Since I posted the Alembic improvement of 3dsMax 2019 release, each PU has been added more and more improvements continuously. Let’s check what has been added.
Per object metadata with .userProperties and .arbGeomParams
3dsMax 2019 introduced the export of per object propery. But, it was only compatible between 3dsMax. With the PU3 update, you can export/import per object properties via .userProperties and .arbGeomParams. This allows a greater compatibility between 3dsMax and Maya/Houdini.
Here is an example of Alembic file exported to Maya.
Here is some details.
Import
- It will read from both .arbGeomParams(Maya default) and .userProperties
- It supports integer, float, boolean, string.
- It supports animated value.
- If Extra Attribute is on shape node, it will be in Alembic Geom Parameters rollout(alembic_geom_attributes). If Extra Attribute is on transform node, it will be in Alembic XformParameters rollout(alembic_xform_attributes)
Export
- The custom attributes on the top modifier and base object will be exported.
- 3dsMax will use .userProperties for export and store data on transform node by default.
- If you use the same custom attribute name alembic_geom_attributes and alembic_xform_attributes which 3dsMax alembic importer uses. You can even have control over where your custom attribute export goes. To store data on shape node, you need to make the alembic_geom_attributes on the baseObject.
- If you have duplicated name custom attributes on an object, none of custom attributes will be exported. You will see the warning in Maxscript elistener.
- Layer name will be on transform node.
- Material name and Object ID will be shape node.
- 3dsMax will import Layer name/Material name/Object ID as custom attribut on the respective rollout, too
Alembic Inspector
This is added in PU1. This allows to browse the content of the alembic object even without opening the alembic file. Now PU3 allow you to open the Alembic Inspector for the already imported alembic files. Use the Alembic Inspector button in the Alembic container object(the root Alembic object with Alembic logo icon),
Alembic Inspector is also accessible via Maxscript. Link.
Maya compatble Multi UV and Vertex Color
Maya is very picky about reading the multi UV and vertex color in Alembic file. To send multi UV(UV channel 2+) to Maya, you need to choose UV for Extra Channels type. Also vertex color data from Maya will be imported as a proper vertex color channel. Before PU3, the vertex color channel was imported as an UV 2+ channel.
Instancing Support
Support for instances allows files to be much smaller while maintaining complexity and can dramatically improve export speed. PU2.
Alembic library 1.7.5
Alembic library has been updated to 1.7,5 in PU2.
Alembic Transform Controller Performance improvemant
Alembic Transform controller playback is more than 2x faster in PU3. Also Source and Object browse buttons are added for Alembic Transform controller.
Material ID will be exported when all Material IDs for an object were the same
Before PU3, None if mMaterial ID was exported.
Alembic Peformance mode will only cache the current animation range
Before PU3, it was caching from frame 0 all the time.
UV Channel will be preserved
Unicode Support
Fixed Alembic not able to use relative paths
Fixed High-speed rotations no longer deform objects
Thanks for 3dsMax team for continuous effort to improve Alembic support!