Demo

[phloog]

I wasn't successful in finding anything on this here, so...

I downloaded the demo, and am following the files perfectly, I believe, but nothing happens...no smoke, no fire. I know the demo was supposed to prohibit saving, but I can't believe the demo was meant to prohibit actually seeing the product in action. The preview windows are black, and the render only shows the objects...no FumeFX. I'm on Max 9 32bit, and I believe I'm following the directions. The only odd thing I can find is that my computer calls the object sources Demons, which isn't the text in the tutorial/help file.

I can't really give great info at this point, because I think I am doing exactly what the tutorial says. Is there a download of the COMPLETED tutorial, just so I can check that it's not something odd about my computer/Max?

Thanks,
JT

[phloog]

Some extra info...I have now followed the candle tutorial through TWICE (once from Help, and what I think is an identical version in the PDF). I also tried the cigarette file one. In all cases the only difference I can see is that my machine calls the object source DEMONS...oh, and the difference that nothing shows up in the preview, and nothing in the viewports or renders.

Frustrating, as I'm sitting on some extra cash and wanted to try a new toy.

[Woody79]

there are some complete files that I have done over at CGFluids, you can test these. if you have access. have you made sure your playback are correct. thats the most problematic one so far, that seems to confuse. and you have an output for you sim data.

[vjeko]

Hi,

is anything happening when you start the simulation? Or is it over in a few seconds? Maybe you have not attached the fumefx sources to fumefx box, or the sources are outside of it?

Vjekoslav

[phloog]

Hi,

is anything happening when you start the simulation? Or is it over in a few seconds? Maybe you have not attached the fumefx sources to fumefx box, or the sources are outside of it?

Vjekoslav

The white text window of sim status starts, and INSANELY quickly rips through the simulation. I may have read the instructions badly, but I have the source demon/icon OUTSIDE of the FumeFX box, but the object that I picked to associate with the object source icon is definitely inside the FumeFX box. I thought the instructions said that the funky-looking obj source icon could be outside, and so I thought it was like all the Cebas place-holder/reference objects, and it only matters that things like the actual cigarette/wick/etc were inside....should I try it with the round obj source icon inside the bounding box for the main FumeFX?

It does create a lot of little files in the folder I gave it to store the simulation...so SOMETHING is happening, just not the right stuff.

With respect to the website/examples...don't you have to be a registered customer, owning the full product, to get access to that?

[ddiener]

Did you assign you object to the FFX-Deamon AND then add the FFX-Deamon to the Simulation, too ?

[Rif]

woooh this is funny ..

their is nothing from cebas that reacts like that here : " so I thought it was like all the Cebas place-holder/reference objects, and it only matters that things like the actual cigarette/wick/etc were inside...."

and hum.. NO difference ever if the OBject Source is outside the FFx grid ..

and , Their is No FFx Deamon really so i dont understand much of all that post..

I would say ur Best bet is to Simply Post a scene thaton ur Side have a or Multiple probleme and then it will be way clearer then .. Post it AS is not working , will know more if its a demo version probleme , or if its user error ..

my 2 cents.

[phloog]

and hum.. NO difference ever if the OBject Source is outside the FFx grid ..

and , Their is No FFx Deamon really so i dont understand much of all that post...

I guess I don't understand the first quoted sentence...it doesn't make any difference and it should work? Or I should have it in the bounding box for FX?

Also, I think your confusion about the 'demon' listed in my post is my fault in that I was seeing the word DEMO on my screen, and thinking it said 'demon', since it was a type of helper (stupid mental tendency toward closure). The text doesn't include the word DEMO, so it threw me, but of course the help file should NOT have DEMO in it.

Still can't get it to work, but I'm determined.

[Rif]

lol ok .. got the Demon , ur righ i read demo..Probably becose of the subjest of this discussion ?

Can u please , send a Scene .. u seems to have none of it working.. just upload a scene without ur demon that is Not working on ur side..

i guarantie u that ull have an answer in a minute if i can open it in a min ..

If u are using a simple source Helper, of course it needs to be in the FFx grid.

if ur Using an object Source Helpre, the Source dosnt need to be in the grid as long as ur object picked as source in it is in the grid.. Same thing aplys for the FFx Particles Source helper..

[phloog]

I believe a have found the answer, but I'm not sure WHY it's happening.

If I follow the steps in the tutorial, it REMOVES the Wick (the candle tutorial) from the Pick list for the Object source.

I went through all the steps again in order, then looked and the picked object was gone. Adding the Wick to the pick list AFTER I went through the other steps seems to have worked.

Could this be a side effect of the demo limitation that removes all your saved settings? Is the picked object considered a saved setting? If so, the tutorial might throw a bunch of people, as it assumes you DON'T have this limitation.

Thanks a MILLION for the help, by the way. I love the web.

EDIT - NEW INFO: It appears to do this with both OBJECTS selected for the Object Source helper, and with lights in the pick box for Illum in the FumeFX major dialog. I have to continually watch to make sure that one or the other hasn't suddenly become unassociated. I'm assuming this is only true in the demo - - if it were true in the full release it'd be a major pain...but if this doesn't just happen for me it could cause frustration for others.

[Rif]

hum.. again .. i m confused.. its probably MY english again!

is it working for u yes or no..?

if No can u Post a FILE ???
thanks

[phloog]

I have found a way around what was going on.

Here is the biggest issue I was hitting - it seems to consider the PICKED objects and PICKED lights to be akin to settings that are SAVED. I had Autosave turned on in Max.

I believe that every time my Max tried to Autosave, the Demo security featured wiped out all 'saved' settings, including the picked objects.

It was frustrating to say the least...it works as long as I remember to either turn off Autosave while using the demo, or periodically recheck and repick items.

I'm past that issue, and now struggling with Tutorial 2 (the jet engine-like object). Hopefully I'll figure it out.