I have been looking all over for the answer to this problem and since people didn't respond in the DBP forums and I haven't gotten a response from Mike in 3 days about the problem, I've decided to ask it here.  When I put bones into a model and I animate it in 3dc, it looks and works fine.  When I put it in DBP, the bones stretch to different points.  What should be known is that if I use commands to move the object in DBPro, the whole object moves.  The stretches stay the same length all the time.  I'm not sure where the problem is.  I know DBP is buggy but I've also found out that by changing certain things in 3dc, I can sometimes make it better.  I can never completely fix it.  I would like to know if there are any solutions to this problem.  Thank you for your support in advance.

Welcome to 3dc.

Any chance you could post a link to an example of a model doing this ?

a couple of picture would also help - one showing the model in 3dc and a screenshot of it in dbp ?

What format are you exporting in ?

We have some db people here (never tried it myself) who might be along with a quick answer....

Here are the pictures.  The first one is the picture of what it looks like in DarkBASIC.  The file is looped.  If you program DarkBASIC the command would be loop object 1.  I called this file "stretcharm.jpg"  The second file is what it looks like in 3DC.  Just to tell you, in the model, it doesn't stretch.  It does kind of fold but it doesn't bend to the extent that it bends in DarkBASIC.  This file is called "cylinderbone.jpg"

It appears that the first file didn't post

I, too, have been having the exact same problem with DBP. Luckily, I just figured out how to fix it. What you need to do is uncrease your model (click the crease tool and set it to '0').

Then, when you add your bones, make sure the entire model is covered by the bone range(if you don't, the 'naked' parts will stretch--but this can usually be fixed by moving the model to (0,0,0) before you export).

You may need to uncrease your model several times--just repeat the crease to '0' command--before it loads and plays without stretching. Of course, this means you cannot animated a creased model and export it to DBP in the '.x' format. If you do want to animate a simple, creased model, export as an '.md2'--these models tend to load more slowly than 'x', though.

Hope this works for you as well as it does for me.

I've just spent the last week trying to get this to work and the answer was here already  :-[

The way I've been doing it is to set up the model, bones and animation then
choose the model in the "scene hierarchy"
click the disable/enable bones button in the right hand group of icons (ie turn off the bones)
with the model (skin) still selected click the crease object button (in the object operations box)
slide the setting down to 0
reactivate bones (from the right hand side group of buttons)
then export....

So how are you finding DB pro Alan.  I haven't had much time to play yet. :P

All I have done with it is try to import animated x models - it was the first thing I tried after installing it and it's taken me just over a week to get them working.

The *.exe are a bit big - 3 meg + ? maybe there are options to reduce these that I have not found yet ?

I also bought a program called cshop - this was to allow me "lightmap" some models but I am getting nowhere with that yet. A new version has just come out which is having a few "teething problems", I hope it gets sorted out soon. I bet 3dc could do lightmaps (plugins ?) and if it could then it would be great for what I am after (trying to design some maps/ levels for a game idea....)

hi, i have the same probleme with  bone but i have resolved it !!


when you export , 3d canvas ask if you want export the bone , clic  no !!!

the animation are saved in the X model and you can play them in DB pro  

@++

Cpt-Ouais !!!

Cpt-Ouais,

Saying "No" to the question of whether to export bones probably isn't the best solution normally. I think that the solution provided by the others is the best choice for true skeletal models. Could it be that yours is a jointed mode? If that is the case then what you said will work.

Richard

Alan,
noticed your comments about cshop and lightmapping. Have you tried GILE(S)? if not take a look here www.frecle.net/giles go to the forums and screenshots. It must be one of the best lightmappers around and easy to use
Bazza

Thanks for the link bazza.
I bought it at the end of last year and I would recomend it to anyone who is after a lightmapper, especially if you use blitz basic.

Gile(s) now has an exporter for Dark Basic Pro as well

Bazza