[Idea] Multiple Image Style Exporter

Jim

Just an idea - if you frequently export several images to use as layers in post-production software, a plugin could be made to setup and save the style configurations for easy recall, and then export the images all in one go. Might save a little time.

TIG

Unfortunately, just as with model.materials and external SKM files there is no model.styles and .style file export or import methods in the API...
I have written some code to export materials as SKM files and import SKM files as materials BUT that was possible because all of the 'parts' that make up a material inside a SKP are editable in the API and the missing-link was getting them to/from external files...
However, I can see no simple ways of using a 'style' this way as many of the SKP's style properties are 'obscured' and not accessible to the API or simple 'hacking'... although as a .style file is actually a kind of zip file it would be possible to parse all of the data from it or even write the data to one, but the gap is in matching API methods to read/write style data inside a SKP...

Jim

I mean exporting images, not Styles. Most of the Style settings are available in the RenderingOptions hash, so the settings could be set via the plugin, and saved as a named set for quick recall later. Then the user selects via a checkbox any number of their "image styles" which all get exported.

TIG

Many of a Style's setting are reflected in the RenderingOptions [which can also be set separated from any Style], BUT the Style's own 'subtleties' - like line strokes or watermarking - are not accessible...
So to be more exact you can get/set 'RenderingOptions' - even writing/reading from a file if desired - BUT you can't get/set a 'Style'...

Dave R

Is there already a plugin that will export a range of scenes? I generally make several scenes each with different styles and then export them one at a time.

Jim

Scenes wouldn't strictly be needed - if your Styles were all In-model, the current view could be updated through a list of Styles and the current view exported as an image using each Style in turn. Naming of the images could be automated, and image size could be independent of the window size.

So when the plugin is activated, the user is present with a list of Styles, and some options to set the image size, anti-alias, base filename, etc. Then the plugin goes thtough the list of selected Styles, applies the Style to the current view, and exports an image using the options.

If someone does this frequently, a template could be used that contains all the needed Styles.

Dave R

Well, that would be cool. I'd just have to remember to create the styles before running the plugin.

TeKnoel

Here is a work around for this process that might work.

create a scene tab for each composition layer and a corresponding style for each. once the styles are created this should be a pretty quick process for each view.
go into model info and turn off scene transitions under animation
export a animation but set it to export jpegs. you can set the jpegs to whatever size you need
hit go.

I have exported multiple scenes like this and its worked well. I think all you would have to do would be to incorporate the styles of the composite layers that you need and you should be away to the races