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Exporting user data parameters to Arnold from Maya
You can add attributes to shape nodes in Maya, and MTOA will export those extra attributes as user data in Arnold shape nodes. For example, you use this mechanism to add user data to a procedural node....
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Preserve Layer Name for single-layer EXRs
So, what’s this Preserve Layer Name setting do? Preserve Layer Name is for single-layer EXRs, and it determines whether or not the AOV is written into the pre-defined R,G,B,A channels. By that, I mean...
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Using environment variables in Arnold search paths
To use an environment variable in one of the Arnold search paths, you just have to put the environment variable in square brackets [ ]. For example, [ARNOLD_PLUGINS_PATH] or [MY_TEXTURE_PATH]. A search...
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Using the attr token in the texture file name attribute of a File node
In this blog post, I’ll quickly step through an example of how to use the <attr> token in the Maya File node. Add a "mtoa_constant_" attribute to the shape node. Put the name of the texture file...
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[MtoA] Editing Arnold attributes on multiple objects
If you need to change the same Arnold attributes on many nodes, use the Attribute Spreadsheet. For example, suppose you wanted to turn off the Opaque attribute on a number of objects in your scene....
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Switching between different versions of MtoA
If you have several versions of MtoA, you can switch between them by editing your Maya.env and mtoa.mtd files before you start Maya. These two files are located under your MAYA_APP_DIR folder. For...
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[MtoA] Recipe for linear workflow
Ingredients 1 x Maya 1 x MtoA 1 x Monitor calibrated to sRGB Linear textures Procedure In the Render Settings, set all the Arnold gamma correction settings to 1.0. Set your Render View > Display to...
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[MtoA] Creating color masks with a custom AOV and the Utility shader
In this video, I show how to a color mask AOV using a custom AOV and the Utility shader. Topics covered include: - Creating a custom AOV - Setting the default shader for a custom AOV - Setting up the...
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Another case of a missing entry point
In this case, a user installed the latest MtoA, but when he went to load mtoa.mll in the Plug-in Manager, he got this error: --------------------------- Settings/Preferences: maya.exe - Entry Point...
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[MtoA] The case of the renderer that failed to register
In this case, a customer running Maya 2013 on Ubuntu reported this error when he tried to load the mtoa plugin: API error detected in plugins/mtoa/Main.cpp at line 710: (kFailure): Unexpected Internal...
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[MtoA] Using standins to load animation sequences
To load an animated sequence into a standin: In the Attribute editor for the StandInShape, under File/Frame, your Path should be something like example.####.ass (you must use four # symbols for the...
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[MtoA] Relative paths for standins
You can use relative paths in Maya (like “/Dog.ass” in the Path box of the StandinShape attributes). It can be relative to the project, or relative to the Procedural Search Path. An exported ASS file,...
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[arnold] Getting RLM diagnostics from Arnold
If you want to double-check what license servers Arnold is trying to connect with, set the log verbosity level to the maximum, and you’ll get something like this: ' INFO : [arnold] 00:00:00 438mb [rlm]...
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Creating object mask AOVs that include opacity
Create a custom RGB AOV. Use aiWriteColor to write the object mask to the custom AOV. The Input color of the aiWriteColor is the mask color, and you have to enable Blend to get the opacity blended...
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[MacOSX] Setting up RLM to always start automatically
If you want the RLM license server to automatically start everytime you restart or turn on your Mac, you need to create a launch daemon. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds First, you need...
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[MacOSX] Setting solidangle_LICENSE
There are several ways you can do it. You can use Maya.env to set the solidangle_LICENSE environment variable. In your Maya.env file, add this line: solidangle_LICENSE=XXXX@SERVER where XXXX is the...
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Convert texture maps to .tx
When you’re rendering with Arnold, convert your texture maps to .tx files with maketx. Always .tx textures are better because they are: Tiled (usually the tiles are 64×64 pixels). Arnold loads one tile...
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[Maya] Socket error creating command port
NOTE: This is a Maya issue that can happen with any renderer, including mental ray. Like many other Maya users, I started getting this error when I tried to batch render: // Error: line 1: Socket error...
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