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texture behind transparency issue

Hi Rick:

Do you have an example scenario of how and when you might wish to utilize a Ruby script "called" from Sketchup ?

Or are you describing a use of Ruby scripting outside and independent from the Sketchup workspace and/or Windows task session ?

FYI: https://www.google.com/#q=Ruby+script+Windows

GaryGB
 
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A couple of quick comments about SU painting both sides of a poly when not desired.

If you paint a surface and extrude it, the texture will be applied inside and out which is a pain especially when you extrude from an outline on an imported picture. I first paint the new poly white or black, extrude, then paint the outside with my desired photo-texture.
Even so, when I'm about finished with a model I always find a number of interior surfaces with photo textures, and painting them a solid color is a pain. Control B makes this a lot easier, and will not paint the opposite faces. And if you accidentally paint a accidentally selected large group, a bigger pain if you don't catch it.

Another handy plugin is the global material changer. I use it to fix screw-ups all the time especially duplicated textures, or when I need to completely remove a texture and want to replace it with other than the default.

Rick, here's how I did the widows in the water taxi which may be a little different. (It's my standard method.)
All the textures end up on a single png saved from the working .psd. In psd I make a layer of the cabin sides, then duplicate this layer. I select the window areas and delete them. The layer below becomes the window area; I clone out or paint over people, other things I don't want to show and then reduce the opacity. I was using 50 - 55% for the water taxi. Sometimes I add a little black outer glow to the window frame layer and play with the settings to get the effect I want. Then I paint the cabin in SU, using alt-B then B to copy the texture from one side to the other. The windows do not line up with the polys that make up the cabin sides. This makes what I'm seeing through the windows of the water taxi even more odd.
 
GaryGB said:
Hi Rick:

Do you have an example scenario of how and when you might wish to utilize a Ruby script "called" from Sketchup ?

Or are you describing a use of Ruby scripting outside and independent from the Sketchup workspace and/or Windows task session ?

GaryGB
Click to expand...

I apologize in that I am not able to be specific. I do know that both Gmax and 3ds Max use what they call scripts to invoke the ACES tools, for example the GUID tool, or the .mdl export. The fact that the various softwares can manipulate many of the same file formats like 3ds and Collada implies they may function similarly in regard to accommodating the ACES tools.
 
L_Rob said:
Rick, here's how I did the widows in the water taxi which may be a little different. (It's my standard method.)
All the textures end up on a single png saved from the working .psd. In psd I make a layer of the cabin sides, then duplicate this layer. I select the window areas and delete them. The layer below becomes the window area; I clone out or paint over people, other things I don't want to show and then reduce the opacity. I was using 50 - 55% for the water taxi. Sometimes I add a little black outer glow to the window frame layer and play with the settings to get the effect I want. Then I paint the cabin in SU, using alt-B then B to copy the texture from one side to the other. The windows do not line up with the polys that make up the cabin sides. This makes what I'm seeing through the windows of the water taxi even more odd.
Click to expand...
OK, so here is an example of the stock SU fence .png modified to two patterns, the perimeter fence and the flight deck catch fence. I don't have any examples of the fence with a different texture on the reverse side, but you can see that even with multiple layers of front and back that everything displays as expected. If perhaps you could modify your technique such that it incorporates this application of .png texture, you would likely be ok.
I think the issue might arise from using a continuous texture sheet. You might start with just the window texture and the other polygons colored and then if it works properly, paste that window texture into your larger texture sheet - remapping the window to compensate for the new layout, of course.
transparent.jpg
 
Rick,

I have a suspicion you are right; that it has to do with having all the textures on one sheet. In a lot of my other projects I have one or more separate transparency sheets, but this was a quick and dirty approach.

One thing I've noted is that I cannot paint different textures on opposite sides of a poly if they are from the same texture sheet. However, I can do it if the textures are on different sheets. Why I have no idea!
 
Understood, consider: the above railings were derived from a single pattern style image and are themselves copy/pasted onto each side of all railing polygons, implying it is possible to have reverse textures from the same sheet; perhaps the difference being that these are unique for only the rails, other texture files covering other areas.
 
Rick now that I think of it, I'm not sure about painting different textures from the same sheet on opposite sides of a poly; that was quite a while ago. I was trying to paint the topsides of a ferry on one side, and the interior of the car deck on the other side, all the textures on one texture sheet. I should try this again next time I have the need.
 
I've not finished testing this, but I guess Rick was right about the issue with the water taxi which has large windows all around. The issue appears to be that to save triangles, the windows were not made as separate polys. All the textures were on one sheet too. That is, the parts of a window and the window frame and cabin side were all on one poly using a .png texture. I guess this is a no-no in Gmax, and I guess it is in SU too even though I've been skating by with it for a while. :)

As a test I've put all the transparencies on a separate sheet, and made the windows as separate polys. At the expense of more draw calls, a lot more triangles, and a significantly bigger .bgl, (although still relatively small) that seems to have solved most if not all of the problem. I still need to check the issue of looking through two transparencies. In one earlier test it was OK from one side, not OK from the other, but I'll check that again after I finish revising.

[edited to add a screen clip; looks like the problem is fixed, thanks Rick! (That's the Belleville ferry terminal project in the background.)]
 

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