#3DS Problem
22 messages in this thread
Guys,
I've recently run into a hitch with 3DS. When I go to render a scene with
texture maps or anything where it has to find an image on the drive, it tells
me it can't find it and then returns a
"CAN'T WRITE .LOC FILE" error after transforming objects. I have checked to
make sure that all my map paths are set correct, among other settings. This
seemed to happen after I ran Norton Disk Doctor and Norton Speed Disk. The
thing that gets me bugged about this whole thing is that some project files
will render fine. For example, I have four similar files that all use the same
texture maps and materials, or derivations of the materials using the same
maps, only one of these files will render correctly, the other three give me
the "CAN'T WRITE .LOC FILE" dialogue. Also, after I get this error, I can't
view an image through RENDER/VIEW/IMAGE.
I have tried merging the project file into a new file; saving out a
.3ds file and merging that into a clean file; resetting all of my map paths;
re-saving all of my texturemaps through Photoshop. I also tried rendering the
same files on my 2nd machine, and I recieved the same errors.
Here are my system setups:
Penium 90 mHz ISA VLB, 1.1 GB HD, 64 MB RAM, STB Pegasus 4MB Video
486DX2/66 ISA, 2 GB HD space, 32MB RAM, Diamond Speedstar Hicolor 1MB
thanks
Kyle McKisic
Kyle,
<< "CAN'T WRITE .LOC FILE" error after transforming objects…. >>
Do you have OUTPUT-RENDER-COORDS = ON in your 3ds.set file?
This is on line 603 in my 3ds.set. Also, which IPAS routines are you using and
are
you trying to use them over network rendering?
jonas[adesk]
It sounds like after you ran the Norton disk utilities, it hosed something on
your hard disk. Have you tried re-installing 3DS from scratch? That would be
the next thing I'd do.
– G
I'm not running a network. and yes, I have OUTPUT-RENDER-COORDS set
to "ON" I also tried re installing 3DS-no such luck Something else
new occoured this morning. I did a test with a sphere, camera, and
light to test recording out to tape, and it would render a single
image fine, but when I hit "record" I got "can't write .LOC file"
error. anyway, what does the .loc file do?
Kyle,
<< anyway, what does the .loc file do?.. >>
Check out the 3ds.set file at line 600. It briefly explains it. In addition,
see IPAS21.zip in the software dev kit section of the lib. This was introduced
so IPAS routines can get coordinates writen to a file for further processing.
It is fully described in IPAS21.zip's readme.
So with your sphere, etc.. you are/aren't using any IPAS routines?
jonas[adesk]
Jonas,
I only used the default material, nothing fancy.
Since the problem seems to lie within the materials and maps, I think I might
go ahead and rebuild all my materials . . . maybe pull an all-nighter.
-kyle
hmm… This just started happening after you used the Norton disk utilities,
and it wasn't fixed up by reinstalling 3DS. Did you reinstall the entire 3DS
system from scratch in a new set of directories or did you just install
3DS.EXE? ??
The .LOC file provides camera location information for ipas routines
like flare.ixp. Those files are stored in your /process path, and if
the program doesn't know where the /process path is (for example, due
to some FAT munging by the North utilities), and output-render-coords
is ON in the 3DS.SET file, it'll give you that error message. If
it's OFF, however, you shouldn't have the problem.
I did a full reinstallation of 3DS.
I tried something else too; I loaded up one of my projects that was
not working correctly and hid everything. Then I unhid single
objects, one at a time and rendered each time. The first few objects
rendered fine (the carpet, floor tile, walls, ceiling and wood
paneling), then as I unhid more objects, I was told that it couldn't
find the texture maps I was using for the objects that were already
unhid and rendered OK.
I tried rendering the scenes with OUTPUT-RENDER-COORDS=OFF and it
still gave me messages that it couldn't find the maps, but I didn't
get the .LOC file error.
It sounds like your system is pretty well hosed, Kyle. hmmm… Since
it can't find the maps, it means that it's not communicating with DOS
correctly. You might have to re-format your hard drive and start
over from scratch. (that's the next thing I'd try if I were you)
This problem is only occouring with several files (the most important
ones of course). I'm going to to some more tests today. -kyle p.s.
When to we find out if the videos we sent in for the SIGGRAPH '94
reel made it or not? -just curious.
A couple of those shots you submitted _did_ make it onto the demo
reel, Kyle. They're part of an extremely cool 2.5 minute "space
opera".
G Thanks for the good news! I look foward to seeing it at the
conference.
Back to the problem, I transferred all of the data from my last backup
to a 150 meg bernoulli, loaded it up on my other system and i got the
same errors besides trying to display an image off disk. Maybe it
could be that I displayed it through a Targa+ card. But I still
don't see how I coud be getting errors on both these machines.
Especially since I didn't run Norton on my DX2 66. And reformatting
my hard drive right now is kind of out of the question since I've got
to render 4600 frames of these files by next week.
I'm considering rebuilding/reanimating them from scratch. Who knows
….
Kyle, I really don't have a clue as to what external force could've
caused the problem. I wish I did!
Neither do I, but I apperciate your help. I've started moving all my
files to another machine in my office to try it there.
I just found something else . . . I have isolated a problem object
in my project files, but the thing is that when it is unhidden, it
dosen't give me errors related to it's maps, it can't find the maps
for the objects that render fine while it is hidden. Could one
object in my scene be the entire cause of this problem? I would
rather not have to go back and rebuild it from scratch.
Is this only happening in one scene? I had the impression that it
was happening with everything.
I've fixed my problem . . . FORMAT C: I pulled an all nighter, and
everything renders fine – no problems what so ever. I still wish I knew what
went wrong in the first place, but if it works, I'm not complaining. I just
have a lot of work to do. <sigh>.
thanx for your help
-kyle
Kyle,
<< all nighter' ..!! >>
Congrat's!
I had a feeling that that's what it was. A very clear lesson in the dangers of
disk "cleanup" utilities. (I never use the stuff, myself.) Congratulations!
– G
Kyle,
Glad to here you got the bottom of the problem. Were you able to find the
latest Vibrant driver with the Targa+ in-line? I hope that solves the T+
problem. Give me a call.
Ang
<< I just found something else . . . I have isolated a problem object
in my project files, but the thing is that when it is unhidden, it
dosen't give me errors related to it's maps, it can't find the maps
for the objects that render fine while it is hidden. Could one
object in my scene be the entire cause of this problem? I would
rather not have to go back and rebuild it from scratch. >>
Just curious, is this problem object by any chance from pre-R3 origins
? I've had one problem with an object in an older 3DS format.
F
m: Kyle McKisic 74151,1241
nope
-kyle