External Smoke Cache Issues #40820

New Issue

Atomic · 2014-06-26T22:07:05+02:00

Atomic commented

2014-06-26 22:07:05 +02:00

System Information
OSX 10.9.1 Intel4000HD

Blender Version
Broken: 2.71
Worked: Not sure?

Short description of error
When a smoke domain reads an external cache various viewport and render anomalies occur.

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error
I have included a ZIP file with the smoke cache writer file. This file produces the smoke cache. Open 27_smoke_cache_writer.blend and bake the cache out to a folder. I have also included the file 27_various_external_smoke_cach issues.blend which reads the cache and demonstrates the errors.
Open up 27_various_external_smoke_cache issues.blend, select the domains and re-connect the smoke cache by browsing to the cache you just generated.
Press F12 and render. You should see something similar to what I post in the screen shot.

Multiple problems seems to exist. Such as incorrect viewport display and incorrect Empty dupligroup render. There is also a scaling issue involved.

external_smoke_cache_issues.zip

**System Information** OSX 10.9.1 Intel4000HD **Blender Version** Broken: 2.71 Worked: Not sure? **Short description of error** When a smoke domain reads an external cache various viewport and render anomalies occur. ![external_smoke_cache_issues.jpg](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F95662/external_smoke_cache_issues.jpg) **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** I have included a ZIP file with the smoke cache writer file. This file produces the smoke cache. Open **27_smoke_cache_writer.blend** and bake the cache out to a folder. I have also included the file **27_various_external_smoke_cach issues.blend** which reads the cache and demonstrates the errors. Open up **27_various_external_smoke_cache issues.blend**, select the domains and re-connect the smoke cache by browsing to the cache you just generated. Press F12 and render. You should see something similar to what I post in the screen shot. Multiple problems seems to exist. Such as incorrect viewport display and incorrect Empty dupligroup render. There is also a scaling issue involved. [external_smoke_cache_issues.zip](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F95666/external_smoke_cache_issues.zip)

Atomic commented

2014-06-26 22:07:05 +02:00

Changed status to: 'Open'

Atomic commented

2014-06-26 22:07:05 +02:00

Added subscriber: @AtomP

Daniel Genrich was assigned by Lukas Tönne

2014-07-02 16:35:00 +02:00

Lukas Tönne commented

2014-07-02 16:35:00 +02:00

Added subscriber: @LukasTonne

Lukas Tönne commented

2014-07-02 16:35:41 +02:00

Added subscribers: @miikah, @genscher

Lukas Tönne commented

2014-07-02 16:35:41 +02:00

@genscher & @miikah: could you check this please?

ronan ducluzeau commented

2014-07-02 16:37:30 +02:00

Added subscriber: @zeauro

ronan ducluzeau commented

2014-07-02 16:37:30 +02:00

ubuntu 14.04 64bits hash : 9337574

I confirm that what is rendered does not correspond to what is displayed in 3DView.
3Dview is reading cache and displaying it according to domain origin.
Render is relative to mapping settings.

I think that it is normal behaviour that instancing is not supported.
You can just add same material volume to another mesh.
There is no need to add a smoke modifier on each.

Expected workflow is to use only one object for one cache. Because it is not needed to create 2 Voxel Data textures for same cache.

Since first steps of smoke development, there were problems with scaling object mode and in Edit mode.
The "Maps to Bounds" option in mapping panel solves all of them.

ubuntu 14.04 64bits hash : 9337574 I confirm that what is rendered does not correspond to what is displayed in 3DView. 3Dview is reading cache and displaying it according to domain origin. Render is relative to mapping settings. ![Screenshot_-_02072014_-_16:32:20.jpg](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F96364/Screenshot_-_02072014_-_16_32_20.jpg) I think that it is normal behaviour that instancing is not supported. You can just add same material volume to another mesh. There is no need to add a smoke modifier on each. Expected workflow is to use only one object for one cache. Because it is not needed to create 2 Voxel Data textures for same cache. Since first steps of smoke development, there were problems with scaling object mode and in Edit mode. The "Maps to Bounds" option in mapping panel solves all of them.

Bastien Montagne commented

2014-07-20 11:32:03 +02:00

Added subscriber: @mont29

Bastien Montagne commented

2014-07-20 11:32:03 +02:00

Would be nice to get final advice on this one… ;)

Atomic commented

2014-07-20 13:47:58 +02:00

"You can just add same material volume to another mesh. "
@zearo: But what if I want more than one smoke system in a single scene? Am I back to just rendering cards again?

"You can just add same material volume to another mesh. " @zearo: But what if I want more than one smoke system in a single scene? Am I back to just rendering cards again?

ronan ducluzeau commented

2014-07-20 15:54:38 +02:00

smk_examples.zip
In this example, bake quick smoke effect steam in qss.blend and quick smoke effect fire in qsf.blend.

Then, take a look at main scene 2_ext_caches.blend.

This scene use 2 external caches imported through 2 Domain objects.
At this moment, I use only the 2 corresponding voxel data textures to render 6 smoke flows.
4 are made of different meshes using a material using one of voxel data texture.
2 are made of one mesh using one material mixing the 2 textures mapped according empties_coordinates.

[smk_examples.zip](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F98648/smk_examples.zip) In this example, bake quick smoke effect steam in qss.blend and quick smoke effect fire in qsf.blend. Then, take a look at main scene 2_ext_caches.blend. This scene use 2 external caches imported through 2 Domain objects. At this moment, I use only the 2 corresponding voxel data textures to render 6 smoke flows. 4 are made of different meshes using a material using one of voxel data texture. 2 are made of one mesh using one material mixing the 2 textures mapped according empties_coordinates.

Atomic commented

2014-07-21 14:33:37 +02:00

I did test out your file and confirmed that instancing does not work correctly. In this image you can see the white one in the middle is a dupligroup. Some kind of instancing attempt is being made, you can see the effect of the raytrace through the volume. Also that grey block on the left should be rendering as smoke (I see it in the viewport) but instead I just get a solid.

Also, when the source Domains are not on the same layer smoke cache is not updated correctly for users of the data on other layers.

I guess the question is...Is instancing supported or is it just broken?

The documentation claims that the smoke domain behaves like the fluid domain.

I did test out your file and confirmed that instancing does not work correctly. In this image you can see the white one in the middle is a dupligroup. Some kind of instancing attempt is being made, you can see the effect of the raytrace through the volume. Also that grey block on the left should be rendering as smoke (I see it in the viewport) but instead I just get a solid. ![bad_Cache.jpg](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F98842/bad_Cache.jpg) Also, when the source Domains are not on the same layer smoke cache is not updated correctly for users of the data on other layers. I guess the question is...Is instancing supported or is it just broken? The documentation claims that the smoke domain behaves like the fluid domain.

ronan ducluzeau commented

2014-07-21 15:01:42 +02:00

In my file, grey cube on the left named qsf_Domain has a solid default material.
So, it is correctly rendered.
It has maximum Draw Type set to Wire, it is set to textured; it would be solid in Viewport.
It is a trick for any smoke domain object. Otherwise even for object with a Volume material; smoke sim would not be visible in Viewport.

So, it is Rendered View that is not correct and should render smoke domains as solid cubes.

Problem of update with domains on another layer is known. It was already reported but you can keep them on same layer and simply disable their renderability in outliner. It does not affect rendering of objects with a Volume material.

Comparaison between fluid domain and smoke domain is valid for idea of resolution or borders but not for rendering.
Fluids are solid surfaces. Smokes are Voxels.

In my file, grey cube on the left named qsf_Domain has a solid default material. So, it is correctly rendered. It has maximum Draw Type set to Wire, it is set to textured; it would be solid in Viewport. It is a trick for any smoke domain object. Otherwise even for object with a Volume material; smoke sim would not be visible in Viewport. So, it is Rendered View that is not correct and should render smoke domains as solid cubes. Problem of update with domains on another layer is known. It was already reported but you can keep them on same layer and simply disable their renderability in outliner. It does not affect rendering of objects with a Volume material. Comparaison between fluid domain and smoke domain is valid for idea of resolution or borders but not for rendering. Fluids are solid surfaces. Smokes are Voxels.

Julian Eisel commented

2015-04-14 23:09:47 +02:00

Added subscriber: @JulianEisel

Julian Eisel commented

2015-04-14 23:09:47 +02:00

@genscher/@miikah any news on this? Will move it to the todo list otherwise

Julian Eisel commented

2015-04-24 16:41:05 +02:00

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Archived'

Julian Eisel closed this issue

2015-04-24 16:41:05 +02:00

Julian Eisel commented

2015-04-24 16:41:06 +02:00

Added to the todo list

Closing

Added to the [todo list ](http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:2.5/Source/Development/Todo/Tools#Smoke) Closing

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External Smoke Cache Issues #40820