Export Module Failure

[Moach]

yes it's me again

i tried to export my model to fs2004
but i got this error massage:

'MakeMDL was not found, or failed to convert c:\gmax\gamepacks\flightsim\ximango to MDL format. check your system path to make sure MakeMDL is on it'

and the log file says:

Running model

Start! (C:\gmax\gamepacks\FlightSim\ximango)
Loading X C:\gmax\gamepacks\FlightSim\ximango...
Error in exporter: Mismatch between # vertex faces (500000) and # normal faces (943835) in part Bone01.
Error!
Error!

and i can't export...


plus i get a lot of these mesages too:

part 'blahblahblah' has a scale applied. remove before exporting.

what should i do?

[Travis]

Well, the first part I have no idea about, but the "part XX has a scale applied" is easy to correct.  Go to the Hierarchy tab (the middle one in the right-hand column) and look at the very bottom.  You'll see a set of two buttons, one of which says "scale".  Select the part(s) that MakeMDL has problems with and click the button.  That should fix that problem.

[Moach]

tnx dude

just one more to go now...

[Travis]

No problem, man!  If you don't get an answer in the next couple of days, email me the files and I'll run over them, see if I can do anything for ya.

[Katahu]

The purpose of the log file is to tell you which object [in your design] is causing the problem.

Most often, the log file will repeat the name of the object over and over again depending on the number of vertices it has. Next to the name of the object, it will tell you that it has possibly found some collocated or trilinier vertices [or something in relation to that] on the object. The message is also repeated as well. Next to this small message, it will you the world coordinates of the vertices that are involved.

Usually, the best course of action is to delete that object on your model and replace it with a new one that closely resembles the original [but slightly modified].

Ender Baron's idea is also good for correcting scale problems. Scales are constantly applied [automatically] to any object that has been recently animated. It's alway necessary to remove them prior to exporting.

From here on, you should no longer get any more of those problems as you export.

Some of the objects that cause the so-called collinier, or collocated, or whatever vertices are usually the semi-spheres [they are actually whole spheres, but are modified by the user].

[Travis]

I don't want to sound like I'm getting above you, Katahu, but there is a much easier way to take care of colocated vertices than deleting the object.

I used to get frustrated when I would get that error message, and stop working on the project altogether, but someone told me about a nifty little gadget in the modifer section called "weld".  I had never noticed it before, but it seems to be created for just this problem.  To use it, select the object, go into sub-obj modification and select all the vertices.  Now scroll down the modifier command bar, and pay close attention.  About half-way down you should see a section called "weld" with a couple of buttons that read "selected" and "target" below it.

With all the vertices in the object selected, click "target" and change the number next to it to 1.  I'm not exactly sure what this does, but it has something to do with pixels, and if you want the object to stay the same shape, the smaller the pixel number the better.

Now highlight the number just above the pixel number.  This is the amount of space that can be aloud between vertices when you press the "selected" button.  If the vertices are closer than this number indicates, they'll be colapsed together.  Make this a small number.  I usually use something like 0.125", but you can use whatever you like.

Now press the "selected" button.  Continue pressing it until you get a message saying "no vertices within weld threshold".  There you go!  Everything should export now!

BUT

I don't think this is the problem with Moach's stuff.  It says this:

Start! (C:\gmax\gamepacks\FlightSim\ximango)
Loading X C:\gmax\gamepacks\FlightSim\ximango...
Error in exporter: Mismatch between # vertex faces (500000) and # normal faces (943835) in part Bone01.
Error!
Error!

And I don't know what that means.

[Katahu]

You're right Ender. I have never noticed about that feature for fixing the colocated vertices. Neither have I seen such an error log with such a message.

Hey Moach, what kind of aircraft are you building?

[Moach]

hi there...

just fixed my computer, now i can continue my work

thanx for the help guys,
but the problem with this particular part is that it cannot be welded or deleted. it's a bone.

i can't delete it because it's the main bone and without it my pilot won't fit in the cockpit.

i need a way to fix it without messing too much with it.

oh this is what i'm working on:





it's a brazillian Aeromot Ximango AMT-100 motorglider

[Moach]

ok this is even weirder

the problem has changed now
this is the message i get when i try to export:

Running model

Start! (C:\gmax\gamepacks\FlightSim\ximango)
Loading X C:\gmax\gamepacks\FlightSim\ximango...
Error in exporter: Mismatch between # vertex faces (467682) and # normal faces (907706) in part Sphere03.
Error!
Error!

the weird part is: there is NO sphere03

any thoughts??

PS: the scale reset  thingy worked, thanx Ender