Need to borrow a cup of sugar.

[SMMDigital]

If anyone has a copy of 3DCanvas 7, Free version, that is NOT 7.1.1.2, if you would be so gracious, I need to borrow it to test a problem that i've been having (see thread on Shadow problems in 3DC). I've pretty much removed all other causes of the problem, so the only thing i've got left to do is switch to another revision of the software and see if that is the problem.

No worries about piracy as I have spent my money and have my own keycode for the software (which works with all versions of the product once you have purchased it).

[dick8299]

Check out the download links on this page from the Amabilis Forum:

http://amabilis.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/5496093974/p/2

[pwillard]

I have version 7.120 (which is my favorite) I'm not sure why that version is not available at Amabilis. I can make that one available if that's the one you want.

[dick8299]

To SMMDigital:

I was thinking what I might try if I were in your shoes.

I would export my model into RW using both 3DC8 and 3DC7; use RW_Tools to open the GeoPcDx files; and then do a line by line comparison of the two files. (you would have to highlight and right click to copy the file from RW_Tools and then paste into a text file. I personally use Context (free) for a text editing file, because it will give you a side by side comparison of two files and highlight the differences)

I would check the areas for the StencilShadow.fx shader as well as the list of objects to see if the shadow object is listed in the 3DC7 GeoPcDx file.

[Trainguy76]

Or, you could have another person export the exact same object, and you can then know if it is a problem with your particular install or settings, or if it is a problem with all 3DCanvas 7.1.2 users.

[SMMDigital]

Ok, did get a copy of 3DC 7.1.1, and the results were the same. I'm doing some thing wrong here, but I can't figure out what it is.

I did a side by side comparison of v7 - v8 Geo files (Notepad++ actually has a "compare" function), and the v8 one had 300 more lines of code than the v7! Not even sure the Geo would still work if I transferred the missing code from v8 to v7.

If anyone that has v7 wants to take a look at a simple shadow object that won't export as a shadow, I will post it on http://www.smmdigital.net in the morning so maybe you can figure out what i'm doin' wrong. Keep in mind that the shadow works fin in 3DC-8, I just don't use that version because of the vanishing assets problem.

[Trainguy76]

If anyone that has v7 wants to take a look at a simple shadow object that won't export as a shadow, I will post it on http://www.smmdigital.net in the morning so maybe you can figure out what i'm doin' wrong. Keep in mind that the shadow works fin in 3DC-8, I just don't use that version because of the vanishing assets problem.

I'll try, I have 7.1.2.0, so you know.

[dick8299]

When you took your model that works in 3DC8 and recreated it in 3DC7, did you completely redo your model, or just open up the 8 version of the model with version 7? If so, there may have been something lost in the translation. My example of the shed with a shadow, was created in 3DC7 - (not translated from 3DC8)

[SMMDigital]

I was under the impression that 3DC7 would not open files created in 3DC8, so these models were made solely with version 7. I can open the v7 files with v8, and shadows export just fine from that version of the program.

I overslept this morning so im a bit late getting the file up to the website.

[dick8299]

I finally found it - here is the download for Canvas 3DC 7.1.2

http://amabilis.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/ ... 5310429341

I think if you install this version, you should be able to create a shadow.

[SMMDigital]

We have a winner! After downloading and installing 7.1.2.0 from the Amabilis forum, I now have shadows for my models.

Thanks Dick for your patience with this, and to all the rest that have helped through this long and arduous slog through the land of Shadows. What I don't understand, and will probably explode my brain thinking about, is how 1 small version upgrade could make the difference in that.

Now on to my next battle - prosecuting the reason why assets disappear when using 3DC version 8.2...

smmshadows3.jpg

[dick8299]

Yes, back to the original problem.

Since I know you prefer 3DC8, I was wondering how severe the problem really is.

You say that the edges of the buildings disappear when you are close to them or looking up at an odd angle (as I remember, I could be wrong).

My question is how do the buildings look when running a train in the Sim which is how 98% of the people will see them. I sometimes walk around a route with the 8 camera, but not that often. If the buildings look OK while operating the train, maybe that is all that is required.

[SMMDigital]

The vanishing assets made with 3DC-8 are a major distraction, as most of the assets that i'm building are trackside industries. One in particular is a 900'x300' building that unloads box cars. Quite irritating to be spotting box cars and have the building warp out of view when you look out the cab window. I tried splitting the building into smaller segments, but that just made different parts of the building disappear as the camera moves by.

I've done all of the recommended fixes, including making sure the center point is at sector 0,0,0. Either way you look - left, right, up, or down - when the center point crosses the edge of the RW window, the asset vanishes.

This probably wouldn't be such a big issue if the default assets did this as well. But since they stay put, mine should too.