Saturday, February 5, 2011

Basic installation of Prim Composer

Hello,
I will try to explain what is the basic installation of prim composer.
*Installing the tool
1. Download the tool from here: http://www.mediafire.com/?46x8gdcna7113di
2. Unpack it somewhere
3. Take the "primcomposer" folder and copy/paste it inside your max's "stdscripts" folder, in my case:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2011\stdplugs\stdscripts
Note: If you are using 64bit version of max your root folder will be "Program Files" , but if you use 32bit it will be "Program Files (x86)". Make sure you've putted it in the right folder.
4. Start 3ds max. You may get an error on the first start. Ignore it and restart max.
5. You should see a new menu at your top bar called "Prim Composer"
*Configuring your max
There are two major settings you need to change in your max setting in order it to work with prim composer.
1.Customize -> Preferences -> Rendering -> True Color - must be Unchecked
2.Customize -> Preferences -> General -> Use Real-World Texture Coordinates  - must be Unchecked

Optional: Set your Display Units to Meters and System Units to Inches

53 comments:

  1. Hi, after installation I open 3ds max, I get the error --Runtime error: fileIn: can't open file - "C:\Program Files
    Autodesk
    3ds Max 2010\stdplugs\stdscripts\primcomposer\PrimChangeHandler.ms

    so I restart, but i keep getting the same msg everytime I restart.

    Please help

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello G,
    It seems to me that you have UAC switched on? You can either start Max with administrator rights or switch UAC off: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-user-account-control-uac-the-easy-way-on-windows-vista/
    Hope this helps.
    Best regards

    ReplyDelete
  3. thanks for your quick reply, but i shut it off and even re put the files into 3ds max and i'm still getting that msg

    ReplyDelete
  4. Interesting , it should work on 2010 without problem. You have pasted the error message but i see 2 missing "\" in it , is this correct ? "C:\Program Files Autodesk 3ds Max 2010\stdplugs\stdscripts\primcomposer\PrimChangeHandler.ms
    Some errors occur when you have another prim composer folder put in a wrong folder, check for that too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ya i had a dual folder but removed the first one that contained the second one. and I missed the key when typing the \\ in the error msg.

    Will it work if I take the 3 sub folders in the primcomposer folder out and place them directly into the stdscripts folder?

    ReplyDelete
  6. i just tried what I asked and it works. The instructions say take the primcomposer folder and put it into the stdscripts folder. Not take the 3 folders inside the primcomposer folder.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi i have a problem i have 3ds max 2011 and prim composer 1.4 with patch im has modeled a airplane nose and when i want to export it, it says no prims are selected but i have it selected or no prims in scene. any Help!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey Koki,
    Select the prim , and use "Convert" option in prim composer's menu ( top bar ). This will add sculpty preferences to the object. Don't forget to set output sculpty resolution , stitching and baking size. Hope this helps

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi again now this error is not showing up but when click on export i get 3 errors and when go to the folder of the sculpties i get 3 blank images at the sculptmap.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi when click on export i get a little windows and down its a red color and saying 3 error and there i expored i get 3 sculpt map that is blank.I have true color uncheckd and all that. Any Help Please.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is all i get

    ** EXPORTED
    - prims: 1 of 1
    - linksets: 0 of 0
    - sculptmaps: 3
    - textures: 0
    - baked: 0

    Cost if Uploaded to SL: L$ 30

    ** STATISTICS
    - time: 0.428 sec
    - speed: 2.33645 prims/sec
    - coverage: 100.0 %

    >>>>> 3 Errors! <<<<<

    ** 3 Errors:
    - (1) COMPOSITE SCULPTMAP FAILED in prim 'Layer0_001' -> -- Unknown property: "vertColor" in undefined
    - (2) COMPOSITE SCULPTMAP FAILED in prim 'Layer0_001' -> -- Unknown property: "vertID" in undefined
    - (3) COMPOSITE SCULPTMAP FAILED in prim 'Layer0_001' -> -- Unknown property: "vertID" in undefined


    Please Fast Help Please!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey Koki,
    Okay if you export one sculpty and you get 3 maps ( no matter they are blank) this means that your sculpty is composed from 3 sub-object elements. When prim composer see more than one element "composite sculptie" option kicks in. First make sure your sculpty is actually sculpty compatible ( perfect square UVs without holes and plane topology) , if it is , the only way is to make it big, and try vertex "Weld" to create a single element. Be careful and make backup , weld can make a mess if the threshold is wrong (that's why you need to make it big). All my advices are based on pure guessing, so a wire snapshot + UVs will be helpful. Most immediate help can be found in "3ds max" group in SL, most people there use prim composer ( but have those snapshots ready ). Best regards

    ReplyDelete
  13. thank you so much for this! my hard drive recently failed and i had to reinstall 3ds max and i was so scared i wouldn't be able to find prim composer since the site is gone! you are a life saver!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi i still have a new problem i designed what i want with a prim composer prim Cylinder. Here is a pic http://img714.imageshack.us/i/namnlsds.png/
    And This is the Sculpt i get http://img855.imageshack.us/i/82808941.png/ Ok. And The sculpt in World looks like that --- http://img43.imageshack.us/i/sculpth.png/
    They are lookin 100% diffrent than each other
    Help please.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello Koki,
    It looks to me that u've used standard SL primitive for your starting topology but not cylinder sculptie. You should know that prim composer supports SL primitives as well, but they can be edited only with parameters and resize/rotate/move. To access sculpty , go to prim composer menu and insted ot Cylinder, choose "Sculpt Shape". Choose the shape , resolution and the starting LOD. Hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  16. When you export out of 3ds max it exports as a hpa extension. how do you import that to 2nd life?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hello DJ,
    You need to use Maxport.exe ( it's included in the package ). More info here: http://maniacsl.blogspot.com/2011/02/maxport-and-maxproxy-usage.html

    ReplyDelete
  18. ty but where exactly do i type in maxport.exe, i thought it was from dos but it doesnt recognize the command. tried from my run command to. and yes i did install prim composer cause its in my 3ds max

    ReplyDelete
  19. Check he "Tutorials" post and most specificity this one: http://www.lldexler.com/primcomposer/using-maxport-to-upload-builds-to-opensim-and-secondlife.mp4

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thank you for your quick responses. I'm going to go watch all the tutorials and I'll let you know the results of that :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  22. ok i imported something to 2nd life. Was just a sphere to test it. i see the sphere then i take it, but i have no clue where it is in my inventory. doing a search i dont find anything. i do have a folder called maxport but the only thing in it is a png file

    ReplyDelete
  23. nevermind i figured it out lol.

    i still have more videos to watch and tutorials to learn. I've done 3d modeling for other games and now i want to learn second life.

    thank you for all your help

    ReplyDelete
  24. hi , I installed it, works fine,
    but unfortunatly, if I change Preferences in prim Default, it does not change the Baked File dimention
    from 256 to 1024, looks right in preferences
    but if I bake , it keeps 256er output, any one know why ?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hello Satras,
    Those settings are only for newly created prims/sculpties. For old ones you need to change those from the added options in Editable Poly dialog or you can use "Bulk Change" in Prim composer menu for more than one prim.
    Best regards

    ReplyDelete
  26. --Runtime error: fileIn: can't open file - "C:\Program Files
    Autodesk
    3ds Max 2010\stdplugs\stdscripts\primcomposer\PrimChangeHandler.ms

    I get this error whenever I run it as admin. Do I really have to turn off UAC? Because im trying to keep my PC as secure as can be.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hello Raioku,
    I don't think UAC is responsible for this error. It looks more like bad installation. Are you sure all files are on right places and there is no prim composer parts on wrong positions? I think someone reported similar error, but I'm not sure what was the problem.
    p.s Yep, check fist several comments from "g" and me. He had double folders. Hope this helps

    ReplyDelete
  28. nah I see what I did wrong man. I put the whole PrimComposer V1.0.4 folder in there instead of PrimComposer folder in it. Fixed it 5 mins ago, thanks for the help though :D

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hello all. I'm getting an error any time I try to generate a sculpt map from a selected object.

    --No "map" function for undefined

    I get this error no matter what I try. I've re-installed prim composer a couple times now and still nothing. Ideas?

    ReplyDelete
  30. Dear all,
    please give me a help. I made a human head with eyes, nose and mouth in 3D Max and then export to Second life. Unfortunately the uploaded picture is totally changed. And also,"Unknown property: "vertColor" in undefined" msg is come.
    But for the initial object is not received that msg. please give me a quick reply. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  31. Can someone advise me? I can produce successful maps of editable poly spheres, but when I try any other shape, I get this error “ - (1) SCULPTGEN FAILED in prim 'Cylinder01' -> -- No ""get"" function for undefined”. I suspect the answer is simple, but I cannot see it.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hey Nom,
    Are you sure you want to create sculpties? Do you know that now you can use normal meshes inside Second Life by using COLLADA? Sculpties have very special topology - bended planes. That's why you can't export/convert any shape to a sculptie, but only those that have plane topology. For example -> cylinder == bended plane, torus == bended cylinder, sphere == double bended plane etc.

    ReplyDelete
  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hi Amis,

    Thanks for your quick response. Indeed, I am looking forward to building with mesh but I must also use sculpties for the time being as much existing work depends on them and viewer issues too.

    I have also been working on 3DS 2008, but have just installed 2010 to see if that would help, at first I ccould not get Prim Composer to appear in the top menu, but after second restart, there it was. Anyway, problem solved now and I can now make the sculpties needed. Thanks so much for your hard work and interest.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hiya Amis
    Shed any light on this error? on 3DSMax 2010 32 bit

    MAXScript Auto-load Script Error - c:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\3ds Max 2010.......

    --Compile error: Undeclared variable: prmcmpsr
    --In line: bitmap bmp1 "bitmap" pos:[22,48] width:300 height:200
    filename:prmcmpsr.

    ...

    --Runtime error: Code block not created, unable to access code block local or parameter: prmcmpsr

    ...

    --Type error: Interface method call requires MixinInterface, got: undefined

    Ive put Prim Composer on before no problem but this time I did add the Prim Composer patches and Sculpty Grid Snapper etc
    Could this be the problem?

    ReplyDelete
  36. All sorted..I put the *.ms files in the stdscripts folder.
    I've put the sgs.mcr file into the UI/macroscripts folder..not sure if that's correct

    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hey Tazzy. The whole "primcomposer" (all files and sub-folders) folder needs to be paste in "MAXFolder\stdplugs\stdscripts\". About the sgs.mcr, you can drag/drop it inside the viewport and it will copy automatically. You only need to find the Category and make a shortcut/button etc. Best regards

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thankyou Amis
    So prim Composer is compatible with 3dsmax 2012/13 but not the patches or SGS?
    Taz

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hello again. I can say for sure that all is compatible with max 2012 (i'm on it), but still not sure for 2013.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hiya
    'drag/drop it inside the viewport' only applies to the *.mcr files, not the *.mc ?

    ReplyDelete
  41. By design:
    .MCR = Macroscript
    Simplest install is to drag/drop inside viewport and than make a shortcut/button ( no restart needed )
    .MS = Maxscript ( regular )
    Simplest usage is to drag/drop it, but it won't install, just start.
    Those doesn't apply for Primcomposer. It's a very complex script that uses multiple .mcr-s and .ms, BUT it applies to the SGS script ( single .mcr ) and most of the scriptspot.com stuff :)Hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Hi there;) here's a question;) or kind of... how can i convert already maded poly model in sculpt parts for example?is there a way or i have to remodel it using sculpt shapes?

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hello MarySue. Do you know that from some time Second Life supports mesh ? If you export your model in COLLADA 1.4.1 or 1.4.0 you can upload it directly. Converting to sculpties is possible to some degree, but it's a huge trouble. If you can build you model from planes than you can recreate it from sculpties. There is no completely automated way :( Hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hey Amis, thanks for keeping this mirror up!. I;m looking to import some old sculpties and mesh them up, but i get a MAXscript rollout handler exception that says
    "--Type error set .bitmap requires BitMap, got: undefined"
    whenever i try to use the sculpt map button. halp!

    thanks<3

    ReplyDelete
  45. Hey Meg. What version of max ? I can confirm it works on Max9..2012, but not sure for 2013.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Im on 2013 (32bit) unfortunately. when i open max i get

    --runtime error: fileIn: can't open file - "C"\Program files Autodesk\3ds Max Design 2013\stdplugs\stdscripts\primcomposer\PrimchangeHandler.ms"

    I had it working on max9, but i recently upgraded

    ReplyDelete
  47. Check the first comment on this post. He is having the same issue. It was due to wrong installation. Probably same problem in your case?

    ReplyDelete
  48. MAGIC! i can now confirm that at least IMPORTING on 2013 DOES work.

    ReplyDelete
  49. when i go to generate sculpmap from selected i get a error that says ---------------------------
    MAXScript RCMenu function Exception
    ---------------------------
    -- No ""get"" function for undefined

    it opens the script to line 428 and all that line says is throw()

    Any one know how to fix this problem
    im on 3DS max 2013

    ReplyDelete