3DC v8.2: Export to RW should not limit the number of chil

Just to clarify DOM’s point. The old manual exporter for 7.1.2 also showed the error for 24 child groups but your new IGS exporter doesn’t. You had the choice in 7.1.2 of which one to use but we don’t seem to have that in 8.2 unless there’s a plugin I’m missing.

The 24 child group limit when exporting is obsolete, at least when exporting to RW2.

From someone using 3dsmax, here is attached an export example with more 45 groups.

Furthermore, it seems to me that the 24 groups limit is a problem for cab animation:
For each animation, I’ll need to have one group (and maybe subgroups of this group) so that the objects move independently of the rest of the cab.

It should be easy to transform the limit into a warning (just to keep in mind that it’s better, when possibile, to limit the number of groups).

The cab from the same model:

The limit is actually 24 child groups of any other group and is a limitation of the IGS file format.

You can have a main group, 24 child groups and each of those can have 24 child groups.

Thanks for the reply.

… but, how such examples as in the above attached files can be working in RW2?

Confirmation that such limitation is not appropriate (from uktrainsim forum):

[quote:1sxfumy4] ‘DarrenCarter’ Ah! TrainExport Wizard you say. Personally, I don’t use it.
Convert your textures manually using the RWAceTool from the RailWorks site then export your model using File-Export-Trainworks-Rail Sim Geometry – New(.IGS)
This does not report a problem and will let you export more than 24 child groups.

Edit: I’m using 3DC 7.1.2 but also have 8 but noticed the new IGS exporter is not in the list of exporters for RailWorks which could pose a problem. I’ll give my Sarah Siddons cab a try in 8 as that has more than 24 child objects and works with the new exporter in 7.1.2 [/quote:1sxfumy4]

[quote:1sxfumy4] ‘DarrenCarter’ Right! Just tried the manual exporter for 8 and it throws up an error about the 24 child groups. You don’t get this in 3DC 7.1.2 using the new manual exporter and I can confirm that all animations still work. Strange that 7.1.2 can do something that 8 can’t. That’s a step backwards.
The cure for this would be just to make more subgroups but don’t make more than 24 for each object as Paul explained.
My Sarah Siddons cab has 27 subgroups, 33 animations, 20 of which were used for the digital speedo [/quote:1sxfumy4]

Ok. I understand now.

Can someone confirm that I DEFINITELY should not limit the number of groups to 24 total, and only limit to 24 child groups?

Definitely – the IGS format has a max limit of 24 children per group

Ok… so I can get to fixing this one. I’ll limit to 24 child groups per group, rather than 24 groups per model.

Because of the experience from people using 3DCMax, I’m not convinced by Paul’s reply.

I’ve taken into account the 24 groups limit by saving a model under a new name and moving a whole hierarchy under Main (these objects are in a hierarchy branch dedicated for this move): 3DC exporter is building one shape from several shapes under the same hierarchy level which seems good for performance sake.

Whether there is a limit or not, as it’s better to lower the number of shapes in the igs file by lowering the number of groups.

So , assuming, there would be no limit, I would have anyway to lower the number of groups when exporting to RW (I use a lot the 3DC hierarchy in a model).

All this said, my point of vue now is: [b:30qwml8i]leave the exporter as it. It’s doing a good job[/b:30qwml8i]. No point introducing some instability and time consuming testing at this point.

[b:30qwml8i]Case closed… as far as I’m concerned.[/b:30qwml8i] <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

Well… I don’t think it is going to introduce instability. I’ll have a look later today to see what’s required.

I had a look at the code, and did some testin, and I’m 99.9% certain that 3DC already restricts to 24 child groups, not 24 groups total.

So, case closed.