Twilight Render + Fredo Animator not working together.

[mean82]

Hello!

So I am attempting to export a short animation using Twilight Render and Animator. The test renders I did as a still image in Twilight worked fine, and the test render I did in Animator (without twilight) were fine. When I try to export the animation using Twilight render it begins exporting the animation, but twilight render never renders the frames. The timer for animator starts counting up as if it is working toward something but nothing is happening.

Is this a problem with a setting somewhere or have I missed something simple?

I own Twilight Professional.

Thanks for your help!

[Fletch]

Let's try to figure this out - please provide which version of SU and which version of animator and if you can, send me a PM with a download link to the file for testing.

[mean82]

Thanks for getting back to me!

I'm currently using SketchUp Make 2017 (ver. 17.2.2555 64-bit) An older version, I know haha, but I haven't had any issues in the past.

I have LibFredo6 version 14.2a and Animator version 3.8a which I believe are the latest releases.

I appreciate your help! I will send my files over you now (EDIT: I apologize, I am not sure how to attach my file as it is too large (10 MB) to attach.)

[Fletch]

if you can, send me a PM with a download link to the file for testing.

please upload to a file sharing service and send a link

[mean82]

Sent you a PM!

[Fletch]

Hi Mean82 so I've been trying to test Animator and Twilight. Please bear with me as I ask a couple of questions that may seem stupid to you.

Using Animator is a bit complicated with a lot of steps so I'm just trying to be thorough. Note step 4 below, for example.

ALSO please be sure you use a very low render setting when you run your first animation to be sure it's working properly and you don't waste time trying the highest quality setting and being disappointed.

Did you carefully follow all of these steps?
Subject: Twilight Render and Animator

So basic SketchUp animation and some plugins do work with Hobby, like the standard SketchUp animation, but Animator requires something we call "external control". It allows Animator to actually execute Twilight Render calls. And that is limited to Twilight Render Pro.

I just downloaded latest available versions for LibFredo and and Animator and Twilight Render is appearing for me as an option using Twilight Pro. Windows 10 or 11, SketchUp Pro 2022

I had to restart SU a couple times during install of "LibFredo6_v13.6a.rbz" and Animator_v3.8a.rbz

Step 1 set up animation with Animator
Step 2 Set up frame rate and other settings in Animator>Generate Animation dialog

-choose Images Sequence
-Twilight Render
-set F/s


Step 3 Open Twilight Render animation dialog, set resolution and render settings to use for Twilight to render animation
(Extensions>Twilight V2>Animation Editor)

Step 4 Inside Twilight Render animation dialog, open the "Advanced" pulldown menu and set up your animation FPS to match that of your settings for the Generate Animation dialog in Animator.
- set folder and name of animation sequence

Step 5 In "Generation of Video for Animator click the "Generate Video" button. It should start rendering using Twilight Render and placing the sequence of animated images in the "base image" folder you specified in Step 4.

[mean82]

Hey!

So I tried to follow your instructions as best I could a few times. As far as I am aware I followed everything correctly (I even got my wife to try )

I still didn't have any luck getting the two working together. I click generate video in Animator, then it starts counting up seconds as if it is starting, but Twilight Render never renders anything from there.

[Fletch]

Can confirm that is what happens with my testing. SU2020 pro and Animator 3.8a
We will try to solve this issue.

[mean82]

I greatly appreciate your help!