XSI 7.0's crosswalk exporter's COLLADA not working

Unity Engine
1

Hi,
I used XSI 7.0 and its crosswalk exporter(ver3.0) and exported a model in Collada(1.4.1) format. When I import this Collada file to Unity it complains that the file is corrupted. Has anyone seen this before? Does anyone know how tox it?

To test whether Unity or XSI was causing the problem I also tried to import dae file that came with Nvidia’s FX Composer 2.5. The result was same,Unity would complain the file is corrupted.

So I’m more inclined to think Unity can’t do Collada or is very picky about version or Collada schema. Any info regarding this stuff would be appreciated too-.

Work around is to export model in FBX but FBX doesn’t do subdivision and I actually would like it in my model.

Thanks in advance!

2

Ok, just for hell of it, I downloaded blender, created a simple mesh, and exported as Collada file. And to no surprise Unity didn’t import Collada again. Is Collada supported at all in Unity???

3

I don’t think so, but you wouldn’t be able to use subdivision in Unity anyway. Only plain polygon meshes are supported. (You can use subdivision in Blender and save as a Blender file, and when importing into Unity, the subdivision gets baked to a normal mesh. Which is to say, the Blender FBX exporter bakes it.)

–Eric

4

The Unity manual says dae files are supported, but I suspect that Unity relies on readers built-in to the FBX SDK for some formats and it seems some of them aren’t very robust. I had some OBJ files that were importable by some 3D apps but not Unity, and then when I tried running them through the FBX converter and had a similar failure. (and I seem to recall seeing some problems with OBJ and Collada readers mentioned in the FBX forums)

5

Great info, guys. Thanks!

6

Use Crosswalk and export to FBX from XSI… I haven’t had time or willingness to upgrade to 7.5 yet so I’m not sure if that works or not. I know Crosswalk 3.1 works and that Crosswalk 3.11 does not. I did report that to the Unity folks. I haven’t tried the latest version which is 3.2. I’m in the middle of production and I’m too afraid to screw with my setup. My findings so far:

XSI 7.0 w/ Crosswalk 3.0 = works with single UV set per object
XSI 7.0 w/ Crosswalk 3.1 = works with multiple UVs per object
XSI 7.0 w/ Crosswalk 3.11 = uvs break

Hope that helps some.

7

While I’ve been able to export static meshes with multiple UV sets using Softimage 7.5 and 7.01 with Crosswalk 3.2, it appears that there is a bug in 3.2’s FBX exporter.

Have you tested 7.5 3.2 yet? Can you confirm a problem with Crosswalk 3.2?

8

The new Mod Tool comes with version 3.3 of Crosswalk, so a new download should be available for everyone else soon.

I can confirm that it fixed the distortion problems I was seeing with 3.2, but it doesn’t seem to like animations to be stored on the Mixer.

9

This stuff just doesn’t end. :cry:

Crosswalk 3.3 exports the animation correctly, but the UVs don’t seem to work properly.

10

Gotta ask… isn’t it necessary to plot the animation before exporting anyway? :?:

11

Yes, assuming you used a control rig, you plot the animation back to the skeleton. But from there, you might want to put that animation onto the mixer. This is the step that 3.3 apparently doesn’t support.

Right now I’m now going round and round trying to get the UVs working.

I’m beginning to understand why IT departments are reluctant to update software. Once you have a working pipeline (which I did with 7.01 and 3.11), don’t mess with it!

12

Yep, especially with Autodesk updates I guess. I’m still on XSI 5.11 and with the Autodesk takeover it’s gonna stay that way!

13

How else would you sell 1 / x year update contracts if users weren’t force to updates due to errors.
How do you think does Daz survives :wink: (the never ending Carrara Bug story)

14

Here’s a new bit of information I just learned re: Softimage and Crosswalk.

Although the software supports multiple UV sets for export, it doesn’t for import. So if you are texturing your mesh in Modo and wish to animate it in Softimage or the Mod Tool, make sure it only has one UV set. You can always create additional UV sets before exporting it again.

15

i have xsi 7.0 and export to unity:

works:

  • static models work and the 2 texture work

doens’t work:

  • envelopping sometime goes nuts. I saved my
    envelopping map reply it and re-export it and
    than it works

  • but the nightmare is anamation. I importing
    an scene and splitting up the animation doesn’t really work. I logged the case to unity and the reported
    back that the problem is with unity but i am stuck now.
    I don’t know what the real problems: is is the splitting up , is the constant interpolation,… ???

16

It took a bit of doing, but I got a working bit of animation out of the 7.5 Mod Tool, which includes Crosswalk 3.3. The character is from a Digital Tutors DVD. It has two UV sets. It’s impossible to export a working version of this file with Softimage 7.5 and Crosswalk 3.2.

http://stuffwelike.com/islanddreamer/ModToolExport.html

Move the mouse to rotate around the object and use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out.

Is the animation you’re trying to import more complex than this?

17

Have you tried exporting to FBX in 7.5? Its time for me to update but I’m afraid to if I can’t have multiple UVs and animation…

18

That’s what I’ve been battling with. The Crosswalk 3.2 FBX exporter (the only one that works with 7.5) is broken when it comes to exporting animation.

I’d recommend you hold off on updating until 3.3 is released. It should be soon, given that it shipped with the Mod Tool last week.

19

and did you try out the 3.3? does it work for

  • static models with 2 uv?
  • does animation work?
  • is the envelopping stabitily back?
20

Yes, but only with the Mod Tool. The standalone version for 7.5 isn’t available yet.