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Is there a way to import .MDL files for use as Shaders in Studio? I notice there are quite a few files here
C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4 Public Build\shaders\iray\NVidia that don't show up under IRAY shaders in studio.
and I would like to use them.
If that's what I think it is, you're never supposed to be able to see or load those files directly in D|S — they're the actual shader files that are called up by the presets in your content folders. So you've been using them all along, it's just being done indirectly.
It's the same as for all the various default, AoA, Uber and SSS shaders used in D|S; almost all of what you see in your Content under the Shaders folder aren't really shaders, they're presets for the true shaders that you've found in the D|S Program Files folder. This isn't anything new, D|S has always done things this way.
If that's what I think it is, you're never supposed to be able to see or load those files directly in D|S — they're the actual shader files that are called up by the presets in your content folders. So you've been using them all along, it's just being done indirectly.
It's the same as for all the various default, AoA, Uber and SSS shaders used in D|S; almost all of what you see in your Content under the Shaders folder aren't really shaders, they're presets for the true shaders that you've found in the D|S Program Files folder. This isn't anything new, D|S has always done things this way.
These are the Iray mdl files, and if they are what I think they are they like the ones on the Nvidia site's shader library, which I would love to know how to use with Iray in Studio. or I can just edit an existing .duf file and see what I break.
I already know how to "import" 3delight material files into Daz, found a nice long dry eye glazing pdf to follow that explains that.
Never mind, I figured out how to pull data from the NVidia mdl files to recreate them in the Iray uber base shader, then save a preset.
still needs some tweaking with gloss, bump and displacement, but it works..
These are the Iray mdl files, and if they are what I think they are they like the ones on the Nvidia site's shader library, which I would love to know how to use with Iray in Studio. or I can just edit an existing .duf file and see what I break.
I already know how to "import" 3delight material files into Daz, found a nice long dry eye glazing pdf to follow that explains that.
Never mind, I figured out how to pull data from the NVidia mdl files to recreate them in the Iray uber base shader, then save a preset.
still needs some tweaking with gloss, bump and displacement, but it works..
Care to share
Create > New iray Decal Node
It comes in as a cube with a default Z (XY) projection.
...thanks.
...recently rendered a scene in 3DLwith motion blur (5 frames) using and HDR set and UE. Total render time was 16h 32m.
Not certain how this would translate to Iray with regards to render time.
Well first I copied the C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4 Public Build\shaders\iray directory to my document library to make it easier to browse to..
the .mdl files are readable in wordpad (or note pad but the formatting is off)
Base Color is iray\resources\walnut.png
there is also a bump and spec map for walnut in there. I used the bump but not the spec.
set the settings in the Iray uber base to match what I read in the mdl file
base bump amount = .4
coat bump amount = .2 (assuming this is top coat)
base roughness is .15 (not sure what this was, so I put it in diffuse roughness)
coat roughness is .05 (again assuming this is top coat)
glossy weight .7
IOR is 1.5 (default)
and hit render.
...thanks.
What am I missing? There is nothing on the cube. And nothing showing up in the viewport render...
....yeah all I get is a "null".
I don't know if this is a bug, or by design, but...
If you have an image in the Environment Map setting when you go to File->New (or Ctrl+N) the new blank scene will still have that Image in the Environment Map. From what I recall of tinkering last night, the other settings will carry over as well.
To start out with the default Environment settings, I had to close DS 4.8 and reopen.
If it is by design, it would be nice to have an option to start a new scene with the defaults. Maybe a Ctrl+Shift+N keystroke.
And If it isn't by design, it would be nice to have this as a keystroke option in the release, specifically to start a new scene with the Environment settings the same. Just a thought...
I hope very much that Shader Builder will work properly in the final 4.8 release.
Well first I copied the C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4 Public Build\shaders\iray directory to my document library to make it easier to browse to..
the .mdl files are readable in wordpad (or note pad but the formatting is off)
Base Color is iray\resources\walnut.png
there is also a bump and spec map for walnut in there. I used the bump but not the spec.
set the settings in the Iray uber base to match what I read in the mdl file
base bump amount = .4
coat bump amount = .2 (assuming this is top coat)
base roughness is .15 (not sure what this was, so I put it in diffuse roughness)
coat roughness is .05 (again assuming this is top coat)
glossy weight .7
IOR is 1.5 (default)
and hit render.
Thanks for the info
Excellent point. I don't understand why DAZ has not updated PowerPose templates for Genesis and Genesis2. This would be a simple fix. If DAZ doesn't want to take the time, they could ask SnowSultan, Blackfeather1973, Patience55, PDSmith and others for their templates.
@DAZ: Please update the PowerPose templates to include Genesis and Genesis2 templates.
Not seeing that option on spots and point light is giving the expected result just not oriented in what would be the most common use for them so it's not really an issue just makes it's easier to use for headlights rather than arch/vis stuff :)
There is no IES profile option on Spotlights. This prevents one issue that plagues Carrara and most other software I have seen with IES profiles. The issue is that the spotlight has a different spread angle than the IES profile would apply and the ensuing confusion by customers when they run into it. (Same thing can happen with spotlights that have barn doors, though DS lacks barn doors built into the lights.)
An IES point light is effectively the same as a Spotlight with the spread and falloff determined for you. The difficult part is setting up an IES light with DAZ Studio's representation in the view port, a problem similar to what Carrara had until Carrara 8.5.
It was discussed for Carrara, it is likely to be discussed again, this time for DS. LOL.
That's the render subdivisions that you would set for HD morphs. There should be a separate setting displacement subdivision.
There is, in the Iray uber shader. So, if the Render SubD level for basic smoothing and HD morphs isn't enough for the displacement select teh affected surface, apply the Iray Uber Base shader if it isn't already applied, and adjust its SubD setting. If only a limited area needs the higher SubD, use the Geometry Editor tool to select it and create a new Surface so that your increased mesh resolution affects no more of the model than needed since the extra will rapidly eat up your video RAM.Correct Richard. Almost correct Male-M3dia.
The key here is DAZ Studio will use the highest level, for the total subdivision, there is. Starting with the render time subdivision, then adding, if it is larger, the difference between the render time Sub-Division and the Displacement (shader) subdivision.
Note the displacement subdivision, only cuts up (tessellates) the existing mesh, it does not smooth curves, or have anything to do with Open Subdivision, like HD morphs, or edge creasing.
That's the render subdivisions that you would set for HD morphs. There should be a separate setting displacement subdivision.
There is, in the Iray uber shader. So, if the Render SubD level for basic smoothing and HD morphs isn't enough for the displacement select teh affected surface, apply the Iray Uber Base shader if it isn't already applied, and adjust its SubD setting. If only a limited area needs the higher SubD, use the Geometry Editor tool to select it and create a new Surface so that your increased mesh resolution affects no more of the model than needed since the extra will rapidly eat up your video RAM.Correct Richard. Almost correct Male-M3dia.
The key here is DAZ Studio will use the highest level, for the total subdivision, there is. Starting with the render time subdivision, then adding, if it is larger, the difference between the render time Sub-Division and the Displacement (shader) subdivision.
Note the displacement subdivision, only cuts up (tessellates) the existing mesh, it does not smooth curves, or have anything to do with Open Subdivision, like HD morphs, or edge creasing. LOL. So I take a long weekend and people actually paid attention to what I was posting earlier on this. LOL
Shader builder is a GUI interface for creating RSL shaders. (It hasn't changed and works the same as it has for some time.) Because it is for RSL shaders, it will not create MDL shaders.
Shader mixer is still being refined to handle both RSL and MDL shaders.
I didn't really answer. I said there was a setting somewhere as I haven't used it. ;)
View-field modes??? Where are the ones with that ring on the sphere?
When I change to say wire-frame, I can't figure out how to get back to the mode that is a ring on a sphere? It dose not apear to be on the list of available modes?
Yes, there is... via Shader Mixer. But be warned, MDL support in Shader Mixer is the most BETA portion of the build; it is very likely to change.
In Shader Mixer:
1.) File > New Shader...
- Type: Material
- Name: < Whatever name accurately reflects the purpose of the shader >
2.) Select and delete the default bricks; for this simplified purpose - I'm not covering concurrent MDL/RSL networks here
3.) Add a Bricks > Roots > MDL Surface brick
4.) Add a Bricks > Functions > MDL > Custom MDL brick
5.) In the Settings > MDL Callable property of the Custom MDL brick, specify the path of the MDL/material/function, using double colon (::) as a path separator
- The path is expected to be relative to the ./shaders/iray directory
- i.e. nvidia::aluminium_anodized::aluminium_anodized
- Custom MDL brick parameters automatically change to reflect the MDL/material/function specified
6.) Connect the Result output parameter of the Custom MDL brick to the Material input parameter of the MDL Surface brick
7.) Apply to surface(s)
-Rob
But, concurrent networks are possible, right?
Does this mean that, if one was totally insane, one could build a network that covers 3DL, Iray and Luxrender (Luxus)?
But, concurrent networks are possible, right?
Does this mean that, if one was totally insane, one could build a network that covers 3DL, Iray and Luxrender (Luxus)?Hypothetically? IIRC it isn't possible with this build, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be done in a future build if all the pieces cooperate with each other. (Note this is not a promise that it will happen, but noting that it might be theoretically possible.)
I , personally, wouldn't want to try it. LOL.
Shader builder is a GUI interface for creating RSL shaders. (It hasn't changed and works the same as it has for some time.)
Shader Builder. The one for RSL. There is a major bug in there in the current 4.8.0.9 beta, in that the preprocessor fails on every shader type save for pure surface ones (try compiling anything, even any of the built-in examples). Mjc1016 filed a bug report on that, but I can't see in the changelog if it's being worked on.
It is possible to stop the Iray render without lost of render image espacially in IRP or in ViewPort mode?
Can I set the stop condition manuell, for example stop at 5% converged image or after 10 iterations?
...and while I'm here, I'll keep on spoiling the Iray party some more with my 3Delight-related questions LOL
I noticed there are "tags" fields added to the dzDefault material (and possibly others). Are these meant to accept light categories?
And if there is a plan to support light categories fully, will shaders like UberVolume also get working "tag" fields?
If you use the Cancel on the progress bar, not the render window, then you should not lose the render so far. According to the Changelog we will in future be able to stop and resume renders, at least within a session.
Yes, the options to set the Stop conditions are all in the Progressive group in Render Settings. I think in the case of time and perhaps iterations you can set the value to -1 to stop that condition being used.