Render workbench

Info about new community or project announcements, implemented features, classes, modules or APIs. Might get technical!
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looo
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Re: Render workbench

Post by looo »

Right now I export my designs as .stl to import into blender for rendering with cycles.
is this a problem? In my mind we shouldn't grab all kind of software and make FreeCAD dependent on it. It's the same for post-processing. There is a very good open-source software for this kind of tasks (paraview). Paraview is much more advanced in regard to post-processing capabilities than FreeCAD. I don't see a reason to implement some parts of paraview in FreeCAD. (This was done already, but I don't think it is very usable)

We should look how to simplify the interface between different programs and not how to copy stuff from other libraries into the FreeCAD-GUI. It may sound insane to bring cycles to FreeCAD, but it always involves much work. If we use cycles, we need something to define shaders. So we will try to copy the very well done node-style inputs from blender?...

paraview is good for postprocessing
blender is good for rendering
freecad is good for CAD-application
triplus
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Re: Render workbench

Post by triplus »

looo wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:18 pm
Right now I export my designs as .stl to import into blender for rendering with cycles.
is this a problem?
To be honest yes. It is a problem. As you have to be an expert to make it work.
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looo
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Re: Render workbench

Post by looo »

triplus wrote: To be honest yes. It is a problem. As you have to be an expert to make it work.
i don't see the problem: export in freecad via wrl... import in blender...
maybe you refer to using blender itself. But also this task is not too difficult. there are many good tutorials.
gntech
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Re: Render workbench

Post by gntech »

looo wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:18 pm is this a problem? In my mind we shouldn't grab all kind of software and make FreeCAD dependent on it. It's the same for post-processing. There is a very good open-source software for this kind of tasks (paraview). Paraview is much more advanced in regard to post-processing capabilities than FreeCAD. I don't see a reason to implement some parts of paraview in FreeCAD. (This was done already, but I don't think it is very usable)
Thank you for response and explanation. I have given this some thought and I agree with your view. Instead of integrating cycles in freecad it would be more beneficial to create an "export to blender"-functionallity to ease the handover to blender as much as possible.

Because for advanced shadering and texturing there is no realistic way that we can compete with blender so its better to work together with blender.

However for fast simple visualisation and quick renders, the functionallity should be integrated in Freecad of course just as this Render workbench does.
triplus
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Re: Render workbench

Post by triplus »

looo wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:22 pm i don't see the problem: export in freecad via wrl... import in blender...
maybe you refer to using blender itself. But also this task is not too difficult. there are many good tutorials.
If one day an average FreeCAD user would be able to press on a button in FreeCAD. And the result would be something way cool. Without all the mess like installing modules, configuring paths for binaries, changing 100+ sliders/templates before something nice starts to show.

Yes i do feel that would be nice to have. And if somebody is prepared to do the work thanks in advance is all i can say for now.
HoWil
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Re: Render workbench

Post by HoWil »

gntech wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:51 pm Thank you for response and explanation. I have given this some thought and I agree with your view. Instead of integrating cycles in freecad it would be more beneficial to create an "export to blender"-functionallity to ease the handover to blender as much as possible.

Because for advanced shadering and texturing there is no realistic way that we can compete with blender so its better to work together with blender.

However for fast simple visualisation and quick renders, the functionallity should be integrated in Freecad of course just as this Render workbench does.
Hi,
Maybe this helps....
https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic. ... 10#p202733
BR,
Howil
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yorik
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Re: Render workbench

Post by yorik »

Indeed supporting the standalone version of cycles is in my plans as well, forgot to mention...
The first step (it's actually almost done) is to get the freecad importer for blender up and running again, then implement cycles materials support, then 99% of the job will be done already.
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NormandC
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Re: Render workbench

Post by NormandC »

triplus wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:08 pm If one day an average FreeCAD user would be able to press on a button in FreeCAD. And the result would be something way cool. Without all the mess like installing modules, configuring paths for binaries, changing 100+ sliders/templates before something nice starts to show.

Yes i do feel that would be nice to have. And if somebody is prepared to do the work thanks in advance is all i can say for now.
I think I'll go back to bed with some medicine.

... I agree with triplus on something :?
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zbigg
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Re: Render workbench

Post by zbigg »

zbigg wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:57 pm
Eneen wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:51 pm and now it has principal shader
Not to mention Eevee ))
https://www.patreon.com/posts/freecad-arch-15955026
and supports both CUDA and OpenCL...
***

What about Stackless Python??
cheers,
triplus
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Re: Render workbench

Post by triplus »

NormandC wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:52 pm I think I'll go back to bed with some medicine.

... I agree with triplus on something :?
I checked the stats and it's still located in the standard error area.

P.S. Nothing to worry about.
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