Modo plugin - Preferences window

With the controls in the Preferences window you can customize general plugin behaviors. Preferences are categorized into 4 sub-categories. These Categories are Export, Maxwell FIRE, Workflow and Defaults.

Export

Default Export Directory

You can choose the place to where the plugin saves the exported Maxwell scene files, textures, log file, etc. This parameter defines the default export location but a scene can have its own location which overwrites this setting (read sub-chapter Render Settings).

The following modes are available:

• Default Export: plugin saves the exported files into the {plugin location}\Default Export directory. (This mode keeps the scene directory clean.)
• Scene Directory: plugin saves the exported files into the scene directory.
• (Browse…): you can set a custom directory for the exported files.

Show pop-up window

Show pop-up window if exporter has sent error or warning messages during the export process.

Collect Images to export directory    

Auto convert images

Some image file formats are supported in modo but not in Maxwell - for example “*.psd” files. The exporter can convert these image files to a Maxwell compatible format. You can choose your preferred image file format from the drop-down list, or set it to disabled if you don’t want the automatic conversion. The converted images are saved in the scene export directory.

Clamp Reflectance 0° (color)

Maxwell materials with too high Reflectance 0° color value (close to RGB 255,255,255) can make your image noisy, not realistic. You have this option to automatically clamp the high color values.

                                   (image)

It is the same as the previous control, but it clamps the image pixel color values.

Skip Displacement component

Skip modo material Displacement components during the automatic material conversion.

Skip Emitter component

Skip modo material Luminosity components during the automatic material conversion. 

Texture Baking mode

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Maxwell FIRE

Set parameters for the Maxwell Interactive Engine.

Quality

The actual resolution at which the interactive engine renders. Higher value means better quality but slower preview.

Time (s)

Time in sec at which the interactive engine stops rendering

Sampling Level

Tthe sampling level at which the interactive engine stops rendering

Use Multiple Threads

Allows the Interactive Engine to use multiple cores. If Use All Threads is off, the interactive engine uses all the available cores minus one. If both Use Multiple Threads and Use All Threads are off, the interactive engine will use only one core.

Use All Threads

Use all the available threads for the interactive engine.

Geometry Update

Enable/disable mesh geometry update in FIRE mode.

Displacement

Enable/disable displacement calculation in FIRE mode.

Max Subdivision

Set the maximum displacement subdivision value in FIRE mode.

Dispersion

Enable/disable dispersion calculation in FIRE mode.

Motion Blur

Enable/disable Motion Blur in FIRE mode.

Show Status Info

Show status information (progress status, elapsed time, sampling level) in the FIRE window.

Show Log Info

Show warning message if Log file contains warnings or errors.

Workflow

Auto add Maxwell packages

Add Maxwell item packages to the scene items automatically. It is recommended to keep this control on, but - if you want - you can add, remove or reset these parameter packages manually in the Plugin Window.

Defaults

You can set default values for some of the Maxwell item parameters. The change has no immediate effect, you have to restart modo to update these settings.

Light Source Offset

This parameter controls how far the light source is in reality from the virtual light model. You can read about it more in chapter Directional Light.

Segments (quality)

Set the number of the polygons of the light object (cone and sphere side). You can read about it more in chapter Spot Light.