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Odd Blender Error Message

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Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Delta5142 » Sat Apr 17, 2021 12:00 am

Hi all,
I've been trying to import a specific AC3D file into blender, but I keep getting this error message:
Image
Looking a bit closer at the error, I kind of figured out that it had something to do with the ac3d import/export plugin that I installed (but I could be wrong), so I tried reinstalling it. Still no luck. I'm using Blender 2.7 on Mac. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
Delta5142
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby WoodSTokk » Sat Apr 17, 2021 12:53 pm

Maybe the wrong plugin?
For Blender 2.63 to 2.79 you need https://github.com/NikolaiVChr/Blender-AC3D.
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Delta5142 » Sun Apr 18, 2021 1:37 am

I tried using the plug-in that you posted WoodStock, but I'm still getting the same error message.
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Maerchenprinz » Sun Apr 18, 2021 2:04 pm

Hi!

Can you tell WHICH specific file you're trying to import (and have you tried to import others)? - I ask because maybe the importer cannot handle some of these:
- There's a 'new' AC3D version out with a slightly different .ac file format (I think)
- Sometimes AC3D creates strange object hierarchies
- .ac files which were imported from X-Plane or MSFS can be a total mess but still be read by OSG

I can take a look at that file (and repair if necessary) if you like.

Ciao,

Adrian
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Delta5142 » Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:14 pm

Hello Adrian!

I'm trying to import cockpit.ac from the 737NG (https://github.com/omega13a/737-Next-Generation). This, along with a few other .ac files from the aircraft, show this error message. However, I have tried importing other .ac files, and they seem to work. All of the .ac files from the Seattle 777 folder work.

Thanks,
Delta
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Maerchenprinz » Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:00 pm

Hi!

I had a look at the cockpit.ac and it looks like there are some "remains" from a previous conversion in it. Some objects are made up of only singular vertices which form no surfaces. The Blender importer probably looks at that and goes :?: and then :arrow:
Solution:
Find someone with AC3D and write access to the 737-NG repo and make him do the following: Select "Objects mode", check "select through", select the whole model widely by framing it with the mouse, click "Hide selected" and delete all the rest in "Vertices mode".
Hopefully, that will make your importer go :D !

Ciao,

Adrian
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby WoodSTokk » Thu Apr 22, 2021 12:28 am

The problem is that this file was created on a system that works maybe in some ISO mode.
In ISO every character has one byte and the values go up to 255.
Your system (like mine) is setup for UTF-8 where bytes with values above 127 have a special meaning.

Open the 'cockpit.ac' in a text editor and search for 'rculo'.
You will find something like this on line 10920:
Code: Select all
C?rculo.001

where the '?' is a spezial character.
I dont know what this character was originally, but i changed it to an 'i'.
So the line looks than like:
Code: Select all
Circulo.001


You will find this 4 times on line 10920, 12781, 13565 and 13810.
After changing all 4 lines, you can import it in Blender.
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Maerchenprinz » Thu Apr 22, 2021 7:42 am

Hi!

So when Woodstokk has tried and it can be imported then, that's good to hear; removing these strange "vertex-objects" would be just cosmetics or rather clean-up then.
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Delta5142 » Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:29 pm

Thank you Maerchenprinz and WoodStock for you combined help. WoodStock: Yes I found all the lines with the special characters and I replaced it with an "I", and I am now able to import it into blender. (Also, I think you mixed up line 13656 with 13565, because I couldn't find any mistakes on 13565). However, I have a new problem. I tried doing the same with flightdesk.ac, because that one gave me the same error message. I removed all of the question marks with an "i", however, I still get that pesky error message!

Thank you so much!
Delta
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby WoodSTokk » Thu Apr 22, 2021 7:16 pm

ooops, sorry, yes its 13656, not 13565, sorry :(
The 'flightdesk.ac' has invalid characters at line 14519, 14673, 14827 and 14981.
Its the same problem as in 'cockpit.ac'. Search for 'rculo'.
After changing all 4, i can import it. The import takes around 90sec here, its a huge file.

EDIT:
Looks like this model was created on a system setup in spain language.
In english 'Circle' is in spain 'Círculo'.
See the accent on the 'í'. Thats cause the problem.
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Delta5142 » Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:50 pm

Hrm, then it looks like it's something on my end at this point considering that you were able to import it. Even after getting rid of all those question marks and replacing it with an "I" on flightdesk.ac, I still get that error message. Everything works now with cockpit.ac though.
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Maerchenprinz » Fri Apr 23, 2021 3:20 am

Hi again!

Well, I think this time it's really a problem of a weirdo conversion during import from some other format to .ac (I must be right this time! 8) )
The flightdesk.ac has more than 12000 (!) groups/objects in it, with these "more than 12000" - 45 of them being empty (in .acs, you can 'group' several objects, which become 'kids' then, and can have 'kids' again and so on...).
When I open that file in AC3D, it renders fine, when I go to "Hierarchy View" (a simple list of groups/objects), AC3D breaks down. So I guess, this is a huge problem for the import script as well.
After I have saved only the 45 "correct" objects into a new file, file size went from 2Mb to 270kb, so I could send you that file and you could try again to import.
If again Woodstokk's theory of invalid characters is right (no, not this time!), then the importer error may have been caused by the object name 'belowG/S.002' - note the "/" in the name.

Ciao,

Adrian
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby WoodSTokk » Fri Apr 23, 2021 3:41 am

I have cleaned the file for you. As Maerchenprinz said, the file contain many garbage objects.
You can download the clean file at http://www.lepanto.at/download/flightgear/flightdesk.blend
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Re: Odd Blender Error Message

Postby Delta5142 » Sat Apr 24, 2021 11:28 pm

Thank you WoodStock for the cleaned file, it is now able to import into blender.

Regards,
Delta
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