XSIBlog

What you need to reproduce theses examples :

HDRShop
HDRShop plugin Diffuse_SH.

I used to work for a 2 years at Framestore-CFC in London. That mean I use Maya and PRMan as my main application. During this year I learn a lot of thing but also hear a lot of false assumtion about rendering in general. Typically the common comment was that PRman was more suitable to render complex character and that MR was very slow for this kind of job. In fact people arguing about this doesn’t not really know what are the status of modern rendering such as MR, V-ray or any others assuming everything was frozen since 5 years or just repeating what the veteran keep repeating.

But I am not engaging a new flame wars between renderer. Actually I don’t care which is the better today in 2008 you can produce beautiful picture with any renderer available in the market ( and yes that include maya’s software render well known to be a piece of crap ;) ) The most important is the guys behind the scene. But I need to put everything in their respective context to elaborate and may be justify what and why I will describe later.

Actually mental ray is very fast, if you do things correctly. If you don’t do things correctly ( such as massive spatial and/or temporal oversampling ) it as well as any other renderer will be very slow. But I always get this "PRMan displaces faster" stuff. Of course it does…. until you actually trace a ray.
You have to know that PRMan lives in a mindset where raytracing is so slow that you avoid it at all cost. The thing is that in PRMan, if you try to shoot a ray, it too has to do all those things that a raytracer do by nature. So the minute you actually shoot a single ray, PRMan has to do what mental ray always does…. and the comparasion suddenly isn’t so much in favour of PRMan any more.

So people using PRman developed a completely different approach to same problem : Lighting and Rendering a scene while trying to avoid at all cost raytracing. That what is interesting. What will happen if I use these approach with Mentalray within XSI ? Maybe I can have a hybrid solution keep the best of the two world to render my character(s) ?

Diffuse Convolution on Environment map

What’s that ? To keep it simple you can assume that a diffuse convolved map is envmap where you apply a smart blur that will give you the result of sampling this envmap with an infinite number of rays with the Final Gathering on a perfect lambertian surface. For more information you can refer to Debevec’s research ( the father of HDR images ).

Having your envmap pre-blurred is a great advantage because you don’t need to sample it several times to get the correct illumination. Only one sample suffice to get the illumination on your surface. Actually you must cast only one ray. Otherwise you will average twice the map and the illumination will not be correct any more.

The ray direction that you will cast must also be in the same direction as your surface normal. The Xsi’s Ambient Occlusion setup correctly will do perfectly the job. You need one sample , the spread will be very small to not deviate from the normal ( 0.01 ) and the mode should be set to environement sampling. Obviously you can code a shader that do the correct environement lookup. I am using the XSI’s AO shader because it’s available out of the box.

Render Balls simple test.

Env sampling brute vs FG vs Diffuse Conv

The way I set up the scene is very simple. I tried to get the contribution of the envmap once convolved and only this. So there is no illumination model just different approach.
The HDR used for this test the one called beach.hdr that you can find at debevec’s website. The map that you download is an angular map so you have to convert it to spherical coordinate system. The easiest way is to HDRshop and convert to angular map to longitute/latitude map. Once the map ready, I put it in my scene as an environement map.
The first sphere is the result of an AO shader set to environement sampling mode with a spread of 0.8. I had to crank up the sampling to 1024 to get a smooth solution. AO env sampling is brute force approach. There is no importance sampling so that mean you have cast a lot of ray to get a smooth result specially with high dynamic range image. And obviously that be very slow. It’s the slowest render.
With the second sphere I used to FG to sample env. Same settings as before except that I use a shader that return irradiance and activate FG. FG is a lot faster that the previous method because it doesn’t sample every point with 1024 rays. Instead FG will sample a certain amount of point and interpolate the result between the point calculated. But for this comparaison I pushed the number of rays to 4096 to make sure I got enough accuracy to have fair comparaison with the quality of the next approach. Even by pushing the number of rays to 4096, it was still faster to render with FG.

With last sphere I made a diffuse convolution in HDRshop ( using the SH_diffuse plug in because it ’s a lot faster than HDRshop’s function), applied the resulting image as an environement map and use the XSI’s AO shader with the sampling set to 1 and the spread to 0.01.
The render time is ultra fast and match FG solution. It ’s actually realtime because the convolution has been already calculated once in HDRshop.

Render Balls too simple let’s try with something that got balls.

We got a exact match with the FG for a fraction of time. We can conclude that the diffuse convolution is good enough to simulate FG. But in our test we were using simple sphere. This an ideal case but we needed to check first if the lookup was correct before to move on something more serious.

I like buddha. I like him because it’s a one million polygon model that can be compared to any displaced model push out from Zbrush or Mudbox.
I have simply applied what I did with the spheres.
The first render is with an diffuse convolved envmap. It took approximately 50 sec to render with a large part of preprocessing the scene. If I had a realtime shader could get the same result ( minus anti aliasing ) in realtime. Obviously there is no occlusion calculated but that due to fact I asked only an environment lookup around the normal of the surface.
The second image is what you get if you were using FG and third one is a difference done in shake
to highlights the difference between the two renders.



As you can see only the occlusion and the FG colored bounce are missing. If you apply a simple occlusion on the top you will endup with an image that is fairly close to the FG solution but with only a fraction of the time involved by the process.

OK but in production is it worth to use it ?

Well I will say yes and no. It depand the number of shot you have to do and the time you got to complete them. This technique involve a bit of setup at the shading level while the using FG is straight foward. So if you are working on movie that need a 2K ( or more ) render then yes. Memory foot print is very low and it’s damn fast to render it specially with very heavy object like displaced object or Hair object..
At the moment you need to set this at the shader for every object. Ideally the best will be to set this as a global ambience. Unfortunately you can’t plug anything in the global ambience parameter. So the best if to use a light that cast only ambient light. And for that you need to code it so ask your favourites shader writer to do it.

Publications :

An Efficient Representation for Irradiance Environment Maps

I have touched on Python decorators in the past in this article (although that decorator was a bit convoluted). Decorators can be extremely useful in many situations and here are a few that I propose may help streamline script development.

Note: For those of you who would like a bit of background information on decorators you can check out this page.

Keeping things quiet

Let’s look at the code and we’ll go for a few explanations afterward.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

def suspendXSILogging(func):
    def closure(*args, **kwargs):
        logPrefs = getXSILoggingPrefs()
        try:
            ret = func(*args, **kwargs)
        except Exception, e:
            setXSILoggingPrefs(logPrefs)
            raise
        setXSILoggingPrefs(logPrefs)
        return ret
    return closure

The first function suspendXSILogging can be used as a decorator and will disable all logging features of XSI. This has the advantage of making large scripts that may be command dependent a bit quicker.

You could always implement a plugin with a custom command but sometimes a script is simpler. Even in the command context this decorator could be useful if you wanted part of the command to log to the script editor while keeping other parts silent.

Another advantage of this decorator is that it puts your original function in a large trap that, if an error should occur, will make sure that logging is reset to the users original preferences.

Time for decorating

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

def timeExecution(func):
    def closure(*args, **kwargs):
        startTime = time.time()
        try:
            ret = func(*args, **kwargs)
        except Exception, e:
            delta = time.time() - startTime
            log.error('Failed in %f seconds' % delta)
            raise
        delta = time.time() - startTime
        log.info('Finished in %f seconds' % delta)
        return ret
    return closure

This second function, timeExecution, can decorate almost any function and will print to the script editor the amount of time the decorated function took to execute. This can be used as a debugging or performance tracking tool or as a way to provide feedback to your users. Again, a trap is implemented that will log execution time even if an error occurs.

Please not that this decorator uses a logging system described here. If you would rather use simple logging you should replace log.info( instances by log(, xsi.LogMessage( or Application.LogMessage( depending on your scripting habits.

Usage example

1
2
3
4
5

@timeExecution
@suspendXSILogging
def main():
    # Do some fun useful stuff - well... more useful than this!
    xsi.CreatePrim("Cube", "MeshSurface", "", "")

You can chain decorators without hesitation like in this example, one thing to note in this particular case is that you’ll want timeExecution higher in the decorator chain than suspendXSILogging otherwise the time information will never make it to the script editor. Duh!

Support code

Before I sign off on this latest article, here are two functions that, if useful on their own, are essential to the functioning of the suspendXSILogging decorator.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

def getXSILoggingPrefs():
    prefs = xsi.Preferences
    vals = {}
    for n in ['scripting.cmdlog', 'scripting.msglog', 'scripting.msglogverbose']:
        vals[n] = prefs.GetPreferenceValue(n)
        prefs.SetPreferenceValue(n, False)
    return vals
 
def setXSILoggingPrefs(vals):
    for key, val in vals.iteritems():
        xsi.Preferences.SetPreferenceValue(key, val)

Cheers!

You write tools for artists under a deadline (yours and theirs). You live in a production oriented world. Unit testing, beta testing and anticipating can only go so far, and that is only if you have time to properly test. You have to accept that eventually, your code will break. How it breaks and how you react to such a break becomes as important as your capacity to create the tool in the first place.

You’ve probably seen the following idiom used many times on this website and in other places that do XSI scripting in Python:

1
2
3

from win32com.client import constants as c
xsi = Application
log = xsi.LogMessage

It is a shortcut that allows you to use log as if it was the native LogMessage call:

1

log('This is an info message.', c.siInfo)

Here is a way to extend this by using the standard logging module in a way that can help you be more proactive. I suggest you get familiar with the logging module from the standard Python docs, it’s bound to eventually be helpful.

Logging in XSI

Here is a construct I’ve started using lately that I am starting to enjoy, its advantages are:

• Concise and self documenting
• It has a trap to catch any unexpected error and log it
• Logs both to the script editor and to file
• Easily extensible to other logging mechanisms (email, event viewer)
• You can pass non string messages and it will convert to string for you (Yay!)
• Easily useable in scripts and other modules

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

from hookolo.xsi import *
 
def main():
	log.comment('comment')
	log.debug('debug')
	log.info('info')
	log.warning('warning')
	log.error('error')
	log.fatal('fatal')
	log.critical('critical')
	raise Exception('Totally unexpected exception!')
 
run('demoScript', main)

The code above would produce the following output in XSI’s script editor.

# comment
# VERBOSE : debug
# INFO : info
# WARNING : warning
# ERROR : error
# ERROR : fatal
# FATAL : critical
# ERROR : Trap reached in demoScript
# Traceback (most recent call last):
#   File "C:\hookolo\libs\hookolo\xsi\__init__.py", line 18, in run
#     func(*args, **kwargs)
#   File "<script Block >", line 11, in main
# Exception: Totally unexpected exception!
# ERROR : Traceback (most recent call last):
#   File "<script Block >", line 13, in <module>
#     run('demoScript', main)
#   File "C:\hookolo\libs\hookolo\xsi\__init__.py", line 21, in run
#     raise StopScriptError('Check the logs!')
# StopScriptError: Check the logs!
#  - [line 13]

The calls to log.comment, log.debug, log.info, log.warning, log.error and log.critical are all self explanatory as they are all equivalent to LogMessage calls with the appropriate severity argument. The call log.fatal is an addition of my own who’s severity is equivalent or just a tiny bit lower than critical. Fatal errors will not pop a dialog box.

In the setup I have here, both fatal and critical, will be logged to a file in the users’ XSI_HOME directory that looks like follows.

2008-10-04 23:46:13,720 - hookolo.xsi - FATAL - fatal
2008-10-04 23:46:13,720 - hookolo.xsi - CRITICAL - critical
2008-10-04 23:46:13,720 - hookolo.xsi - FATAL - Trap reached in demoScript
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\hookolo\libs\hookolo\xsi\__init__.py", line 18, in run
    func(*args, **kwargs)
  File "<script Block >", line 11, in main
Exception: Totally unexpected exception!

By having a file like this, I don’t have to wade through XSI’s scripting log as I have a file that only includes important script errors. I also don’t have to worry about a user coming to me and saying: “Your script exploded.” Followed by the inevitable: “No, I don’t remember the error and I don’t have it in my scripting window anymore.” Now I can just open up this file from their XSI_HOME directory and look for myself.

The usage of a main() function and a run() function allows to build a trap for any unexpected errors that might occur and allow for logging. By putting the runner in a library we can benefit from it with very little hassle in even the tiniest of scripts.

Pushing the envelope

A system such as this one could even easily be extended to allow for sending of fatal and critical errors via email. You would know that a script failed even before the artist had walked the corridor to your office to tell you about the failure. This extension wouldn’t even be that hard as the logging module includes an SMTPHandler for just this purpose.

Support code

Here is the library that makes this all possible.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80

import logging
import os
import sys
import types
 
from win32com.client import constants as c
from win32com.client import Dispatch
 
__all__ = ['xsi', 'log', 'c', 'run', 'XSIError']
 
COMPANY_NAME = 'Hookolo'
COMPANY_PREFIX = 'hookolo'
 
xsi = Dispatch('XSI.Application').Application
 
def run(scriptName, func, *args, **kwargs):
	try:
		func(*args, **kwargs)
	except:
		log.log(45, 'Trap reached in %s' % scriptName, exc_info=1)
		raise StopScriptError('Check the logs!')
 
class XSILogger(logging.Logger):
	def fatal(self, msg, *args, **kwargs):
		self.log(45, msg, *args, **kwargs)
 
	def comment(self, msg, *args, **kwargs):
		self.log(5, msg, *args, **kwargs)
 
class XSIHandler(logging.Handler):
	def emit(self, record):
		if record.levelno == logging.CRITICAL:
			xsiLvl = c.siFatal
		elif record.levelno in [logging.ERROR, 45]:
			xsiLvl = c.siError
		elif record.levelno == logging.WARNING:
			xsiLvl = c.siWarning
		elif record.levelno == logging.INFO:
			xsiLvl = c.siInfo
		elif record.levelno == logging.DEBUG:
			xsiLvl = c.siVerbose
		else:
			xsiLvl = c.siComment
 
		if isinstance(record.msg, types.StringTypes):
			msg = self.format(record)
		else:
			record.msg = str(record.msg)
			msg = self.format(record)
 
		xsi.LogMessage(msg, xsiLvl)
 
def getLogger(name=None):
	if name is None:
		return logging.getLogger(COMPANY_PREFIX + '.xsi')
	else:
		return logging.getLogger(COMPANY_PREFIX + '.xsi.' + name)
 
if not hasattr(sys, 'XSI_LOGGING_CONFIGURED'):
	logging.setLoggerClass(XSILogger)
	logging.addLevelName(45, 'FATAL')
	logging.addLevelName(5, 'COMMENT')
	log = logging.getLogger()
	xsiHandler = XSIHandler()
	xsiHandler.setLevel(0)
	fileHandler = logging.FileHandler(os.path.join(os.environ['XSI_USERHOME'], 'xsiScriptLog.txt'))
	fileHandler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter("%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s"))
	fileHandler.setLevel(45)
	log.addHandler(xsiHandler)
	log.addHandler(fileHandler)
	log.setLevel(0)
	sys.XSI_LOGGING_CONFIGURED = True
 
log = getLogger()
 
class XSIError(Exception):
	pass
 
class StopScriptError(XSIError):
	pass

During the Gerstner Wave 101 video I alluded to stacking multiple waves together to create more complex surfaces. The idea is that for each successive wave or octave that is added onto the effect, the number of waves be greater, the amplitude be smaller and the speed be slower.

Note: To see your full effect, make sure when you stack multiple waves onto each other, that the mute and solo checkboxes be clear and that the “last wave” checkbox be only active on the Gerstner Wave compound plugged lowest into the terminal node or your ICE tree.

embedded by Embedded Video

vimeo - Direct link to

If you wish to purchase this set of wave tools, you can go here.

Have fun!

With the set of Gerstner Waves available for purchase it was obvious that there should be some usage videos posted here so here is the first one describing how to install it and the basic parameters. Of course the compound installation methodology applies to any compound you might download off the Softimage Community Site or from anywhere else.

embedded by Embedded Video

vimeo - Direct link to