Gordig said:

The most obvious solution is to fix your OBJ export and/or import settings. You already figured out the scale, but make sure that Y is set to vertical for both import and export. If you import something that is oriented wrong and fix it with rotations, you need to bake the rotations before trying to use Morph Loader or Transfer Utility.

Thanks Gordig - indeed the Y and Z axis were inverted for some reason. Now it works!

The most obvious solution is to fix your OBJ export and/or import settings. You already figured out the scale, but make sure that Y is set to vertical for both import and export. If you import something that is oriented wrong and fix it with rotations, you need to bake the rotations before trying to use Morph Loader or Transfer Utility.

Iray 2022.0.1, build 359000.3383

Known Issues and Restrictions

• Material Definition Language (MDL)
  • Adding an environment function to a link unit (via method mi::neuraylib::ILink_unit::add_environment()) is currently broken for all backends and will result in a wrong code. As a work-around, please generate environment functions as single code (i.e. do not add it to any link unit)

Added and Changed Features

• General
  • Updated general libraries:
    • FreeImage-3.19.x-r1903-OpenEXR-3.1.5-libTIFF-4.4.0-361926 (fixes problems/crashes with huge TIFF metadata TIFFTAG_RICHTIFFIPTC)
• Material Definition Language (MDL)
  • Added compiler context option "mdl next": Setting this option will enable preliminary features from the upcoming MDL 1.8 Version, especially:
    • Full utf8 identifiers in MDL.
    • Lifted restriction on scene access functions: The name of a scene data can be now any expression of type uniform string.

Fixed Bugs

• General
  • Fixed failed worker renderings with error invalid parameters (nvbugs 3759010).
• Iray Photoreal
  • Fixed a CPU crash with guided sampling enabled (nvbugs 3758281).
  • Fixed some issues with guided sampling in combination with the caustic sampler or SSS.
  • Optimized fiber rendering performance on Turing and above (1.1x to 1.7x, at the price of a bit more memory).
  • Fixed/Unify ambient occlusion rays to be able to hit invisible-to-primary-rays geometry on all GPU/CPU configurations.
• Iray Interactive
  • Fixed slight precision problems with Oren-Nayar BSDFs (nvbugs 3777916).
• Material Definition Language (MDL)
  • Fixed error message regarding wrong array type issued two times.
  • Speed up material compilation: Instantiation of a material instance is now faster due to less database queries and lesser reference counted operations.
  • Fixed module inliner handling of relative resource paths.
  • Fixed libbsdf handling of Fresnel factors. (OM-52209)

Iray 2022.0.0, build 359000.2512

Known Issues and Restrictions

• The minimum NVIDIA driver version in order to support the new CUDA and OptiX features is R510 U6 (Windows 512.78). Note that the R515 driver series unfortunately features a performance regression that only affects Iray 2022.0.0. So when using R515 drivers, only drivers 516.93 (Windows) and up feature the necessary performance fix (nvbugs 3707149 and related to 3678591).
• On macOS/x86 SSSE3 enabled CPUs are now the new minimum requirement.
• Removed support for the already deprecated portal lights in Iray Photoreal. It is now suggested to use the new guided sampling and/or the improved caustic sampler instead.
• FreeImage is now deprecated, due to its missing source code maintenance. It will be replaced by the now also included OpenImageIO plugin. Please test this evaluation build and let us know if this new plugin features regressions compared to FreeImage, or worse performance.

Added and Changed Features

• General
  • Updated general libraries:
    • OpenSSL 1.1.1q
    • FreeImage-3.19.x-r1903-OpenEXR-3.1.5-libTIFF-4.4.0-360897
    • FFmpeg-lgpl-4.4.2-360169
    • OpenEXR 3.1.5
    • Embree-3.13.2-359470 (with a custom patch for the crashes seen in nvbugs 3643565)
    • AxF 1.9.0 (now supports all platforms)
    • IndeX Direct 359000.2512 (fixes an issue with empty VDBs, nvbugs 3720395)
    • OpenImageIO 2.4.1.2 (for evaluation purposes)
• Iray Photoreal & Iray Interactive
  • Added support for df::thin_film modifier for glossy BSDFs that feature mode df::scatter_reflect_transmit (OM-52209).
• Material Definition Language (MDL)
  • Added contribution instructions and a Contributor License Agreement (CLA) form to the open source release.
  • Added support for df::thin_film modifier for glossy BSDFs that feature mode df::scatter_reflect_transmit or df::specular_bsdf (OM-52209).
  • Improved distilling of bsdf color-mixes.
  • Fixed serialization failures when serializing optimized modules with removed unused functions.

Fixed Bugs

• General
  • Issue a fatal error in case the default/fallback-material could not be created (related to nvbugs 3707629).
  • Improve contour detection/stability of Toon postprocess (nvbugs 3724232).
• Iray Photoreal & Iray Interactive
  • Improved inside-projector-geometry test, which avoids unstable behavior for planes where one coordinate is zero (nvbugs 3621214).
• Iray Photoreal
  • Fixed artifacts visible in the environment/dome when using the caustic sampler.
  • Fixed a potential crash when using guided sampling.
  • Fixed missing backplate when switching from AUX to the result buffer.
  • Fixed potential errors and crashes when returning too early from cancel_render, i.e. while the postprocessing was actually still running. This is now synchronous as intended.
  • Improved performance for certain cutout opacity cases when using the caustic sampler (nvbugs 3710624).
  • Fixed a discrepancy between evaluation and sampling of thin-walled glossy surfaces.
  • Fixed crash for certain multi-/overlapping emissive volume data setups and instancing being turned on.
  • Fixed regression on RTX/Turing-and-up cards with fiber rendering (restore originals fiber endcap behavior) (nvbugs 3699759).
  • Improved scene error handling (e.g. reject invalid camera transforms before rendering, add a safeguard to reject picking) (related to nvbugs 3692956).
  • Fixed disappearing backplate by correctly clamping inverse tonemapped backplate color to zero.
  • Fixed a rare issue with render calls being falsely rejected in network rendering mode.
  • Optimized linking-phase pre-processing stage if no JIT MDL materials found.
  • Improved efficiency of rendering emissive volumes dramatically for complicated setups.
  • Fixed missing contributions (i.e. too dark) within uniform emissive volumes.
  • Fixed crash when using df::microfacet_ggx_smith_bsdf.
  • Improved preprocessing speed for multiregion/material objects (nvbugs 3705800).
• Iray Interactive
  • Fixed a crash when going out of GPU memory (nvbugs 3600421).
• Material Definition Language (MDL)
  • Fixed loss of tint for specular BSDF (MDL-870).
  • Fixed handling of MDL cast operators in the SDK.
  • Fixed missing struct constructors of re-exported structure types.
  • Fixed handling of the uniform modifier in the MDL module builder that caused correct graph constructions to fail.
  • Fixed generation of pattern including thin film.
  • Fixed typos and descriptions in support definitions.mdl.
• MI exporter
  • Added support for custom attributes on textures/volumes to exporter.
  • Avoid exporting (ignored on import) face statements.

Why use the DazToBlender bridge when you can use Diffeomorphic to perfectly import whole scenes into Blender with correct morphs and poses.

Masterstroke said:

In case of conflicts, export the morph from G8 as an *.obj and import it via morph loader into G 8.1.

Thanks, but the morphs seem to work as is on G 8.1.  But I appreciate the suggestion, for future reference.

felis said:

The simple version to make a slit (in blender) is in edit mode to mark the veritces where you want the slit and then 'rip verteces'. That will not create a visible slit, but when dforced it will be there.

To make the slit visible without dforce you can select one of the bottom verteces in the slit, enable proportional editing, connected only, adjust proportional editing size to slit size and drag away.

You will have to import the object as a new object and do transfer utility, but you can reuse textures as UV map should be unchanged.

Sounds fairly simple enough. I'll have to give that a try. Thank you.

The simple version to make a slit (in blender) is in edit mode to mark the veritces where you want the slit and then 'rip verteces'. That will not create a visible slit, but when dforced it will be there.

To make the slit visible without dforce you can select one of the bottom verteces in the slit, enable proportional editing, connected only, adjust proportional editing size to slit size and drag away.

You will have to import the object as a new object and do transfer utility, but you can reuse textures as UV map should be unchanged.

j11011 said:

also note 2 patches to G9 and V9 already since the launch, anyone seen a changelog for those?

I opened a ticket couple days ago and posted a thread in technical section explaining a bug trying to apply materials to G9 eyes when there is more than 1 G9 figure in the scene, no response to the ticket, no response in the thread...

One patch for G9 is actually noted in the readme:

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/read_me/index/86958/start

Resolved Issues

• 2022-10-25 Updated:

  • Reduced shorts and shirt textures from 4k to 2k

  • Updated metadata

  • Fixed morphs on the shirt

  • Fixed a problem with Proportion Smaller Body Only

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/read_me/index/87472/start

Resolved Issues

• 2022-10-27 updated texture maps

In case of conflicts, export the morph from G8 as an *.obj and import it via morph loader into G 8.1.

Have a look at the installation files for products made by DAZ PA's, there you can see a pattern for where to put everything.

In general, the geometry to \Data\YourName\Product\, Textures to \Runtime\Textures\YourName\Product\ and the user facing files that are used to load the product into the scene into \People\Generation\Clothing\Product\
Metadata is saved into \Runtime\Support\

Padone said:

Singular3D said:

It would be great, if we could import Daz characters and other assets directly to Blender one day.

Diffeomorphic can alredy load directly from the daz library, no need to open daz studio. But, it is probably easier to use daz studio to genereate the figure then export to blender.

https://diffeomorphic.blogspot.com/2021/03/importing-morphed-character-without-dbz.html

Thanks for the info. Wasn't aware about that. Thomas really does an awesome job and you are an amazing supporter! Wish I had more time to support you.

I have searched for other threads about the latest DAZ to Blender add-on but this is the only one that comes up.
I don't know if this is the right place to ask other questions about my own issues with the bridge, so, I'll ask them here and if it's not OK, let me know, I'll post them in another thread.

1- The characters I import from DAZ appear in the default A pose, though with correct facial expression.

2- Trying to apply a pose saved in DAZ only results in turning the character around. No actual pose change.

3- Clothes don't fit properly. The skirt is poking through the apron (or rather the other way around). Same for the breasts through the blouse.

Am I doing something wrong?
Are there some quick fixes for those issues?

Also (and that's just me, not an actual concern with the bridge) I don't know how to hide the posing rig.

I tried to go the other way around: Exporting the beer mug I have modeled in Blender to DAZ. But it looks all wrong. The mugs I burchased in the DAZ marketplace are empty (and with only a thin glass surface instead of a thick one like an actual mug) and I can't model directly in DAZ, I don't like Hexagon. 

I spent quite some time to position the 10 mugs in her hands (inspired by an Oktoberfest picture on the net), I would really like not having to do it over again in Blender.

Thanks for your help :)
Denis N

Singular3D said:

It would be great, if we could import Daz characters and other assets directly to Blender one day.

Diffeomorphic can alredy load directly from the daz library, no need to open daz studio. But, it is probably easier to use daz studio to genereate the figure then export to blender.

https://diffeomorphic.blogspot.com/2021/03/importing-morphed-character-without-dbz.html

generalgameplaying said:

Richard Haseltine said:

Are you in the Add Ons tab of the Preferences dialogue? Where are those instructions?

I'm afraid i don't fully remember, other than no options showing up within Blender, where the instructions mentioned that they should. I think i followed more or less official instructions, but probably am running the wrong version of Blender, for it to work out of the box?

I have a lot of issues with the DAZ to Blebder Bridge my self, but installing the add on is not one of them.
I'm using Blender 3.3, but it was the same with Blender 3.2.x

I don't know what documentation you are refering to and how detailed the instructions are in it, but if it helps, here is the Blender side of instalation:

1- Go to the Edit menu in the top left corner.
2- Select 'Preferences', then go to Add-ons (on the left pane)
3- The search option is on the upper right of that dialog box. Enter DAZ there...
4- Only the add ons with the word DAZ will be displayed now. Click the check box at the left of  'Import/Export: Daz to Blender'
5- Close that window, press 'N' if the Sidebar isn't already displayed on the right of the workspace, the 'Daz to Blender' bridge should now be available there.
 

If you are using DIM/Daz Central and have move yoru content and the manifest folders then you will be fine, as long as the reisntall uses the same drive letters for the contnet - jusdt reimport the metadata. That will also restoer any user data you haev exported. If you want to keep the whole database, without having to export userdata, then move the database. Your layouts would be lost unless you backed up the Appdata folder for Studio, and you would probably have to reinstall plugins and reenter your serial numbers even if you moved the aplication (at least some of the third-party ones with more complex activation procedures)

Padone said:

note. Just to add that diffeomorphic is aimed at converting the iray shaders to cycles, thus the materials are not native to cycles. That is, in some cases especially for skins a native cycles material would be done in a different way but then it couldn't be converted from iray. If you replace the diffeomorphic materials with native cycles materials, as discussed in the blender tutorials you find online, in some cases you can get more realistic results than using a material converted from iray.

Just for clarification: This is definitely no complaint against diffeomorphic. This is an awesome piece of software and the conversion of the maps delivers decent quality. Nevertheless there is a further potential for  surpassing iray render quality, when manually adjusted. Diffeo is a great first step to get the characters over from Daz. 

It would be great, if we could import Daz characters and other assets directly to Blender one day. E.g. by an enhanced version of Diffeo.
Another option would be a Blender store extension by Daz. Some of the basic assets downloadable with Daz Studio already provide a Blender version (e.g. Level 19)

hello said:

Singular3D said:

Great render!

What is your light and render setting?

Which character is this? 

Light is basic 3 point setup with area lights and the key light on the far side. I don't remember the render settings but it was cycles and I probably had all the light paths around 8 or 12...

The character is Yeanny by Raiya. The few I have from Raiya are all really good with lots of detailed texture maps.

I'm still experimenting with different characters and skin shaders. I do find the diffeomorphic import BSDF with volume to be my favorite but dissapointed that map edges are visible. I tried BSDF without volume and connecting the SSS map to Subsurface Color and adjusting the gamma but it lacks the depth that the shader with volume has....

I went over a lot of tutorials regarding skin shaders for Blender and the approaches are very different, although some of them really look good. I still try to grab the different node layout and why they have done it this way. Another challenge is to set up a standard studio lighting in order to tweak the skin shader and get a good looking character in various light situations. Tweaking the maps in Photoshop and even combining them is an option as well. So, every information I get is highly welcome. I will share my results as well, when I get a good looking setup. So far I looked at these things
- Guide to create realistic skin shader in Blender (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEHXcS0Bv2E)
- Realistic human skin material in Blender. Correct SSS usage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj7BdhUiyak)
- Easy, but realistic skin shader (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7z3PhdCTY8&t=2s)
- Blender tutorial - How to make a skin shader (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3TnEMoNIr4)
- Realistic skin in Blender tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAWXzukeXMk)

I llooked into the Dermis Shader, Human: Realistic Portrait Creation With Blender (https://blendermarket.com/products/human-realistic-portrait-creation-with-blender) and the work of Chris Jones (https://sites.google.com/view/universalhuman). The variations are amazing, but confusing as well. So. I'm searching for a good looking, but simpler approach.

-   

Singular3D said:

Great render!

What is your light and render setting?

Which character is this? 

Light is basic 3 point setup with area lights and the key light on the far side. I don't remember the render settings but it was cycles and I probably had all the light paths around 8 or 12...

The character is Yeanny by Raiya. The few I have from Raiya are all really good with lots of detailed texture maps.

I'm still experimenting with different characters and skin shaders. I do find the diffeomorphic import BSDF with volume to be my favorite but dissapointed that map edges are visible. I tried BSDF without volume and connecting the SSS map to Subsurface Color and adjusting the gamma but it lacks the depth that the shader with volume has....

Empty? Those are the products you should install. That's 300-400 MB of all sorts of good stuff. Try re-installing them last, something might be interfering with the Compatibility Bases (it's a metadata thing).

Look in the Content Library folders to see if the assets are indeed installed.

Genesis Starter Essentials [Documentation Center]

Genesis 2 Starter Essentials [Documentation Center]