Blender: export multiple animations

[arturitu]

I´m trying to export multiple animations with the new Blender exporter but it seems not work properly (I'm testing with a project similar to the http://threejs.org/examples/webgl_animation_skinning_blending.html example ) but with the old exporter works well (in this case removing the armature previously)

[titansoftime]

You must set both the rig and the skeletal export properties to "rest". See #5887

[repsac]

Correct. The export properties must match whether the rig is set to Pose Position or Rest Position. Depending on how your asset is setup (some people need to do Rest and some need to do Pose) will determine which export results in the correct data so there is a bit of trial and error. I really wish we didn't need to these 2 separate animation export options but it seems to be a necessity (at this time).

I experimented with setting the pose position interactively based on the exporter settings, but this didn't seem to work correctly. The code is still in place but commented out until I can find the patience to look at it again (kind of taking a break during r71).

Additionally; uncheck the Indent export option to reduce the file size.

[satori99]

I experimented with setting the pose position interactively based on the exporter settings, but this didn't seem to work correctly.

Were you trying to set armature.pose_position = 'REST' in the addon code? I came across a problem doing this in a blender script recently. The armature is not actually put in a rest pose until you also call context.scene.update()

I was confused because setting the pose_position in the python console works without an explicit scene update.

[repsac]

@satori99 that was exactly the problem I ran into.

[satori99]

I wasted half a day working that out.

I'd do a PR if I was more familiar with the addon code. But it sounds like it's still experimental code anyway.

[arturitu]

I tried all combinations but I have several problems exporting my character, I'll try to explain:

• Here is the project with the OLD classes working ( r68 ) > http://unboring.net/lab/6326/hero_68/
  The source ( includes .blend file ) > http://unboring.net/lab/6326/hero_68.zip

• Here is the project with the new classes NOT working ( r71 ) > http://unboring.net/lab/6326/hero_71/
  The source ( includes .blend file ) > http://unboring.net/lab/6326/hero_71.zip
  • When I export "Pose / Pose" JSON file ( Armature in Pose mode / Export animation ( skeletal ): Pose ) exported shows 38 bones ( some of the are IK controllers and maybe is the problem )
    and the parent value is correct but the result is this:

• When I export "Pose / Rest" JSON file only includes 28 bones and the parent value of the bones is null in most and the result is an error.
• When I export "Rest / Pose" JSON file exported shows 38 bones and the parent value is correct but the result is this ( is not animated ):

• When I export "Rest / Rest" JSON file only includes 28 bones and the parent value of the bones is null in most and the result is an error but the JSON looks more efficient because the animations keys only includes keyframes.

I don't know if is problem of my blend file, of the BlendCharacter that is not ready for the new exporter class or the exporter is not ready to work with models that has bones that are used as controllers.

[repsac]

Downloaded the file. Will look at it this week (been avoiding the computer on the weekends).

[repsac]

Mixing pose/rest isn't recommended. Looks like Pose/Pose is what you need (r67 to r69 used pose armatures) so there may be something wrong when the pose logic was migrated to r70.

[repsac]

Running into lots of issues trying to make sense here. I keep legacy versions of three installed so I can quickly swing symlinks to other versions of the exporter. My addons setup is linked to the r68 exporter:

10:44 ~/scripts/BLENDER_USER_SCRIPTS/addons
$ pwd
/Users/ed/scripts/BLENDER_USER_SCRIPTS/addons
10:44 ~/scripts/BLENDER_USER_SCRIPTS/addons
$ ll
total 24
lrwxr-xr-x  1 ed  staff    98 Apr 13 10:27 io_mesh_threejs -> ../../../work/www/threejs/three.js-r68/utils/exporters/blender/2.65/scripts/addons/io_mesh_threejs
lrwxr-xr-x  1 ed  staff    68 Mar  9 20:04 io_three -> ../../../work/repos/three.js/utils/exporters/blender/addons/io_three
-rw-r--r--  1 ed  staff  2934 Nov 29  2013 theme_export.py

But when I exported I got a hero.js file that did not match the working example I downloaded.
http://pastebin.com/PT00GfqK

Not being able to recreate a correct export makes it harder to figure out why the other exports aren't correct.

[arturitu]

@repsac this is because with the old exporter, you need to remove the armature modifier before to export. If I export with the armature I obtain 1184 normals too, but the correct .json has 950 (without armature modifier)

Not ready to export

Ready to export

Could that be the problem?

[repsac]

OK, that clears up what you meant by:

in this case removing the armature previously

So now the normals match but the bones and animation arrays are still different.

[arturitu]

It's very strange but only works well when you export (without armature modifier and) with the armature selected like this >

If you export without nothing or the mesh selected don't export correctly.

These are the options of the exporter:

[laetitiakami]

About the bones having "null" parent, check if "use_deform" property is checked for the parent bones. Uncheck it and it should work. After reading the code I believe such bones are ignored. I am also trying to make animations work with the last exporter.

[fredleefarr]

I was having similar issues with multiple animations exported from Blender. What would be the recommended approach - wait for further r71 development, or use the suggestions in this thread?