Mesh.GetGroupName Returns null

[tanoshimi]

The GetGroupCount works, and you can loop through the groups, but each one returns "" for GroupName.

[SylvainTV]

Yea the exporters and .x loader are not able to export the group/material name right now.
GroupName are only working if you are setting them yourself. They're saved/loaded to/from TVM files

[tanoshimi]

So if I manually read the .X file, and set the Groups in the TVM model, and save it, then it'll work next time I load the TVM?  I can write a short utility that can get the names from the .X file and puts them into the TV to be saved, as long as the TVM will have them when my main program loads them.

Also, I notice TextureFactory.GetIndex() isn't taking a string.  How can I get the index for the texture I want if I can't use the name of the texture I created when I loaded it?  Is this broken?

[WEst]

Also, I notice TextureFactory.GetIndex() isn't taking a string.  How can I get the index for the texture I want if I can't use the name of the texture I created when I loaded it?  Is this broken?

Globals.GetTex() is what you are looking for.

[tanoshimi]

Thanks for that.  Still worried about a workaround for GetGroupName.

[tanoshimi]

Is there any way we can get this function fixed?  It seems pretty integral to any kind of skinning operation, and there have been quite a few requests for information on it.  I tried to do some kind of workaround, but I'm not having much luck other than the dreaded idea of loading the mesh and Group by Group selecting it to see what it is and renaming it for the TVM file.  Maybe it's not too difficult to get this function to work?

In the meantime, does that function work with .X files in version 6.3?  I can't get 6.3 to work (unable to register the DLL) but if it does work, maybe someone can write a utility that can load an .X and save as a TVM with groupnames in tact?

[asia]

No sure but I think the TV format is changed. What I am sure that a 6.5 TVMesh created with 6.5ModelView is unreadable from them TV6.3 ModelViewer.
I use to work with MilkShape and I do Actors with animations.
For the animations you need Joints. At each joint you attach some vertex. So you can move your Joint to move your Actor's arm, hand and so on. I had not trouble on moving Joints from code. Even if you have no animation but you have Joints you can animate from code. Also no problem on getting the Joint ID by passing their name as strings.
I do not know if it helps but I found very useful to go from meshes to actors in cases like what I think is your case..
Ciao
Fabio

[aeon]

No sure but I think the TV format is changed. What I am sure that a 6.5 TVMesh created with 6.5ModelView is unreadable from them TV6.3 ModelViewer.
I use to work with MilkShape and I do Actors with animations.
For the animations you need Joints. At each joint you attach some vertex. So you can move your Joint to move your Actor's arm, hand and so on. I had not trouble on moving Joints from code. Even if you have not animation but you have Joints you can animate from code. Also no problem on getting the Joint ID by passing their name as strings.
I do not know if it helps but I found vrey useful to go from meshes to actors in cases like what I think is your case..
Ciao
Fabio

Indeed the 6.3 TVM's are different than 6.5 TVM's.  6.5 Meshes (and Actors) have more vertex data and are larger than the previous TV version's.  I was unaware of the Exporter issue not exporting group names.  I'm still using the 3d studio max 8 exporter which I believe still works correctly.  It's been a while though.