Automatic Linking

Owned by thomas (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 16 Oct, 2018 by Alex Ribao
2 min read

Connecting and linking simulation nodes is a core concept in RealFlow | Maya, because it lets you define which daemons act on which fluids, or which fluids will be able to interact, for example. To ease this process, RealFlow | Maya has a semi-automatic system for linking nodes.

Linking to the "Scene" Object

A project with one → "Scene" is the default setup:

  • All new simulation nodes will be connected to this "Scene" object automatically
  • If you add a simulation node to an empty project, a "Scene" object will be created, and this and the following nodes will connected to this "Scene".

In projects with two or more "Scene" objects things work differently:

  • All new simulation nodes will be connected to the "Scene" object(s) which are selected.
  • If there is no selected "Scene" object all new nodes have to be linked to the "Scene" object(s) manually.

Objects with a → "Collider" have to be linked to the "Scene" object(s) as well. Each collider has its own "RealFlow Scene" field:

  • If there is a "Scene" object in the scene already all colliders will be connected to this "Scene".
  • In projects with two or more "Scene" objects new colliders will be connected to the selected "Scene" object(s).
  • If there is no (or no selected) "Scene" object the collider have to be linked manually.

Linking Simulation Nodes

In scenes with a fluid, rigid or elastic container

  • additional containers will be linked automatically to the ones which are currently selected
  • additional containers have to be linked manually if no container is selected.

Daemons

  • will be linked automatically if the project has only one fluid, rigid or elastic container
  • will be linked automatically to selected containers
  • have to be linked manually if the project does not contain any fluid, rigid or elastic containers at the time of creation of the daemon.

Linking Objects to Fluids, Rigids, Elastics

In order to connect objects with fluids, rigids, and elastics it is necessary to add a → "Collider". Each object requires its own collider, and each collider has its own "Linked Domains" field. When a collider is being added as the last simulation element it

  • will be linked automatically to all existing fluid, rigid, or elastic containers
  • will be linked automatically to selected containers.

A collider

  • has to be linked manually if the project does not contain any fluid, rigid or elastic containers at the time of creation of the collider
  • has to be linked manually if a fluid, rigid or elastic container is added to the scene after the collider has been created.

Meshes

There are two fundamental states. When the project contains

  • a single fluid container the container will be linked to mesh automatically
  • two or more fluids all connections have to be established manually.