Hi there,



I want to render a scene with Final Gathering. Since the objects do not move a lot, I want to create a photon map, that will be used for the final rendering.



The problem is that I can't save that file. I tried many things:

-Just typing a name;

-Just typing a name, but with a .map extension (just to check if the file needed an extension to be created);

-Defining a path like this: c:/photonmapfile;

-Defining a path like that: c:/photonmapfile.map;

-Quit Softimage and re-open it;

-Rebooted my machine and did the above all over again;

-Created a whole new scene and did the above again.



Whatever I do, my file is never created. I searched it on the machine, I never find it.



Is it me or am I missing something?



Thanks

Bernard Lebel

In reply to:

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Hi there,



I want to render a scene with Final Gathering. Since the objects do not move a lot, I want to create a photon map, that will be used for the final rendering.



The problem is that I can't save that file. I tried many things:

-Just typing a name;

-Just typing a name, but with a .map extension (just to check if the file needed an extension to be created);

-Defining a path like this: c:/photonmapfile;

-Defining a path like that: c:/photonmapfile.map;

-Quit Softimage and re-open it;

-Rebooted my machine and did the above all over again;

-Created a whole new scene and did the above again.



Whatever I do, my file is never created. I searched it on the machine, I never find it.



Is it me or am I missing something?



Thanks

Bernard Lebel

---

It works with GI or Caustics , not with FG alone. So make sure one of these is checked on in the render settings in the photon director dialog. Turn on 'Rebuild photon map' to write the file. An extension is not necessery.



hope this helps.



specter

Thanks a lot specter for your reply, my problems are solved.



In fact, when I first rendered the scene, I didn't need a photon map file. But I had to make some changes, and then when I rendered (with the same settings) there was big moving artifacts. So I figured that it was now time to use a saved photon map.



Now, what I did with your advice is I checked Global Illumination (in PhotonDirector > Render Setup), but I didn't assigned any GI properties to lights/objects. So when I rendered a frame my photon map file was created, but with only Final Gathering!



Thanks again.

Bernard