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Raycast from outside a model to delete all inside faces?
I'm working on a Lego project where I build models out of Lego bricks in LDD and then import them into Blender via various hoops - inside Blender I then optimize them before loading them into Unity for a small game.
The problem is that Lego has so much geometry inside a big model, because it consists of many small bricks that all have studs and at least 6 sides.
I'm thinking that there must be some kind of tool that can raycast all around outside the model and then delete/group/select all internal faces. Do any of you know of such a tool or where to find more information on this subject? Even just a more correct term would be helpful for my google ventures :)

Thank you! <3

relevant https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/18916/how-to-remove-interior-faces-while-keeping-exterior-faces-untouched

hmmm, I tried creating a Grid fill of boxes and then Joined them altogether. The resultant mesh approximates lots of Lego brick meshes but Selecting Internal Faces did not work and trying to Remove Doubles / Decimate removed to much geometry at least then Select Internal Faces did select internal faces but in a way that further messed up the Mesh. So YMMV

Could you provide a small sample file?  Or at least some detail re  geometry in a screenshot.

@batfinger I couldn't figure out how to attach the blender file, but I put in a screenshot where some of the faces are hidden to show all the abundant data inside.

@rob thanks - I'm also currently trying the methods in your link :)

So the "limit selection to visible" was the techinque that has worked the best so far - I rotate all around the models and select with circle select, and then invert selection and delete - but it's not deleting all the inside faces. Maybe they're too close to the outside layer, but it shouldn't be

if you exported it as an ldraw file, you could use MeshLab (available on Ldraw.org).  Meshlab can be used to remove the interior of a brick.

One trick I used in 3ds max once, was to bake a tiny AO map.  Auto uvif you can.  Or maybe can vertex color as well.
But basically whatever faces were totally black, I then selected / deleted. Since we're then basically fully hidden from view.


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cycles transparency not 100% transparent
I'm using cycles to render transparency around some leaves, but the actual transparency has a slight grey tint. I read some other place on google to increase the Transparency under Light Paths in the Render Panel, but it doesn't work for me.
Anyone has another suggestion?

you have to look at the node, it's not 100% white, maybe it's your problem? If so, push it 100% white

You mean the color in the transparent shader node? Yes it's 100% white

are you sure? by default it is not

Hmm i added an image of the material node. It is totally white.

maybe share one object with the problem (and pack the PNG): https://blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com/

could you check the rgb values in the transparent node color, cause i also think its because of that. On default they are at (0.8, 0.8, 0.8)

The other plausible thing would be that your alpha isnt absolute (0, 0, 0)

Raise TRANSMISSION and transparency samples:

Also don´t forget to check the ALPHA on Photoshop or GIMP, by placing a full black fill on your image as a lower layer. Delete (clean, CLAMP) your white alpha as white as it can get. Then, reload your image in Blender. This should cover it.

This worked, thank you!! I also discovered a very slight bleed into the alpha space from some of the many texture layers in photoshop. Good idea to go through all the layers :)

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

sort: votes


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How to make a simple mask like in Hitfilm?
So, I want to use Blender for motipn graphics, and I previously used Hitfilm Express. One of the most frustrating things in Blender is creating a mask. But how does one do that like in Hitfilm? In Hitfilm, you literally just add a mask in the properties of something, and then thats it. How does one do that in Blender?
And I want to know how do I make the mask transparent without using a color key node (right now to make the mask transparent, on the mix node, I put the background to be green, then I use the color key mode to make it transparent)

You add a mask node in the node tree and then that's it.

But I cant set the mask to be alpha

@Mzidare i'll edit the question to be more specific

You can use Set Alpha node(In Converters) and as an Alpha input use the mask. You can also use Alpha Over node with Alpha 0 background input and your image "over" input, but that leaves sometimes ugly rim, so the first option is better in most of the cases.

@Mzidare maybe post it as an answer?

@Mzidare I also wanted to ask, lets say ive added a plane, and I have another plane, and I want to onoy mask put one plane, how do I do that?

Could you rephrase this question? I'm not sure what you want to achieve, but you can change object ID of one of the planes to 1 or something, turn on Object Index in Render Layers properties and use the ID to mask the plane.

You can use Set Alpha node(In Converters) and as an Alpha input use the mask. You can also use Alpha Over node with Alpha 0 background input and your image "over" input, but that leaves sometimes ugly rim, so the first option is better in most of the cases.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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What is this rendering bug?
So, I rendered a scene with a 2D plane and an ortho camera with a mask object. But when i render it (Blender Internal), it gives me this. It gives me this bug when I import the scene to the VSE, and render it in the VSE, it gives me this bug.

How do I solve this? Any ideas? thanks for your help!
Here's the blend file:

Screenshots of VLC don't help solve Blender issues

how do i upload videos then?

Are you using Blender Internal or Cycles? Do you obtain the same result in the Viewport in the "Rendered" mode (Shift+Z)? Can you share a screenshot of your setup or, even better, your blend file using https://blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com? Please edit your question to add this information so that we have a better idea on how to help

Im using blender render, not cycles

https://blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com/b/5215/

I tried your file, the animation renders perfectly here. Even if I render it (png sequence) and then import the sequence to the VSE.

@m.ardito nevermind, I already sorted it out

Ok, well done! You could add an answer below, adding something about what it was, how you solved, this could  help other users in future having similar issues...

It's not clear how you rendered the video, since the blend file you have provided is set to render as separate png still frames:

Rendering it with the Animation button (or CtrlF12) works fine on my computer so I can't reproduce your issue and I believe it might be related to the extra steps you took to actually make the video.
I suggest you keep rendering as still frames (like in the file you uploaded), but to change first the "Output" directory to something which is not a temporary one.
After it has been rendered, check that your output frames look good, and finally merge them into a video (you can do it with external applications, or within blender following steps 3 to 6 from this answer: https://blender.stackexchange.com/a/15145)

I rendered as mp4, is it a hardware related bug

Also, I forgot to say that I imported the scene to the video sequence editor, then rendered it from there.

please make your question complete with all the relevant info if you want to get an useful answer

edited the question

so based on my updated question, do you know the problem?

No, I'm sorry, I still struggle to understand what route exactly you did follow. I've given my attempt at an answer, which as I understand you don't find suitable. Hopefully someone else on the site will be able to help you


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need to display speed on my ship while keyframing (view3d)
animating a plane(keyframe or may be path), ideally want ship to display its speed just like it can display its name (if checked true from object display settings) or at screen bottom(view3d) where selected object and frame number displays.
started writing a simple function to get speed first. even this isn't working correctly, may be because view doesn't get refreshed as i run and it doesn't actually go to previous frame and capture location.
import bpy

def calcSpeed():
    ship = bpy.context.object
    cf = bpy.context.scene.frame_current
    pf = bpy.context.scene.frame_current - 1
    bpy.context.scene.frame_set(pf)
    pl = ship.location
    bpy.context.scene.frame_set(cf)
    cl = ship.location
    speedVector = pl - cl
    print (pf,cf)
    print (pl,cl)

any ideas or pseudo code will really help, huge thanks for time and support.

Using pl - cl will give you a vector that tells you how much you have moved on each axis, this is not normally the same as distance travelled which is the length of the diagonal line between the two points. You may recognise the equation c2 = a2 + b2 used to calculate triangle lengths which can be adapted to 3d points. If your object is moving on only one axis then you can do simple calculation of the locations on the one axis.
def distance(a, b) :
    """distance between two 3D points"""
    return sqrt((a[0]-b[0])**2+(a[1]-b[1])**2+(a[2]-b[2])**2)

To draw the speed in the 3Dview, have a look at the bgl and blf modules. You can find some examples here
If you have animated the planes movement then you should get better results by using fcurve.evaluate(frame) to get the object location.
import bpy

ship = bpy.context.object
ship_curves = ship.animation_data.action.fcurves

def distance(a, b) :
    """distance between two 3D points"""
    return sqrt((a[0]-b[0])**2+(a[1]-b[1])**2+(a[2]-b[2])**2)

x_curve = ship_curves.find('location', index=0)
y_curve = ship_curves.find('location', index=1)
z_curve = ship_curves.find('location', index=2)

for cur_frame in range(0,12):
    cur_x = x_curve.evaluate(cur_frame)
    cur_y = y_curve.evaluate(cur_frame)
    cur_z = z_curve.evaluate(cur_frame)
    cur_loc = (cur_x, cur_y, cur_z)

    prev_x = x_curve.evaluate(cur_frame-1)
    prev_y = y_curve.evaluate(cur_frame-1)
    prev_z = z_curve.evaluate(cur_frame-1)
    prev_loc = (prev_x, prev_y, prev_z)

    travelled = distance(cur_loc, prev_loc)

    print('Travelled {:>8.3f} since the last frame.'.format(travelled))

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


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pitchipoy IKFK parameter not showing in dopesheet or fcurves
i am using blender 2.76 on win 8.1 x64.
if i create normal metarig, generate and select arm control and insert keyframe with RMB on IKFK parameter in property bar, i get keyframes start showing on 'newly created action in dopesheet or fcurves.
where as similar behaviour on pitchipoy meta rig , generate and attempt to keyframe IKFK parameter doesn't show keyframe / channel name in fcurve. it shows a keysframe in dopsheet main action  (top) but i can't move it, and no special channel is added, i can't see that in time time or fcurve.
any ideas would be appriciated.

Ahh, i found solution. If anyone is in same situation. rig maintain ALL IK FK switches and stretch options at end of dopesheet (mostly hidden) you have to make sure, following

mouse icon "showing selected object channels" is OFF
ghost icon "include channels from bone hidden etc" is ON

now when i know this, i think its very reasonable to have them there separately managed. this behavious is slightly different than rigify but good enough. thanks pitchypoy for awesome rig.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


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How to connect shape key animation as driver to rotate a bone in pose mode
I am attempting to utilize facecap (iphone app) face fbx file (it has 51 shape keys with animation data on it etc) on a character with rigify rig (face as well).
Question.
i want jaw rotation (jaw controller x rotation) to take animation data (driven) by head object shapekeys['jawOpen'].
any ideas or python psudo code to setup driver expression will really help. thanks in advance

i managed to write one. if anyone else looking for same thing, below is simple function to test and could be starting point.
select facecap head mesh and rigify jaw master (in pose mode)
def bindFacecapToRigify():
    obj = bpy.context.selected_objects[0]
    sk = obj.data.shape_keys
    # driver details (skname:'pbone','prop','axis','dir'),
    skname = 'jawOpen'
    pbone = bpy.context.active_pose_bone
    d = pbone.driver_add("rotation_euler",0)
    d.driver.type = "AVERAGE"
    var = d.driver.variables.new()
    var.targets[0].id_type="KEY"
    var.targets[0].id= sk
    data_path = "key_blocks[\""+sk.key_blocks[2].name+"\"].value"
    data_path = "key_blocks[\""+"jawOpen"+"\"].value"
    var.targets[0].data_path = data_path
    d.driver.expression = "var"

Passing some arguments, for example  def bindfacecap(ob, data_path, posebone):   will make it more reusable as a method.  Only if the driver type is 'SCRIPTED need to set expression.  Consider using  the new f string format data_path = f'key_blocks["{skname}"].value'


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Underwater weed wave dynamics
I was trying to replicate the dynamic joint setup presented here (Maya) http://youtu.be/quNPwNt5zmk?t=48s (See the first 10 seconds animation of the "Process and inspiration of the making of PTEROIS" starting at 48s). The animation is showing a simple armature dynamic setup waving as you move/rotate the root of the armature around (soft/rigid body kind of dynamics - underwater weed/anemone kind of animation). Is this kind of setup / dynamic animation possible in Blender ? I was unsuccessful to find the proper solution/settings that would give me same smooth, non-jerky, attenuated animation. I used spline IK combined with curve/soft body animation. In the referenced animation note how when the root bone rotates, the rest of the armature follows the root bone propagating the wave all the way to the tail (@note: the tail does not move immediately).
I'm looking for a solution that would be as close as possible to the illustrated one: namely i want the dynamic wave animation to be smooth, the curve bending should be smooth (no uneven bending due to properly updated curve tangents during the animation). Also the curve should not jump around due to some funky solving errors, and the waving should attenuate to the rest position without further mini oscillations. And the armature should not stretch as the curve animates.

Hi! Welcome to the site! :) Stack Exchange's question format is restricted to very succinct questions that don't require lengthy tutorials or discussion. However, there are many resources for learning all about Blender -- check this Beginner's Reference page for links to information on all aspects of Blender. If you have high speed internet, I also highly recommend searching on YouTube for "Blender tutorial (feature you want to learn about) ".

I understand your recommendation as a general guideline and thank you for the beginner references. I would consider my blender knowledge rather intermediate (not beginner) and the topic I listed I think is somewhat advance and I felt the need to elaborate a little bit on what the problem is and what solution I was looking for. I did search youtube.. i did ask for suggestions from users in blender IRC channel too, with no satisfactory answer so far, which is why I posted my question here, too. :)

I'm not sure how, but it is possible. See this video, specifically around 1:45.

I think that for more difficult topics like this, it can take a very long time just to sort out what's what and where what is.
Although a detailed tutorial on how to replicate commercial package features is out of scope, it would be useful to present some general features that relate to this topic so any users will have useful information that helps them more with targeted searches.

In order to help refine your searches for how to do simulations/animations, here are a few tips and key-words to help you on your way.
For sea-weed, you could start by adding a plane and then also adding a particle system to the plane.
Here I used mostly default settings with the few differences visible in the attached image.

Then I added a Force Field-> Turbulance and animated it's position using two keyframes.

You can also substitute each 'Hair' with a model that is on a separate layer using the following setting.


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How can I close a big hole in a mesh?
I have a large hole in a mesh that I'm trying to fill:

I've been trying an approach like this:

I'm finding it quite tough, since the number of vertices around the perimeter of the hole don't match a grid.
Is there a better approach to filling a hole like this?

Select the whole loop around the hole with Alt+RMB (make sure to delete triangles first). Use a Grid Fill option (press Space and type Grid Fill). Then play with its settings.

A combination of this and sculpting seem to do the trick :)

Is there an update for this for Blender 4? Alt + RMB doesn't seem to work in any mode I can tell...

I made it this way:

Select the whole loop around the hole
Shift +D to duplicate
Scale the duplicate down (S)
Alt + Shift + RMB to add first loop
Bridge Edge Loops (space bar search)

and repeate untill the center and then collapse to center
Little work to be done but possible.

I think the remesh modifier will close this hole.

Remesh modifier will close the hole, but will change geometry of the hole mesh depending on its Depth setting, in cases of small organic meshes this could work.

The Mesh seems to be fully triangulated, that means no quad based mesh, no edge loops... so I'd say no, there isn't any other way.
Last time I had that problem where I wanted to "repair" a mesh with bad topology I created some years ago, I rebuild the whole thing since it was faster in the end. Another idea would be to retopologize it by using the well-known methods.

I think it can be solved like this: go to edit mode, in the Mesh menu, click on "clean-up" and "fill holes"


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Three.js export option is sometimes disabled
I'm trying to export models from some format (.obj, .3ds, .blend) to Three.js but sometimes they can't be exported. Can someone explain why?
This is what happens:

The Three.js option in the export menu can't be selected.

In Blender there is a difference between active and selected,
typically its fine to think of active as last selected.
Notice when you select the object, its outline (or wire) color is brighter then other selected objects.
The poll only succeeds (i.e., the operator is only enabled) if bpy.context.active_object != None: see io_mesh_threejs/__init__.py:323.
This will be the case right after you deleted an object, imported models (e.g. OBJ) or certain operator calls. These operations can clear the active_object, although objects may still be selected.
Select any object (or set active_object to an object with python) before you open the File > Export panel.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't bpy.context.active_object != None mean that there is an active object?

@gandalf3 You are correct, but that is also what CoDEmanx is saying. The 'poll' function returns true if there is an active object, false if not. A difference of semantics perhaps.

@kaliatech I would think it would fail if bpy.context.active_object = None, as opposed to != None, but I may be wrong.

It should actually be return context.active_object is not None instead of !=, but it basically does the same (and right) thing. If there's an active object, it evaluates to True. poll() needs to return True if all conditions to run the operator are met. If there's no active_object, poll() returns False and the menu entry will be grayed out.

@CoDEmanX I've edited your post to write what I think you meant to say; please correct me if I'm mistaken.

I didn't notice at all! Thanks for editing, was bad logic. Also thank you ideasman for your addition!

Looking at the Properties editor in your screenshot I can see that the panels that should appear when a mesh is active (Modifiers, Constraints, Object and Data etc.) are missing.
This shows that you don't actually have an active object.
Note that there is a difference between a selected object and an active object, see the wiki. Notice that the object in the middle of the scene has an orange outline, this means that it is selected. Active objects have a lighter orange outline.
I would think that the exporter might be able to tell and so disables itself.
Try making the object active by right clicking on it, then try the export again.

I edited your answer to better explain the differences between active and selected. Please rollback if you don't agree with my edits.


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I can't extrude on the z axis
I was trying to extrude the edges in the z axis using the extrude tool from the toolbar and not the shortcut key. The first time I extruded the edges it was fine. But the second time I tried to extrude the edges I couldn't do it in the z axis. It was allowing me only in the x axis. I was wondering what have I done wrong.

I got the same problem, just fix it by appling all transforms.

(Blender 2.92)
Wow. This is a curious one. I think this is what's going on..

You're extruding edges, along their median (actually mean) Normal, which is to say the mean normal of their vertices. In the first extrusion, all the vertex normals have a -Z component, the X's and Y's cancel, so the mean normal is -Z. In the second extrusion, none of the vertex normals has a Z component, the other components cancel, and so the Normal is 0. Blender seems to gives an arbitrary vector for this?
TL;DR
Fill the hole and  extrude a face, which has a normal, or use the XYZ setting for the tool.
The behaviour has changed in version 2.93

I don't see the problem. Maybe it's just incorrect use? I don't have to create a face.

@Gordon Thanks! This has been fixed in 293 .. I wonder how, though? .. i.e. how Blender decides what the mean normal of a collection of vertices is, when the vector sum is 0? I suspect it must be doing what this post suggests you do manually. Although, come to think of it, I don't know how blender defines the normal of an arbitrary ngon, either, reasonably economically. If I knew where to look.. :)

Oh yeah I see it changed, just tried it in 2.83.5, I've edited my answer to give a full explanation on how to work with the tool to achieve what he wants... still no need for a face, but you mention the XYZ setting already ;)  But I guess the answer that jmbenck gives is based on 2.93 and using it wrong - because in the old version, applying a transformation wouldn't help, he would still be facing the same problem that you explain in your answer: no Z component.

EDIT: As @RobinBetts pointed out, the behaviour changed in Blender 2.93 (see below), so here's what to do if you have an earlier version:
If you simply want to constrain the extrude to the global Z axis (not some custom orientation), you can simply switch the Extrude Region and Move tool from using the Normal to the XYZ axis with the button at the top. Or if you keep the Normal option, just grab the circle instead of the Plus. This let's you extrude freely without constraining the direction. If you now hit Z, the direction gets constrained to the Z axis just like it does when you're moving, rotating or scaling things.

And this is how it works in 2.93 and above: After the first extrude, you have the option to further move the extruded part by grabbing the arrow, or do another extrude by grabbing the plus.
First extrude:

Now if you want to move it further down without extrusion, use the arrow - if you hover over it, it becomes white:

But if you want to do another extrusion, hover your mouse over the Plus to grab it and it shows in white:

Just pull it down like you did the first time and you have another extrusion:


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Carrying UI Settings from Windows to Linux
I'm trying out Linux (Kubuntu 20.04), moving from Windows 7, just to see how I feel about it. I installed Blender 2.83 and I'm having trouble opening up the start up file I have saved away with the settings I like. I can open it up, but the settings that I had are not taking effect at all. There are some special tweaks in there too, as I was indoctrinated into the 3D world through 3DS Max, and my Blender UI setup reflects that. Am I going to have to just go through and make changes all over again? Thanks.

Copy the startup.blend and userprefs.blend from the old computer to the new one.
For the location of the prefs file read:
Where is the startup file stored?
Also on the windows version export your keyboard configuration and load it on the linux box.
Lastly, make sure that all of the addons you were using in the default setup are available and installed on the new box as well.

That worked. Thanks!

on my end my linux instance does not have .config folder in user or home ect... not sure where the preferences are stored when i just extracted blender. odd we can't pick a location or open the used location to grab or paste the prefs file..


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Rendered image in eevee is not displaying shadows
I am not sure where to look.
Both renderings are done with the exact same operating system environment settings yet one of them is not displaying shadows. What is the difference here and how do I fix it?
I have tried shutting down and restarting the computer numerous times with no changes to either file.
Thanks in advance.

so on the first file you can get shadows but if you create a new one you can't anymore?

Yes, for the most part, I am able to get a new render with any object I create out of the first file but not with any other files. I have simply decided to make the first file as my starter template for now.

EEVEE fakes pretty much everything in the scene when rendering. This includes Ambient Occlusion (which creates more realistic shading in EEVEE), reflections, refractions, etc. If you want a better result in EEVEE, I would recommend you use an HDRI map, and enable the checkbox for "Ambient Occlusion" in the render properties panel.
You can download high quality HDRs and HDRIs for free here.
More about Ambient Occlusion (AO) in the Blender Manual here.

Why was this answer downvoted with no clear explanation? This has seemed to happen to multiple of my answers frequently with no reason.


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disable volume per light object
Is there a way that I can control the volume properties per lamp?
I want to create beams of light that are visible (no problem with that). But to fill in some parts I'd like to use an second light, that lit's the object without being visible in a volume.
I formerly used Maya for stage design and within Maya you can assign the amount of interaction with the volume per light.
Attached a picture to clarify my problem. In this image there is a beam that I want to be visible. On the other hand, I don't want to see the volume of the area light.

In Cycles this is quite easy.
Let's say you have a scene that uses volume scatter . But want to have the red light not have any volumetric effect.

All you have to do is turn off the Ray Visibility for Volume Scatter for that light:

Hi Susu, I'm a Eevee usser, so missed the cycles solution. Thnx for it! If there is anyone who know ho to fix this issue in Eevee I would be really happy

@PatrickNeut hence the importance of adding clear information as part of your questions. How can anyone guess?


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I am trying to cut one Object plane using another object plane
https://i.sstatic.net/33EFb.jpg

I am trying to cut that cross out of the plane you see around it. The cross is made of multiple objects because it can fold up. The problem is I can't seem to get the bool tool to cut them out of the large plane. Maybe its not working because they are both flat. Anyways I need solution to this problem. any suggestions would be helpful.

You might want to do the "Knife Project" option. Here's a breakdown from Blender:
I tried it in a quick project that I set up similar to yours and it worked well for me. Let me know if you need more help! The Knife Project option can be found in edit mode under the "Mesh" menu.

This worked well thankyou

You bet! Cheers.


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Reconstructing camera panning movement in 3D view using track data for Loc only
The idea is to do exactly what CG Matter did here but instead keep the empty fixed in the global system, and have the camera move.
The camera is basically panning over a surface.
It seems as if the motion tracking preset "reconstruction tab" has only one of the possibilities covered, the camera being stationary, but what if you're trying to reconstruct the camera movement, which is simply an inverse situation.

Could you provide a brief description (1-2 sentences) of the videos content. Otherwise, once your reference goes down, this question won't be understandable.

Well the video is simply a camera panning over a surface. Linking empties to tracks is easily doable from the "reconstruction" tab, but applying the track to the camera  so that it is moving instead of the empty, appears not to be as straight forward.

What happens, when you press the Link Empty to Track buttons is, that an empty gets added with a Follow Track constraint. We can just add this constraint manually to another camera.

Move the active camera to the position of your object.
Duplicate the camera and rename it to Moving Camera.
 RMB select the Moving Camera and ⇧ Shift RMB select the original Camera and direct parent the Moving Camera to the Camera by pressing ⎈ Ctrl⇧ ShiftP > Make Parent without Inverse. The G grab the Moving Camera and move it to the approximate where the object would be in the original Cameras view.
Add the Follow Track constraint to the Moving Camera and set the Camera as the Object and Camera of the constraint. Choose the correct movieclip and track as well.

Then press Constraint To Fcurve on the constraint. This will bake the constraints movement to fcurves, which we can examine in the graph editor.
In the graph editor flip the keys vertically by pressing ⇧ ShiftM > By Values over Value=0.

I already tried something similar. I did the "constraint to F curve" for the Empty and then copied the keys to the camera, but the camera ended up being placed in the same location as the Empty. The thing is, I want the relationship between the Empty and the camera to stay the same, but inverted movement wise. Which I guess would entail reversing the parenting like you did here.

But I guess since the camera is just a special kind of empty it doesn't really matter.  I'll mark your answer if I manage to to what I want.

Your method works just as well. Just add the last step (6) to inverse the keyframes.


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GPU Rendering Only in Viewport (Cycles)
I've enabled GPU rendering (CUDA) for my GTX 1060 and it's awesome. 3D viewport views render much faster than before. Monitoring my GPU shows it at 60-100% usage while Cycles samples.
However, when rendering still images or animations to file, my GPU usage is flat or at zero as CPU usage spikes.
I'm running blender 2.79b on a win 10 system with one GPU.
Yes, I have the latest driver from Nvdia. (399.07)
Yes, I have gone to the Nvdia control panel and set the OpenGL rendering GPU to my card.
*Update. I seem to have located a bottleneck in GPU usage. Looking at MS Process Explorer, it seems that blender is only using, or only has use for part of the GPU..? I'm uncertain if the types of scenes I create is a factor in creating this bottleneck, or if the problem is a solvable blender config issue.

Have you also set 'Device' to 'GPU Compute' in the Properties > Render tab > Render panel? (The option is left open, whether to use CPU or GPU, when using the Cycles renderer)

Yes I have set the Device to GPU Compute and my Feature Set is "Supported."

What is the size of the tiles in the render settings under Performance section?

I've tested values from 64x64 up to 512x512.

MS Process Explorer does not accurately report GPU usage.

I had this problem back in the day, with 2.79 and my 1080.  What I believe the issue was, was a combination of how new gpu rendering for Blender was and the fact that the scene(s) I was rendering were bigger than the GPU memory I had available.  The manual even alludes to the problem:

Why does a scene that renders on the CPU not render on the GPU?
There maybe be multiple causes, but the most common is that there is not
enough memory on your graphics card. We can currently only render
scenes that fit in graphics card memory, and this is usually smaller
than that of the CPU. Note that, for example, 8k, 4k, 2k and 1k image
textures take up respectively 256MB, 64MB, 16MB and 4MB of memory.
We do intend to add a system to support scenes bigger than GPU memory,
but this will not be added soon

So what I think happens is that the viewport is using scaled-down preview textures and models and can squeak by the card's mem limit, but when it comes time to do the full render with full textures it sails past the card's storage capacity.  If you are on windows you might see an error in the Commandline (very top -> Window -> "Toggle System Console").
Also, like, GPU rendering was kind of untrustworthy at the time, so be ready to deal with that.


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For some reason I cant move this bezier curve on the y axis

for some reason i just randomly cant move my curve on the y axis when in edit mode. i have tried scaling it and i looked up and down the settings but being new i didn't find anything any help is welcome, i even restarted blender and nothing changed.
if you want to project to look around here it is
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16T1V7JIIwRqPLFrpotQAtB1aeGPboXaJ/view?usp=sharing

Your curve is scaled to zero on the y axis.

The quickest way to solve that is to apply scaling for the object, wich will reset the scaling to 1 – with the curve keeping its shape of course.
To do that, go into object mode, hit Ctrl+A and select either Apply Rotation & Scale or Apply Scale

Thanks you so much worked great. saved me a lot of time redoing the curve


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Basic rigging doesn't work!
i'm having a big problem here!, i'm just pretty much new on this, as well, basically i followed this tutorial from youtube (Which is basically create bone by bone, then select mesh + bones , then control + p , select with automatic weights) and it's done, but in my case it just doesn't works (it doesn't do anything, tried with rigify, and it's far too slow and my blender just crash, so please help me, i'll be so grateful if some of you can help me through this basic rigging (i just want my little robot to raise its hand and say hello) here is a gif of behaviour, and image for purposes of letting you know the order of my armature.
i cannot figure why it behaves like that, even scaled (control+a scale, not necessary) the model and the armature before doing the  control + p thing
The armature:

The problem:

The file:

could you please share your file? https://blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com/

Hi, sure, done!

Oh, i can't it says max size is 30mb, mine is 100

perhaps make a light version, delete all the image textures, all useless objects...

Ok ok, i'm on it, found why so big the file, it's just subsurf, let me make it lighter

i found i did a big error, applied the subsurf so i have to undo it

i did it! added to the post source file

Your mesh is super messy and has too many double vertices, which means vertices overlaying other vertices at the same position or too close to. You must select your object, go in Edit mode, select all and W > Remove Doubles. On the bottom of the Tools panel (activated with T), on the left of your 3D view, you can change the Merge Distance, choose 1cm.
Now you can parent the mesh to the armature.
But note that the Automatic Weight mode is not the good one for this kind of object, as this is not an organic but a mechanic object. You should rather choose With Empty Groups, which will create in your object as many vertex groups as you have bones, but without assigning them to any part of the mesh ("empty groups").
First you need to separate your mesh in several parts (well, it will be very hard with your topology, I suggest you redo it from scratch). Then parent With Empty Groups. To assign each part of the mesh to the right group, go in the Properties panel of the object > Data > Vertex Groups, select the part of the mesh you want, select the vertex group it is supposed to be part of in the list, and click Assign.

Thank you so much!! kudos for you my friend, and have a nice thursday


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Why can't I see my layout view when in Shading mode?
I want to apply a texture to my object, but my window to view my object has disappeared when in shading mode. It has worked in the past, I'm not sure how to get the view back up.

https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/8384/how-can-i-reset-my-menus


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Why is my object rendering so bright?
I have played with different lighting options, turned the power down to 50W and placed the light far from the object and it still renders bright even when ambient occlusion is turned off.
I have no idea why.
I have attached an image below

Light.001 is hidden in viewport, but that doesn't hide it in the render.  Where is it located?

Bring the intensity down even more. Check that the color of the world is not to bright.

Even when my Watt is set to 0, the render is still bright white. My background color in world is set to a V of 250 as well which is standard

have you checked the render visibility of light.001 as suggested by  Allen Simpson? You need to go in the Outliner, click on the funnel icon and display the Disable in Renders options, then check if it's not enabled for this light

I added that extra light to see if that would make a difference, but it didn't that's why it's hidden. My render is coming out too bright, so wouldn't an extra light just make it worse?


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I get white pixels all over the rendered image
So I'm new and I'm using Cycles rendering.
The problem is that when I render I get white particles all over the image.
I learned that MIS helps out with that, but I don't know how to apply it as I am using Emission on material.(I am not using any lamps and I know that they have this option)My blender view
currently using 2.79 as I find it easier to navigate.
Is it possible to fix it with nodes? or at least someway else.

https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/1703

Not that the proposed duplicate answers do not address the real problem: fireflies. More samples won't necessarily clear fireflies.

In the Properties window, Rendering tab, Sampling panel, you'll find the Clamp options. Try to change the Clamp Direct to 1 or to play with it a little bit.
EDIT: I just noticed there is a bulb (glass material). Maybe you'll have to play with the Clamp Indirect too.

Explanation of what happens:
These white pixels are called "lucky rays". It happens in Cycles when you have many reflections. They are light rays that arrive to the camera in less bounces than the others, so their light is more powerful.
Playing with the clamp values you clamp the light to a value, so this rays are not so powerful anymore.

Thanks it worked <3

A common term used to describe those bright pixels in rendering is "fireflies".


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Trying to get even spaced dimples on a sphere (Golf ball)
I start with ICO sphere
4 Subdivisons.
Simplify, dissolve vertices.
Inset "dimples"
Select the "in betweens", similar all - fatten up a little
Subdivision surface
On a real one, there are less dimples.
More defined space in between.
Very slightly deeper dimples.
My attempt vs goal:

An icosphere might not be the best shape to start with, as it has triangles and a pole in the top and bottom. Try using a cube, subsurf, apply subsurf and then inset.

Hi. Do you want "ideally" to get ride of pentagons? So a fake regular surface?

Right - trial and error Indeed :)  its really no need for pentagons, triangles - the ideal (end goal) is a regular smooth surface, fake is fine! LOL. I'm up for anything to get it to look like the right...  meanwhile, I'll try the cube approach... Photorealistic comparison to right is the ultimate goal obviously.

I tried cube - subdivi Vp 3 - apply.
inset.. then applied again - total count of dimples way too less, circle shapes (dimples are strange) - hmmmm

Packing circles on a sphere while optimizing for uniformity is relatively hard, mathematically speaking. Point in case, if you look closely at the photo of the real golf ball, there appears to be a vertical/diagonal "ridge" wider than the other distances between dimples. Perhaps that's the sphere's equator at which two halves were joined together during manufacturing? In any case, to really emulate the golf ball well, a good first step would be to find out the packing algorithm used there

@Will, that could be this, using spheres instead of cube, then booleans over a sphere. But not easy to bevel after that. https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/78817/how-to-create-a-sphere-with-different-ring-vertex-count-by-scripting/78841#78841

You can make a golf ball this way (inspired by this video by Savoir Pour Tous):

Create an ico-sphere with a Subdivision value of 3:

Bevel with Width Type > Percent and Width Percent > about 28%:

You have mainly hexagons and also some pentagons, try to equalize the areas. Select an hexagon and press ShiftG > Area. Select a pentagon and same thing, ShiftG > Area:

Extrude, scale down:

You have a golf ball (yes, a bit ugly because it needs a bit more accuracy):

nice technique! I wonder how we could have all the dimples be the same size

I haven't found any method that allows it but it must exist somewhere

right, after checking and seeing pentagons on the base icosphere, turns out maybe it isn't possible: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12847654/hexagon-grid-on-sphere-without-pentagon

maybe a method allows to do it with evenly distributed circles? Golf ball manufacturers can do it so it must be possible

the question is if each dimple is surrounded by 6 or 5 other dimples. Looking at photos of golf balls, looks like it's both and when it's 5, the dimple is slightly smaller. so your model was right all along!

Hey :). Golf ball has dimples of different sizes, I wouldn't stress about it very much.

This may be more of an excursion than an answer, because you did say 'modelling'.. This is shading.
Using OSL, it's possible to get a shader to respond to the topology of the underlying mesh. In particular, this script-node tells you:
In A, B, and C, the World-Space locations of the corners of the render-triangle in which the shading-point happens to find itself.
In inCenter, the World-Space location of that triangle's incenter
In inRadius, the radius of the circle that would touch all the sides of the triangle at once, if centered on inCenter.
shader TriangleInfo (

    output vector A = 0.0,
    output vector B = 0.0,
    output vector C = 0.0,
    output vector inCenter = 0.0,
    output float inRadius = 0.0
)
{
    A = P - (u*dPdu) - (v*dPdv);
    B = A + dPdu;
    C = A + dPdv;

    float a = length(C-B);
    float b = length(C-A);
    float c = length(B-A);
    float s = (a+b+c)/2.0;

    inCenter = ((a*A)+(b*B)+(c*C))/(a+b+c);
    inRadius = sqrt(s*(s-a)*(s-b)*(s-c))/s;
}

If Blender's Geometry node exposed dPdu and dPdv, which are actual World-Space vectors  corresponding to u and v, if the triangle is expressed in barycentric coordinates, (i.e the vectors A->B and A->C, with my vertex labels) we wouldn't need to use OSL, But unfortunately, it doesn't.
Using this script-node, subtracting the locations it gives you from the shading point, and taking the length of the difference, you can get the distance of the shading-point from them. If you put those distances through Less Than thresholds, for example, you can generate a mask based on the triangles:

The circles around the vertices are thresholded distances from A,B,and C (the same for each, in every triangle) and the ones in the middle are around the inCenters. Those ones can automatically vary in diameter to fit skew triangles, by being set to a percentage on the inRadius, (which may be necessary, you can't tessellate a sphere with hexagons alone.)
By taking the minimum distance of the shading-point P to any of A,B,C, or the inCenter, you can decide which 'feature' P belongs to, and generate a distance-field:

This tree may look scary, but it's just doing the same thing over-again for the 4 points of interest:

Just distances would give you conical dimples, but you can change their profile very flexibly, to almost any style of golf-ball, by putting the distances through a Vector Curve node, as here, or a Color Ramp node.
The trouble is, we have to use OSL (CPU only), and Cycles. But once we're happy with the shape, we can plug the result of the tree straight into an Emission node, and bake the emission into a height-map:

.. which we can use for Bump mapping in any renderer, or Displacement mapping in Cycles:

Stupidly, I didn't use your ball as a reference. I'll try and fiddle with the curves to get one more like yours.

... just a matter of time, OSL is coming to all popular engines so this answer is super handy.

Holy cow, this is some next level node magic :).

Robin, do you have a channel in Youtube?

@Rita Nope, I just get catty about other people's :D. If I did, I think it would be about the basics: based on what's under the hood. To do that properly, I think  I'd have to be  familiar enough with the Blender code to cover the stuff that's touched only lightly in the user manual, and I'm not, really....

This one? https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/93538/how-to-create-golf-ball-with-dips-in-each-dips

@batFINGER  I'll give it a shot!


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Some meshes that have textures import just fine but others come in all solid pink
When I import my meshes with textures some import just fine, but others,  just come in all solid pink.
I tried saving all the textures then importing but all my models but they just become solid pink.
Even the armatures don't load right

Pink textures are because there is no file at the path where the texture is loaded.
Switch to the Image Editor and view the image that doesn't work. Press N (or select View > Sidebar in the menu) to open the sidebar and pick the "Image" tab. You should be able to see the path plus a "Can't Load Image" message.

Either click the folder icon to browse for the image you want, or put the image file you want at the location shown in the path and hit the reload icon.


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Rig of model in blender export fbx to unity than live streaming MVN mocap data, the location of model is wrong
I am a new user for blender (Using Maya in the past).
This time I try to use blender to build up a model and rig it using the Armature Human(Mata-Rig).

Since it just a simple model like this.

I just parent it with bone by using pose mode Ctrl + P.

And than export it to fbx.

Import to unity and Humanoid it, add a Xs Live Animator component. Click play, the problem is show.

What's wrong that I make?
I have try to make it T-pose before export form blender, it give same result.
I have try to import the white one [which rig by maya] in blender and then export, it give same result.
I have try to change the export setting but it give same result.
How can I solve this problem?

Please do not add "solved" as part of the title. If you found a solution for your problem please write it on the
answers section and mark it as accepted there. Read:
what does it mean when an answer is accepted?


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Can not move animated objects
I tried creating a small animation for a piece of furniture i have in my room. It is a table, which you can rotate twice, so that the surface doubles. I have succesfully created said principle in a blender animation, but now i wonder, how to move the whole thing. If i just select everything and move it, the Animation get´s screwed up because of the keyframes. If i create an empty as a parent for everything, the same happens. Even delta transform still screws up the animation.
The animation works with 2 rotation axis (represented by the arrows) which i defined as the parents of the table-covers with constrains. The lower cover, only has to rotate once, so it`s parent stays the vertical arrow, but the upper cover has to rotate twice around different axis, so i change it´s parent on frame 10 to the second axis.
I hope you have some tips on how to fix this. Also, i don´t know, how to post my .blend file here :D

https://blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com/ click on the link and follow the instruction, so you can provide your blend file

Hello :). If you find the time, please add some images to illustrate the issue. Not everybody can download a .blend.


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My world properties node background is missing
I've been trying to figure out what i've touched accidentally to make turn the HDRI picture into blank and mushy color whenever i insert one as a node. Please help. I'm very new in blender so i don't know which properties i need to fix to bring it back.

How to take a ScreenShot

You need to use Environment Texture node.
You're currently using Image texture node, which doesn't work right with HDRIs

That makes sense. Thanks so much!

No problem, good luck with your project :)


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Movie recorded on phone reports inconsistent number of frames when imported to blender (Blender 2.8 vs 2.9)
When I import same movie clip, recorded with my phone, in Blender 2.80 it automatically recognize 1278 frames with FPS 42.28 and that's correct, but blender 2.81 and above recognizes only 923. So when I render clip to frames I'm missing 355 frames although in sequencer when I slide through timeline, I can preview those frames.
I tried to play with FPS and Base settings but with no luck.
Does anyone know what's happening here?
Thank You

https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/185251/render-is-duplicating-random-frames-when-loaded-into-3d-tracker/185253#185253 and https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/53510/vse-problem-blurring-license-plate-mask-is-jumping-all-over-video/53514#53514

Read the following link: https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/162362/is-it-required-converting-videos-to-an-image-sequence-before-doing-motion-tracki/162364#162364

42.28 is a non standard frame rate.
Phone cameras use every trick in the book to create small files by using variable frame rate and long GOP inter-frame compression, where the information for each frame depends on the information of a reference key frame.
Video encoded with such schemes cannot be imported into blender without problems.
The easiest way to deal with this is to use an external program to transcode the file into a single stable frame-rate with intraframe encoding (where all of the information for every frame is contained within the current frame).
Blender will work fine with those.

Ok, thanks for the advice. I'll try to fixate frame rate on my phone. Still, it's strange that older versions of Blender do it right. Cheers

Okay, stop @susu. How do you know all these things? :)

@JachymMichal OK I will stop...


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How can I combine these overlapping render layers?
I had this scene:

Then I broke it into these two render layers:

Normally I use an alpha over node to combine render layers, but the transparency and overlapping doesn't allow that in this case. Here are the results of "alpha over" with "one over two" and "two over one".

Is there a better way to combine these render layers to get the original back? Or have I broken a rule for what can actually live on separate layers?

You can combine this using masks in a photo editing program, or by drawing a mask and using it in the compositor. Otherwise, I would probably prefer to render out the two myelin for both axons together, and the both neurons without the covers as your two render layers.

Are you sure your suggestion for different layers would work? So far, the only way I've been able to recombine them is when the neuron and the myelin are on the same layer as each other (e.g. a neuron/myelin pair per render layer)

From your first image it doesn't seem like there are any areas where the neurons are above the myelin, which is why I think you can have all the myelin in one layer, and the neurons in another, then combine them with alpha over.

What about the bit sticking out the end of the cross-section?

Right, that bit is gonna cause a problem. You can always separate it into a different object and use the object ID mask to perform any post processes on it without affecting the myelin.

at some point both your objects are in front of each other, so usual "stacking" of layers is not going to work. introducing the ID mask will work i guess, but why do you need them on seperate layers anyway if their entangled in each other?

Have you tried using the z-combine node?

@blackdot one of them is going to have unhealthy myelin, so I figured getting it on a separate render layer would help me in the compositor (e.g. put a red glow around it, like in all of old back pain commercials)

@ajwood hmm okay. i'll certainly watch this question :).

Render your layers with Z pass:

Combine them using Z Combine node from Color tab:

In Z Combine node check Use Alpha checkbox if needed.


text:
Can textures be rotated?
I'm using textures in the compositor. Is it possible to rotate these textures?

The rotate node doesn't work, due to cropping of the corners. What I actually need is to rotate the whole coordinate space.

Have you tried controlling it in the texture panel?

Yeah, but I don't think there's anything there

You could use a rotated node texture and use it in the compositor. To be able to create a node texture, I needed one 3D object with a material and the texture assigned, though.

In the blend file the node texture is top left, then to the right the compositing nodes. In the compositor, you can switch between the viewer nodes with the rotated node texture (top viewer node) and a not rotated non-node texture (bottom viewer node) to see the effect.

I think this is a more complete solution. It doesn't distort the base texture, and doesn't require any objects. Grab the "Rotated Texture" node tree from this file:

Here are the guts. The inputs are Scale (as in, the usual "scale" input for a texture node), the Angle you want to rotate the texture by, and the width and height of your render (I really hope this one becomes directly available as an input node in the compositor, but oh well). Unfortunately, you have to go into the group to change the base texture.
The ultimate "scaling factor" for the rotated texture is given by AR/(sin(theta)+cos(theta)), where AR is the aspect ratio of your canvas and theta is the angle you rotated the image by. In this node tree, the input angle first gets converted from degrees to radians ("2*arccosine(0)" outputs "pi"). At the same time, the input "Scale" to the texture node gets multiplied up by the aspect ratio (a larger "Scale" makes the features look smaller). The resulting texture image is then rotated by theta and scaled by AR/(sin(theta)+cos(theta)). The final output should look identical to a texture with the same inputs as the node group, only rotated.
Hope this helps!


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Spinning curve vertices
I'm trying to create a circular saw blade like the one pictured here, which I grabbed off blendswap.

I thought I might be able to create the handles for one of the teeth, then spin around the origin for the rest - there is no spin tool for curves though.
Is there a way to create this saw blade, without scripting?

Model a single tooth.

Add an Array modifier, and a Curve modifier to that tooth object.
Add a new circle curve ShiftA > Curve > Circle
Set the Fit Type of the array modifier to Fit Curve, and target the Bezier Circle (added in step 3). Also set the Object of the curve modifier to the Bezier Circle.

If the teeth overlap, you can scale the circle to get the teeth to line up perfectly.

+1 from me. Your technique is much better than mine. The advantage is you can easily and precisely adjust the radius of the wheel and the size of the teeth.

Is it possible to make this a solid disk (with a hole in the middle) without applying the modifiers?

Add a Bezier Circle (Add-->Curve-->Circle) and delete one of its vertex.

Select the whole curve and press Alt+C to open it up.

Shape the curve to make it look as a grinding wheel tooth. Use V button to change the handle type, so you may for example make the teeth sharper.

Add an Empty, then set the Array Modifier for a curve (with the settings pictured below). Set the Count amount as desired. Rotate an Empty to create a grinding wheel. Now changing the shape of a one tooth will affect every other one.

In Object Mode press Alt+C to convert your curve to a mesh.

If you need more teeth, increase the Count amount and scale the curve to make the teeth fit each other. Enable a First Last checkbox to merge the first and the last teeth.


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Seeing invisible objects in the dope sheet
Is it possible to make objects that are invisible in the viewport remain in the dopesheet?

The little ghost button at the bottom of the dope sheet enables/disables showing invisible objects.


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Lighting specific objects in cycles with volumetric atmosphere
I'm trying to set up a night scene, and having trouble getting the lighting right. Here's my first stab at it:

I like the lighting on the tree, but the cloak on the left is too dark.
I wondered about splitting the scene into two render layers, kind of like this:

I thought I could adjust the levels of the cloak in the compositor, but I can't figure out how to recombine the layers. Similarly, I tried adding extra lights to the cloak layer, but that interferes with the volumetric effect in an undesirable way.
Is there a good way to light the cloak, without affecting the rest of the scene?

What if there was some more contrast around the cloak, making more of a silhouette? For example, like this.


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About shrinkwrap - Any way to apply it to a vertex group and move the rest the proportional distance?
it's probably a very basic question but i have no idea how to get it and i have to say that my use of blender is quite basic.
I have this object that I want to attach to the surface of the mountain

I know that with the modifier I can join the object to the mountain, but the whole shape would be lost ... and assigning a group of vertices will only affect them, being this way:
My question is if there is any way to get the remaining vertices to move while maintaining the proportion with respect to the others, something like this:
I'm still investigating, but any help is more than welcome.
Thank you!
Edit: thanks for the answer, but the problem is that there would be hundreds of objects like this, they are simply a plane to create a forest effect
And the interesting thing would be not to lose the UV map so as not to have to map them all. In fact, being different, I could not even transfer the mapping.

See https://blender.stackexchange.com/q/48823/86891

So many different ways, each with their own quirks:

Use two shrinkwrap modifiers, each with different distances-- one for the bottom and one for the top.

Follow a shrinkwrap on the bottom with a strong corrective smooth on the top.

Shrinkwrap the whole thing, then displace the top verts in global Z.  Might be worth making a shapekey that vertex slides the top verts all the way down to the bottom verts so they shrinkwrap to the same position.

Instead of doing it with an upright (YZ) plane, do it on a whole XY plane, then build the rest of it with solidify.  Recreate UV on shell via UV warp modifier.  Displacement lets you "solidify" in local or world axes instead of along normal.  Mask modifier, disabled in screenshot to make it easier to understand, destroys the rear vertices.
Other ideas worth considering toward your goal, but that don't answer your explicit question, are the use of particle systems or instancing.

Instead of a subdivided plane, use a subdivided edge like so :

Add your shrinkwrap :

Now add a Screw Modifier set to Z axis, angle 0°, with 1 step and tweak the screw value:

Moving the source object along the X Axis :

You can add a solidify modifier after all this to add thickness to your wall :

that is quite useful thank you very much, but in this case it is not what I am looking for, let me explain myself a little better.
I will edit the question

Really dig the animation. And using the screw modifier this way is really clever :).

@JachymMichal Thanks ! Yeah the Screw modifier is paramount to any kind of parametric modelling for me :)


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Where does python output go in the game engine?
I've been messing around with the game engine for a bit and decided to do some testing with python. What I have set up is a logic brick that executes a python script every time I press "W". The script should then print out a line.
What I don't understand is where the script's output goes. I don't see anything in the console or anywhere else. Does it output at all? Do you need a special bge function to print lines into the console?

That's simple. Go to Window > Toggle System Console

Result:


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Displacement node doesn't seem to work
I've been trying to get the displacement node to work in blender 2.80, but am having no luck:

It doesn't seem to show up in the cycles render either:

anyone know what I have to do to get it to work?

I think it does not work in Eevee for now. Use Cycles instead.

In order to enable true displacement in Cycles, make sure the box highlighted in the imagine below (Materials Tab > Settings > Surface > "Displacement" Box) is set to "Displacement Only" or "Displacement and Bump". Use whichever works best for you.

alright, it worked, thanks a bunch

If you are attempting to use simple "fake" displacement (basically bumpiness that is affected by lighting, but is not visible in silhouette), you've already got it working. If you are attempting to use "true" displacement from the displacement node in the material, this will not work in Evee. Use Cycles or the displacement modifier.
Also, even in Cycles, the results of true displacement from the material displacement node do not affect the mesh in edit mode view: it is computed at render time.

It didn't show up in the render ... used cycles

and yes, im trying to get "true" displacement. i know how to use the modifier but this way feels more elegant and would therefore like to use this.

It's currently unavailable in Eevee, when using cycles be sure to enable it under material settings (as see in other answer).
If you would like true displacement in Eevee or to see the displacement in preview and editing (or you need collision vs the displacement), you may bake the displacement texture and use it in a regular displacement modifier. Be sure to enable floating point precision on your displacement texture.


text:
Getting the state of a joystick button BGE
I've been trying to figure out a way to make a script that determines if a joystick button has been pressed, being held down or released. I managed to make it work with a keyboard button and then tried to convert my script to work with the joystick.
Here's the keyboard script (works by pressing H)
import bge

cont = bge.logic.getCurrentController()

keyboardsens = cont.sensors["Keyboard"]

bStatus0 = keyboardsens.getKeyStatus(bge.events.HKEY)

if bStatus0 == bge.logic.KX_INPUT_JUST_ACTIVATED:
    print("just pressed")

if bStatus0 == bge.logic.KX_INPUT_ACTIVE:
    print("is pressed")

if bStatus0 == bge.logic.KX_INPUT_JUST_RELEASED:
    print("just released")

And here's the console output:

Here's the joystick script (works by pressing button 0, or in my case the B button):
import bge

cont = bge.logic.getCurrentController()

joysticksens = cont.sensors["Joystick"]

bStatus0 = joysticksens.getButtonStatus(0)

if bStatus0 == bge.logic.KX_INPUT_JUST_ACTIVATED:
    print("just pressed")

if bStatus0 == bge.logic.KX_INPUT_ACTIVE:
    print("is pressed")

if bStatus0 == bge.logic.KX_INPUT_JUST_RELEASED:
    print("just released")

And here's this ones output:

See the problem I'm having here is that with the joystick, I don't get the initial "just pressed" or "just released" messages, just the in between "is pressed" message. How do I fix this?

You're checking the button status, but the constants used are for sensor statuses. For those checkings, use sensor.status instead of sensor.getButtonStatus. Example:
if joysticksens.status == bge.logic.KX_INPUT_JUST_ACTIVATED:
    print("just pressed")

Remember that sensor.getButtonStatus returns only True or False, and equals to the expression:
BUTTON in bge.logic.joystics[0].activeButtons

Use the sensor.getButtonStatus along with sensor.status to check if a given button is pressed and which status of sensor at the same time.
Below, your file reworked using the method I mentioned, and few additions:

Optimized by using Module mode instead of Script mode in controller
Keyboard status checking without using the Keyboard sensor.


text:
Boolean or cuts without creating ngons
I have one specific question and one general one.
The specific question:
Is there a way to boolean in a shape without creating a bunch of ngons? I want to cut a hole in the visor as seen in figure 1 and what I have is in figure 2.

Figure 1

Figure 2
More general question:
Could anyone comment on the topology of my object (keeping in mind I want to use it for 3d printing, but any advice is welcome). What could I have done better in the modeling/mesh creation. Like "you used this tool here, but it created some problems in the mesh, try this tool instead" I've attached a link:
Google Drive Download, ask if you'd like it emailed instead
I assume I am doing a few things wrong with my topology but I am not entirely sure what.
I am a blender novice and have watched a lot of Lydna vids and youtube vids and decided to cut my teeth by making a robot from a Studio Ghibli movie.
I thought I got the model looking pretty good, but when I attempted to 3d print it, I had some strange issues. Parts of my model were not printed. The structure underneath was, but the surface was not.
I assumed I had made some rookie mistakes, so I decided to go and try and remake portions of my mesh. This time I wanted to look at it in meshmixer to ensure everything was alright. Unfortunately, when I loaded it in, it looked even worse than what was printed out! It looks fine in Cura, but not Meshmixer... the oddness abounds.

I couldn't see figure 2. Can you post it again?

"Could anyone critique my model" Artwork critique is subjective and opinion based, as such it is considered off topic here

I wasn't looking for an art critique, just a critique of things I could have done better in the modeling/mesh creation. Like "you used this tool here, but it created some problems in the mesh, try this tool instead".

Read: https://topology-guides.tumblr.com/page/3 (those pages have a lot of information on topology). Watch also:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc52fcrHvAA

Topology is less important for 3D printing, because you don't use any vertex properties like normals etc.  It can be important for some techniques like C-C subdivision that are sometimes, but not always, used to create models for 3D prints, but ideal topology depends on the technique you want to use and what you want that technique to do.

You have extruded polygons without adding a new edge flow. This is the most common mistake in modelling and almost everyone does it! It is easily fixed on this model by selecting all of the flat faces on the side and pressing "i" to inset them.
The inset tool is easily the most misunderstood operation in blender. It exists only to redirect edge flow. It has nothing to to with extruding.
Never extrude polygons. Only extrude edge loops. Sounds restrictive but it is a hard rule.

Cut your hole >  in Edit Mode select the loop of faces inside the new hole > Ctrl+Numpad + to grow the selection once or twice > Ctrl+T for "triangulate faces" (or you can right click and it should be in the pop up menu; or go to the menu for 'faces') > Alt+J for "turn triangles into quads" (this is in the 'faces' menu too).
Not sure how well this will work for your needs, but it's quick.  GL OP


text:
Using Python to add an HDRI to world node
How do I add in a blender python script a hdri to the world node.
scnworld = bpy.data.worlds.get("World")
scnImage = scnworld.node_tree.nodes.new('ShaderNodeTexEnvironment')
scnImage.location = (-350, 250)
scnImage.image = bpy.data.images.load('H:\\blender__word_hdri\\green_sanctuary_2k.hdr')
scnImage.image.colorspace_settings.name = 'Non-Color'
link = scnworld.node_tree.links.new –

here is some code but how do I link

scnworld  = bpy.data.worlds.get("World")
scnImage = scnworld.node_tree.nodes.new('ShaderNodeTexEnvironment')
scnImage.location = (-350, 250)
scnImage.image = bpy.data.images.load('H:\blender__word_hdri\green_sanctuary_2k.hdr')
scnImage.image.colorspace_settings.name = 'Non-Color'
link = scnworld.node_tree.links.new

Similar to How to load an image from disc and assign it to a newly created image texture node? use BlendDataImages.load() to load and assign the image to the Environment Texture node:

import bpy

C = bpy.context
scn = C.scene

# Get the environment node tree of the current scene
node_tree = scn.world.node_tree
tree_nodes = node_tree.nodes

# Clear all nodes
tree_nodes.clear()

# Add Background node
node_background = tree_nodes.new(type='ShaderNodeBackground')

# Add Environment Texture node
node_environment = tree_nodes.new('ShaderNodeTexEnvironment')
# Load and assign the image to the node property
node_environment.image = bpy.data.images.load("//hdri.exr") # Relative path
node_environment.location = -300,0

# Add Output node
node_output = tree_nodes.new(type='ShaderNodeOutputWorld')
node_output.location = 200,0

# Link all nodes
links = node_tree.links
link = links.new(node_environment.outputs["Color"], node_background.inputs["Color"])
link = links.new(node_background.outputs["Background"], node_output.inputs["Surface"])

Related: Control Cycles material nodes and material properties


text:
How to control the zoom in and zoom out?
I am doing a model and the speed at which I am zooming in and out is very fast. I mean one scroll and I am inside the model, looking at faces and one scroll in opposite direction, my model appears in complete ISO view.
How to control this? Any settings are getting messed up?

Are you dealing with a very large or very small model?

yes it is kind of very tiny model

Try using a different scale. Instead of meters (the default) try working in mm.

Hold Ctrl + click and hold middle mouse button and move the mouse forward/backward for more precise zooming.

Left Alt + click middle mouse button on the object you want to focus on to reset the zoom-focus on this object.

Hi. Yes, I am aware about zooming in with control key but my major problem is how all of sudden it started acting weird. Everything was ok till half-way. I did change few setting for orientation and all but I messed up with some shortcut or preferences and this is causing a lot of irritation.


text:
I learned basics of 3d modeling but not sculpting. What should be my next step?
My main aim for learning blender was for rendering and then animation. I learned basics of 3d modeling but not sculpting. What should be my next step?
If I want to focus on learning rendering only, can you suggest any resources where a person has shared his rendering journey only? (material and shaders including)
OR
Anyone can guide me from here as how to move ahead on this journey or include me in their work or any other help will be really appreciated. Even if I am doing any mistake in my planning here then also do let me know. Thank you

Rendering is not something that can be done on its own. Rendering is the transforming of three dimensional data in a file to something you can see on screen. There is a minimalistic open GL rendering that occurs in real time so you can see what you’re working on.

Does this answer your question? Resources for Blender

Please take a minute to read the [tour] and the [help] section to learn how to make best use of this site. As stated here Your questions should be reasonably scoped. If you can imagine an entire book that answers your question, you’re asking too much. Start by asking concise questions that can be answered here, there are a number of talented users that can help you with specific problems. For discussions and opinions use a forum like https://blenderartists.org

Well, I personally learned mostly from reading the manual, and got heavily bored in the modifier section, which of course turned out to be one of the most useful parts of blender ever to me. From where you are, I would learn about modifiers from the manual, and then get a hold on materials and textures. I was very confused about the difference between the two trying to figure it out by myself, but thankfully there’s a lot of good resources out there to look at.
Including the manual (I <3 manuals )


text:
How to deactivate a UI element in an add-on?
In an add-on I would like to have a property adjustable via its UI element, but when I have a second elements enabled I want my first element to be disabled : only show the information without being editable. It there a way to make a UI element read-only ? (grayed out / disabled / visible but un-editable).

Try:
col = layout.column()
col.enabled = False
# Use col.prop, col.operator, etc. Everything you add to this column will be faded

col.active is also possible, it will grey out the column but the props will still be editable (this is probably not something you want)

Actually the attribute i think I was looking for is enabled so the solution is more like col.enabled = False. Also if want only one property to be enabled/disabled I need to put just that property inside of a col/box/row UI element and then hide the col/box/row.

What about a specific item in a row? so maybe there is a randomize checkbox beside a color well. The box disabled the well. Seems only if it's on a separate row or hide it? but I want to see the randomized color in the well.

I thought this was a toggle at first (i.e. set enabled back to True after calling prop()), but you actually disable everything in the layout component or nothing at all. I had to create an extra row() to control just a single component.


text:
Dynamic Paint with object material in cycles
How do I use dynamic paint (cycles) to paint with an object with texture. The dynamic paint / brush in BI seems to have a “use object material” setting to allow the brush to use the paint from a material, but cycles does not have this option. Is it possible to use an image texture to dynamic paint in cycles?

You should be able to use an attribute node with the value of dp_paintmap(if you are using the default) and connect that to the factor input of a mix node.

  Your painted material will be on the bottom while the other material will be on the top.  Be sure that you hit the plus next to Paintmap under Dynamic Paint Output in the Physics tab.


text:
Dialog box response handling
How do I handle operators / dialog boxes to implement something similar to the "add preset" functionality in blender? I want to have a +/- buttons to add/remove presets and when the + button is clicked it should essentially invoke an operator to add the preset, but first it will have to pop up a dialog box to ask for the preset's name. How would these operators / dialog box work together so that the output of the dialog box entered in the preset name dialog box is then used to carry out adding the preset via the "add preset" operator? I looked at the blender presets.py code but it's rather dense and hard to understand so I need some hints.
Note: any links to posts/code that show the operators/dialog boxes interaction within an addon script are highly appreciated.

see the UI cookbook.https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Py/Scripts/Cookbook/Code_snippets/Properties

@zeffi stop follow me :p Yeah.. I need to take a better look at that cookbook. I skimmed through and couldn't find an answer  right away. I'll have to give it another try.


text:
MSGBUS drops subscriptions on new or reload blend file
Any ideas why the subscription via msgbus to property changes (node/attr) are dropped while starting a new blend or reloading a blend file?
I use msgbus to subscribe to changes to a node name (in the sverchok blender add-on) and I setup these subscriptions once in the register() of one of my nodes that need to monitor such changes. Everything works fine after I just launch Blender.. however, once I reload a saved blender file or create new blend the subscription does not work anymore. Reloading the scripts fixes the problem (since the subscription call is re-run).
(see here a video version of this description: https://youtu.be/-KwFKuxbnJs)
    VIZ_NODE1 = sverchok.nodes.viz.vd_draw_experimental.SvVDExperimental
    VIZ_NODE2 = sverchok.nodes.viz.viewer_idx28.SvIDXViewer28

    subscribe_to_list = [(VIZ_NODE1, "name"), (VIZ_NODE2, "name")]

    def msgbus_callback(*args):
        message = args[0]
        print("msgbus_callback: ", message)
        # propagate the messsasge to all layer nodes
        layer_nodes = [n for n in bpy.data.node_groups['NodeTree'].nodes if n.bl_idname == "SvViewerLayerNode"]
        for node in layer_nodes:
            print("propagate msgbus callback to:", node.bl_idname)
            node.viewer_changed_name()

    owner = object()

    def subscribe_to_viewer_changes(subscribe_to):
        # listen for changes to the "name" property of any node of viewer classes
        print("layer_nodes_subscribe_to_viewer_changes: ", subscribe_to)
        bpy.msgbus.subscribe_rna(
            key=subscribe_to,
            owner=owner,
            args=("Viewer node name property has changed",),
            notify=msgbus_callback,
        )

    def layer_nodes_subscribe_to_viewer_nodes_name_changes():
        print("layer_nodes_subscribe_to_viewer_changes")
        for subscribe_to in subscribe_to_list:
            subscribe_to_viewer_changes(subscribe_to)

   ...

    def register():
        print("Registering the SvViewerLayerNode classes")
        _ = [bpy.utils.register_class(cls) for cls in classes]

        layer_nodes_subscribe_to_viewer_nodes_name_changes()

```

There should be a persistent option that can be passed to keep the subscription when loading a new file. Will have to check.

This has to be done with a persistent application handler, the "PERSISTENT" option for msgbus has a different meaning.

The bpy.msgbus.subscribe_rna() is not persistent and will be removed when loading a new file. A persistent application handler, can be used to subscribe to the message bus when a new file is loaded. The example code below demonstrates this by appending a persistent handler load_handler to bpy.app.handlers.load_post.
This answer also contains a more detailed example of msgbus in an add-on.
import bpy
from bpy.app.handlers import persistent

# For more information see source/blender/python/intern/bpy_msgbus.c
# and https://developer.blender.org/P563

# Object that will store the handle to the msgbus subscription
subscription_owner = object()

def notification_handler(*args):
    print(f"Object: {bpy.context.object.name}, Location: {bpy.context.object.location}, Args: {args}")

def subscribe_to_active_obj():
    # What the subscription is for, in this example the active object.
    # Note that for properties it may be necessary to use `path_resolve`
    # as shown in https://developer.blender.org/P563
    subscribe_to = bpy.types.LayerObjects, "active"

    # Subscribe to the msgbus to call the handler when the key is modified.
    # Please note that not every UI interaction will publish an update,
    # despite modifying the key you've subscribed to. For instance, when
    # subscribed to `bpy.types.Object, "location"`, changing the location of
    # an object through the move tool won't call the handler automatically,
    # while updating the location property in the "Tranform" panel in the
    # sidebar will. The publishing of an update can be forced through
    # `bpy.msgbus.publish_rna()`.
    # The "PERSISTENT" option ensures that the subscriber remains registered
    # when remapping ID data, it does not mean that the subscription remains
    # persistent when loading a different file. This can be accomplished with
    # a persistent application handler that is called on file load.
    bpy.msgbus.subscribe_rna(
        key=subscribe_to,
        owner=subscription_owner,
        args=("a", "b", "c"),
        notify=notification_handler,
        options={"PERSISTENT",}
    )

@persistent
def load_handler(dummy):
    subscribe_to_active_obj()

# Register the handler, ensures that the subscription will happen when a new
# file is loaded.
bpy.app.handlers.load_post.append(load_handler)

# Subscribe to the active object for the current file.
subscribe_to_active_obj()

## Explicitly notify subscribers of changes to this property
# bpy.msgbus.publish_rna(key=subscribe_to)

## Clear all subscribers by this owner
# bpy.msgbus.clear_by_owner(subscription_owner)


text:
Animate many objects each object has many animations
I'm working on an FPS game and I have many weapons to animate. Each weapon has many animations such as idle, walk, shoot, reload ... etc. Some weapons have very similar animations.
I am a beginner in blender so I don't know how to create each animation for each weapon.
Is there a way to make it easier because it's too hard and boring to create animations for each weapon.
I'm asking this question because I believe you have good workflows for this kind of work rather than the hard way that I'm trying to do it.

Hi, please make a simple example of what you're trying to do... is not so clear...

What you want is a Modular Rig that can support all your weapons, this has trade-offs for example, you will have to make all weapons work the same way, you cannot rig a knife and expect it to work the same way like a rifle, but you can rig a pistol using a rifle rig, that's for a simple rig. But, if your rig is good enough, then it can adapt to some extent anything you throw at it, but that usually will require a average amount of knowledge in constraints and rigging.
That being said, if you are a beginner in blender, this is an advanced project and I am afraid you will not find a easy solution. I can point you to a great rigging tutorial with great techniques, but it's not for beginners, so keep that in mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqiA9E9dHnk
Hope it helps,

Thanks for replay, that's mean I must do each animation for each weapon the problem is not all weapons has same dimensions so I need to adjust arms with every weapon before start animate although all weapons have same walk, shot ... etc animations same move but not have same dimensions


text:
How to clean up these curves
I got the following curve

But in edit mode it is ridiculous messy.

It looks it's really small, but if i hit Ctrl+A (Apply) > Scale nothing will change.
Why does my Curve not apply the scale?

As Robin Betts says, Apply Scale does work for curves as well.
If the Normals length are bothering you, you can change the display in the N panel (3D properties) > Curve Display > Normal Size

If you scale anything in Object Mode in Blender, (Curve, Mesh, or Text), the scale is changed in its Transformation Matrix. The stored coordinates of the object's vertices/control points are not modified, they are transformed by the matrix before inclusion in the scene.
If you scale anything in Edit Mode, you are scaling the object's elements. Their stored coordinates are modified, and the  Transformation Matrix of the object is unchanged.
Applying a scale (CtrlA) does not change the size of an object -  it 'bakes' the effect of the Transformation Matrix into the object elements' coordinates, scaling them, while returning the scale component of the object's Transformation Matrix to 1 in all axes. making it as if you had performed all your scaling in Edit Mode in the first place. You can see the effect in the Transform >Scale panel of the Properties Region of your 3D View.

You should be able to scale your text (S) about your selected pivot point, in Edit Mode, or Object Mode, whatever form it is in.
The 'Mess' you can see on entering Edit Mode is not part of your curve. It is simply the display of the curve's normals. When in Edit Mode of a curve, that can be disabled/adjusted in the 'Curve Display' panel of the Properties Region you have open on the right of your 3D View.


text:
How do I make an armature skeleton?
I am very new to Blender, so please forgive how simple this sounds and is. I am working on a spoof of VeggieTales, and I have a character who is pretty much a capsule, and I want to be able to bend him somewhere near his middle. I thought trying to create an armature in three segments (3 bones) would work for animating him, but I don't know how to connect the bones to each other. Can anyone help with this?
I've tried to connect them by making one a parent of the other, but any time I go into "Pose Mode", and try to rotate them, they simply come apart - as you can see.

Basically, I want the bones to stay together at the joints, and if the one at the bottom moves, then so do all the rest, etc.
Thank you for any help you can give!!

Despite my first instincts, in which I would have to refer you to the docs and mark this question for closure, I think you have a kernel of a legitimate question in there.  It seems like that question is something along the lines of "Why are my child bones not connecting/following to their parents?"  If this is true, please edit your question with some screenshots descriptions and we will better be able to help you.

hard to tell, could you please share your file? https://blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com/

After selecting your armature, go into edit mode and select the bone you want to join to your master bone (in your case, the lowest is your master bone). While in edit mode, go to:
Properties >> Bone >> Relations
and under "Parent", select the master bone and tick the "Connected" box. If you haven't named your bones, you might have to try all of them but luckily you've only got 3.


text:
The GLSL Doesn't Work
There was a question about someone not being able to use GLSL shading and there was an answer which almost worked but half of the game was all black with a huge shadow. Please tell me a way to fix this.
This is how it looks when it's not rendered:

This is how it looks when it is rendered:

This is how the lamp settings look like:

This is how the shading settings look like:

If you find a way to fix this then please tell me because it's really annoying.
This sometimes fixes itself when I save the game and open the blend file again but not always.

Have you tried to mix Hemi lamps with Sun lamps? It doesn't seem a GLSL problem to me...

could share you .blend please? it would help a lot with investigating the problem.

It's not a problem anymore it only happens when I change the tool to rotation.


text:
How to bend this object
I’m trying to make this environment but I’m actually having trouble with this curve. I know I can manually do it but I feel like it won’t look natural and smooth. I saw tutorials using the simple deform but that applies to the whole object while the one in the photo is more like a L shape.

Maybe add this object in your question (upload a blend file)? Considering the style in the picture, consider doing it manually.

You can begin with a perpendicular plane:

Bevel the angle with CtrlB:

Select all and press AltE to extrude the faces along the normals:

Scale if necessary, select the edges and bevel again to round the angles:


text:
AMD GPU Material in "material preview mode" and "rendered mode", is entirely gray as background. Only outline is displayed
I don't know why but now, when i go in material preview or rendered (in solid mode it works fine), my object is entirely gray, or invisible idk, because it has the same color of the background.
I've been working for days on this project without having this issue, it suddenly showed up.
I tried opening other old projects and suddenly they all do the same so i guess it is some blender program setting that applies for all the projects, but idk how it happened cuz i didn't change anything :/, anyone got any tips?

Are you using an AMD GPU with driver version >20.11.1?

Yeah, i just realized that since the problem has appeared, the only thing i changed is that i updated the amd drivers, i also just read a discussion that says that it is the problem. :/

What if you're not using an AMD driver and still getting the same problem?

Update: Blender 2.92.0, 2.91.1 and 2.83.11 will contain workarounds for the missing / incorrectly rendered surfaces of mesh, curves and metaballs as well as the incorrectly rendered wireframes caused by bugs in the graphics driver.

The graphics driver version Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.11.2 and later appear to cause issues for several users, as reported in T82856 and related tickets. Installing a previous driver version should solve these problems until the bug in the driver is fixed or Blender provides a workaround for the problem.

Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.9.2 fixed this issue for me

Blender 2.83.11 and 2.91.1 will also have these work around so added.

@J.Bakker Thanks. I've updated the answer.

As mentioned in the bug report T82856 a temporary solution is to enable High Quality Normals under the Performance section in the Rendering tab on the right in a default Blender layout.

Blender Version 2.91.2 addresses some of the problems with AMD cards
https://developer.blender.org/T83216

Just roll back to the previous version of your AMD driver.
Click on the windows icon
Search for Device Manager
Dropdown the Display Adapters option
click on AMD driver
Under the Driver's Tab
Roll Back Driver Option
And now the Blender is good again.

What if you don't have an AMD driver and still getting the same problem? I'm using NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB


text:
Attach vertex to a circle with a line?
I have a basic circle with lets say 20 vertices.
I then do a ctrl+right click to place a vertex somewhere outside the circle.
I then select the vertex outside the circle, hold shift, select a vertex on the circle and hit f.
And nothing happens.
I can ctrl+right click around and shift select and f lines all day. But can't seem to get the vertex to join the circle with a line.

pls consider adding images for clarity.

Are you doing it in edit mode so they are one shape?

Does this answer your question? How to model and animate a bifurcated path? and creating a divided highway using curves and Is it possible to extrude a curve in two directions and split one control end of a bezier curve

I figured out something else that was probably simple for most seasoned users. I needed to select everything and ctrl+j to make it all one object. I was then able to connect whatever i needed to the circle- and then make faces

In curves, the vertices cannot be linked to more than two segments, curves cannot be forked or bifurcated.

To create such shape you would need to add a new disconnected curve segment and place it on top of an existing one.

thank you susu, thats what i needed to see


text:
How does Blender know whether to use compositor output or 3D scene output
So, I am working on a project and experimenting with Blender 2.8.
Correct me if I'm wrong, there are multiple outputs, VSE, compositor, 3D scene etc. How does Blender know which to use? Are they separate outputs or are they one output? E.g. composite, 3D scene OR 3D scene ---> compositor ---> VSE ---> Output?

Hi. Please only ask one question at a time. You are welcome to ask multiple questions but as separate posts.

@RayMairlot will edit question later

1. How does Blender know which to use? Are they separate outputs or are they one output?
They are separated thing. You can choose whether Blender to use Compositor and sequencer:

When you render, Blender save a bunch of information for camera (called render layers). Cameras are specified scene catchers in concept. Those information can be retrieved in Compositor interface for readable value, and for extra manipulate. Finally, compositor node can link to a final output (Composite), which is what you see in rendering window. (You can also choose what you see in view panel)

2. Is it possible to chroma key the scene?
Yes, totally possible to do that in Compositor. There is a node called keying, you can try it yourself.

(Notice that Blender knows about the original color of surface. Those hole in violin does not treat as black-like color in Keying, You can't do that in plain video)

@lpydawa sorry about misleading your question update my answer soon

Thanks for the information, but how does Blender know to use compositor output, Video sequence output or scene camera output? also, does each scene have it's own separate compositor, VSE, 3D scene(cameras objects) etc?


text:
Shrink Wrap odd distortion

When using the shrink wrap modifier it seems to be squashing the mesh as it goes round the corner of the object I'm trying to fit it to. Is there any way to deform the mesh evenly without this 'squashing'?
Thanks
Ross

Target shape is quite simple, maybe you should use Curve modifer rather than Shrinkwrap?

How would I go about doing that? Would I have to draw a curve to conform to?

Curve can be created from target's single loopcut, ALT-C for conversion from mesh

Sorry to ask again but how do I cut the object to appear in the right position. The curve mod just seems the shape in random ways. I've tried all axis. See new pic in original post

Just tweak object location of a mesh. For rotation you can also adjust its rotation or curve's tilt option. If you are still struggling, please share a file

I've set the origins of the curve and the mesh so the are the same but the mesh is appearing offset. It should be centred and wrapping around the curve. Apologies for the wetransfer. Blend Exchange doesn't appear to be working today. https://we.tl/t-i4ke02tfxF

I parented both curve and mesh to an empty, cleared their location and moved mesh a bit on X axis, also set X rotation to -90. http://pasteall.org/blend/index.php?id=51920

Thankyou Sir! You've help me a lot! Have a great day.

.. But why not just make some temporary edges in your tin, and make your label by duplicating some faces and separating to a new object? It Uunwraps cleanly, if you keep the aspect ratio, and can be scaled to your image?


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Un-Subdivide - Remove loops on one axis
Whilst trying to make some geometry I have inadvertently introduced a number of edge loops that have effected my model causing the stripey effect shown in the screenshot. Is there any way of un-subdividing on the z axis only to remove the loops? I would like to keep the zig-zag at the top of the bag and not introduce any tris if possible.

what exactly is the stripey effect, I am not quite sure, could you please clarify?

So before I added the extra vertical loops the geometry was smooth. I added loops to make a zig-zag effect across the top of the bag. After the loops were added the horizontal stripe effect shown in the first screenshot appeared. This is not what I wanted as it is supposed to me a smooth metallic coffee bag.

"Unsubdividing" but only in a single axis:
1: In edit mode, edge mode, select an edge ring.  Ctrl alt RMB on an edge does that for me, but our interfaces may vary.  Here, I've also hidden two edges to act as "stoppers" for the selection-- you can do similarly if desired.

Use a "checker deselect" operation.  I generally use this from the searchbar.  Check the parameters, and play around with these; this can be a useful tool.  Here, though, we'll just use the defaults.

Use "select edge loops" operation.  I use this from the searchbar.

Finally, of course, we can x->dissolve edges, and I'll unhide my hidden geo too:

Method 1:
First you would want to separate the zig-zag part from the bag, select the edge using Alt-Click that you want to cut like in the picture.

Then you can press V and move your mouse upward to rip the edge loop off.

Then you can select the vertical edge loops using Alt-Click in a pattern: select 3, not select 1 (It doesn't have to be 3 and 1 but I found it to work quite well). Unfortunately, I couldn't think off an automatic way to do this, so you may have to do this manually.

After you select all the edge loops, click X and select Dissolve edges.

This is the final outcome

Method 2: This is faster but it may changes the mesh a little.
Use Vertex>Smooth vertices and change the settings until you are satisfy with the result.


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Defocus Node - Compositor
 The Z pass is only defocussing inside the boundaries of the Tea Caddy. I presume this because the Caddy is divided against the background? Is there a way to extend the defocus effect of the edges of the object so it fits naturally into the scene?

The problem is the ID mask node. You blur your image and then crop it to the bounds of your object. so every pixel outside those boundaries get deleted.
I'd suggest adding the depth of field pre comp by adding the values for focus and aperture to your camera (you can often see the f-stop of the background image in the meta data, otherwise, just try and error).

Make sure, that your background is transparent by checking "transparent" in the film section of the render settings.

Then just add your object via an alpha over node to the background. Done.

If you do want to add DoF in the compositor, just skip the step with the camera settings, use the defocus node and the alpha over. Done (even quicker).