[Addon Release] LWO Exporter (Updated 12 May 14)

Hello peeps! :slight_smile:

This is my first ever python script (only did c++, java and web coding before). So before you point out sucky coding practices, please remember the above sentence. I’m no pro in python. e_e

Anyway, this is basically a complete remake of Anthony D’Agostino’s plugin which was created for Blender 2.43.

Features in v1.1 (current):

  • Added better material export data
  • Added support for multi-vertex weights
  • Added support for multi-shape keys
  • Added support for large meshes.
  • Surfaces are exported as ‘smooth’ by default, you need to set flat ones by yourself.
  • Fixed other bugs that would cause failed imports.

Features in v1.0 (old):

  • Creates an extra ‘.lwo’ option in export menu.
  • Links all image paths to the lightwave file.
  • Supports multi-surfaces (although there are some incompatibility issues)
  • Supports multi-meshes.
  • Supports multi-uv layers.
  • Supports multi-vertex colors.

Future plans:
- Suggest them.

Download addon (current):
Main: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=CzC4hvz3

Download addon (old):
Main: http://pleo.code5gaming.com/content/files/blender/io_export_scene_lwo.py
Mirror:http://pastebin.com/4k1SRJmr

Bugs/Issues:

  • Please post in this topic.

Screenshot:






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A great Thanks +@iPLEOMAX ,
Congratulations!
Spirou4D

PS: I have changed his name to io_export_scene_lwo.py to respect the bpy rules.

Well done iPLEOMAX, welcome to the Blender community. Good Python coding skills are growing in demand and there are variety of scripts that are needed.
Good intercept on the naming @Spirou4D I had named my feeble coding effort accordingly before iPLEOMAX came along and generated a working script. Mine kept throwing up errors, right before completion.

You’re welcome +Spirou4D. I’ve renamed it the file at server too. :slight_smile:

Thank you +paulhart2. It was a bit tricky but I’m glad it works. Also, thanks once again for your donation!

I do not understand? There are two new LW exporters that happen to come out at the same time?

http://www.blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?336299-Lightwave-lwo-exporter-available-now

Yes (it was pure coincidence; both were based off the same 2.49 exporter), and its becoming rather comic also, since iPLEOMAX seems (I say “seems”) to have borrowed code missing in his from my more advanced exporter I released yesterday (only hours after his) to create his “version 1.1”. Theres nothing against it (Im all for open source freedom) but from a user point of view this is very confusing indeed. As I am at the moment working on an effort to change the importer (and the exporter also) to allow for a more coherent import/export experience, I wonder if confusion will not grow into a more problematic situation with users not knowing which exporter theyre using. Ill probably be distributing both exporter and importer in one file when I finish working on this to make sure both importer and exporter are installed alongside each other.

@iPLEOMAX : we should talk a bit about this.

Or if iPLEOMAX feels like he would like to tackle the importer too, he could take over the project. Really, I can think of other stuff to do with my time easily!

Honestly, I feel it is a bit ridiculous to (seemngly) scavenge your code and then publish his ‘own’ improved lwo exporter. Very strange indeed, and I tend to not believe in coincidences like these. Especially seeing iPLEOMAX posted his first message only yesterday.

I might be wrong (please tell me), but it just feels very… suspicious. I might be paranoid, though. Perhaps it is a mere coincidence.

I definitely think you, Paleajed, should be taking care of this project. Also seeing you are working on the improved importer.

V1.0 was completely done by me, based off of Anthony’s plugin. It was released earlier, so there’s no way I could’ve known that you’re going to release an lwo exporter… (look at the topic dates)

And as for V1.1, yeah, I used your (paleajed’s) idea of morph and large mesh.
If that is considered code-scavenging, I’m sorry.

But the way the two plugins work is different, try exporting several meshes and import them with lightwave, you’ll see.


@@paleajed
If you are committed to developing the lwo plugins, you can go ahead, I’ll stop here and do something else.

Unlike the other exporter this one works with idtech4 engine. Thanks!

This one works w/radiant(id tech3) but @paleajed’s dosen’t.

In id tech 4 vertex paint doesn’t work, though I can see that vertex paint is there when I import back to Blender 2.70. Other than that, works very nice.

Im not blaming iPLEOMAX for anything, his exporter was his very own work and he just got pointers from my code to improve his.

Ill be working on the importer now as iPLEOMAX said hed leave the task of further development up to me. I hope he had fun programming his exporter and that he learned some new Python tricks.

A new version of my exporter is online now featuring idTech compatibility (its a setting in the file dialog) and support for more Blender material properties to get it in line with the importer.