxScript, I had to use what I knew to make it work so it's not working like most would think by selecting a layer and it will export the content. You have to select a single object inside the layer you want to export. Once the destination is set, it will be store in all Layer subobjects so you don't have to remember which object you used.

Like the Mesh Exporter it will also export all Torque3d base nodes found in the scene (base01,start01,collision-1 and colbox-1 for now). You have to make sure those are visible and that the hierarchy is correctly set.

The resulting OpenCollada DAE will be exported using the Layer name as filename.



How it work:

  • Select one object per layer you want to export

  • Open the T3D Layer Exporter Dialog, the selected objects will be listed with the Layer name (this is the name used for the exported model)

  • If it's the first time you export them or if the destination folder have change, you need to select the objects in the list and browse to the export destination.

  • Once the destination is set, it is stored in all the objects inside the parent layer so next time you want to export the layer, you can select any object and the destination will be already set

  • When all objects have a valid destination, you simply hit EXPORT and it will export all objects in all selected layers as single objects

 

Options:

  • By default the exporter will move all pivot to origin but you can disable that by checking the box: Keep objects positions (No origin)

  • By default the exporter will always export T3D nodes found but you can disable that by checking the box: Dont include Node Structure

  • By default the exporter won't popup the OpenCollada export dialog and will use the last settings but you can make the export prompt appear for each models by checking: Show the OpenCollada export prompt

 

Precautions:

  • Since 3ds Max use Autodesk COLLADA as default, you need to export something as OpenCollada before using the exporter, you only need to make it once/session. Usually I select something random, and export it as OpenCollada in default export folder over the same file everytime. I haven't find a way to set the export script to use OpenCollada always...

  • Another important thing that could be forgotten is to make sure everything you export is visible (even the nodes) else they won't be exported.

  • When the move to origin option is selected, the objects will be moved back to original position after export but not the collision mesh which are all at 0 0 0 position. (Planning to fix it soon)

  • All the objects you want to export must be a direct child of the layer, they can't be in a sub layer (Planned fix in future release)

 

Future:

I have arranged it quickly for public sharing but there's some improvements that I'm planning. Here's a quick list:

  • Allow to simply select the layer

  • Include all the sublayers objects in the export so you can still organize your objects

  • add the destination after the object name in list so it's easy to know the destination set for all objects. For now, you can see the destination by selecting object individually and looking in the browse text area.

  • Allow to specify a layer that contain common things to be export with all objects. For example, you put your nodes in that layers and can add custom nodes as you need, like lights Nodes.

  • Allowing to customize the associated name matching to be exported with the layer (EX: Export all objects containing the LayerName: ColMeshLayerName-1)

 

Here's a video showing how it work:

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I have attached the scripts to the post. The installation is like other macro, you have to run the script once (or simply Drag and Dropping it in 3ds Max ui). Then to add a button in toolbar, you right-click the toolbar, select customize. Then you go to ToolBar tab and you will find it under category #T3DTools (The # make it list on top).

T3DLayerExport_v2.zip

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