Blender LWO Importers
- Thread starter gar26lw
- Start date
JohnMarchant
Well-known member
It does not seem to like the LWO3 file format only LWO and LWO2 if im reading this right. I would love to see an importer for blender into LW. Chris Huff was working on Matter which did just this, but no update on when or if it will ever be released.
JohnMarchant
Well-known member
Indeed and i hope they will, of course they would need access to at least LW 2018 to do that.
jwiede
Electron wrangler
If Newtek really want others to support LWO3, they really need to do better about supporting devs: They need to provide a full specification (the current one's lacking detail in some key areas), example content, and really, test content (for both positive and negative edge cases) as well as a "format tester" that can read an exported LWO3 and describe whether it's a) legit ("within spec") or not, and b) what it contains in a test-usable format (at least text, ideally JSON or XML plus image dumps of textures, etc.).
Go look at everything Autodesk provides w.r.t. FBX, or Maxon provided w.r.t. Melange. Just flinging a limited description of the format over the wall is not going to encourage much development (and it hasn't, as meager LWO3 import/export support shows).
Go look at everything Autodesk provides w.r.t. FBX, or Maxon provided w.r.t. Melange. Just flinging a limited description of the format over the wall is not going to encourage much development (and it hasn't, as meager LWO3 import/export support shows).
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lwo2 was pretty good with support but lwo3 is pretty bad, esp how 2018+ wont export an lwo2 with materials and textures.
Surely it can since both use nodes. How come the 2015.3 lwo3 reader can't retain nodal networks? Makes transfer between 2015/2018+ a pain. Useful when you want to use plugins that are either x32 only or not avail in 2018+
Surely it can since both use nodes. How come the 2015.3 lwo3 reader can't retain nodal networks? Makes transfer between 2015/2018+ a pain. Useful when you want to use plugins that are either x32 only or not avail in 2018+
chunderburger
New member
Updated -
Load LWO 0.203 (3.12) (220623)
This is a Python script that reads Lightwave's LWO file and Modo 701's LXO file in Maya 2018/2020, or Blender 3.12.
It consists of common areas + dependent parts. Maya and Blender don't make them separate zips.
It may also work with Blender 2.8x and 2.9x (unconfirmed).
Since the string of panels is a double-byte character (Japanese), it is omitted unless it is in a Japanese environment.
See the included TXT for details.
Load LWO 0.203 (3.12) (220623)
This is a Python script that reads Lightwave's LWO file and Modo 701's LXO file in Maya 2018/2020, or Blender 3.12.
It consists of common areas + dependent parts. Maya and Blender don't make them separate zips.
It may also work with Blender 2.8x and 2.9x (unconfirmed).
Since the string of panels is a double-byte character (Japanese), it is omitted unless it is in a Japanese environment.
See the included TXT for details.
chunderburger
New member
Tim Parsons
New member
How in the heck do you make these work? 
chunderburger
New member
Open Blender, goto preferences > addons > install from zip : select zip file.How in the heck do you make these work?
Prior to doing that, replace the opts.py content with that from opts_eng.py
OR
After doing that, close BLender, got the C:\Blender\blender_version_win\3.0\scripts\addons_contrib\Load_LWO\Blender folder and replace opts.py content with that from opts_eng.py and save. Delete the __pycache__ folder in that location. Restart Blender.
Tim Parsons
New member
Yeah I don't have anything like that in that location. I guess I just don't get it.
Bill Carey
there is no sanctuary....
Thanks. Got it to work, I think. Your post says .203, blender says it's .0.1.2. Brought in some older objects, but not anything out of 2020.
prometheus
REBORN
Tim..How in the heck do you make these work?
The instruction is perhaps a bit vague, I checked my folders of 3.3, same there, there is no such file..and that is because that opts.py is the japanese, unistalled file, and you won´t find it until you add the file by preferences, and load from zipfile.
You can for instance just double click that opts.py file in the zipfile, and you´ll see that it´s not something you want to have in your system unless you are well versed in japanese.
But you have to install that first since it is within the zipfile with the rest of the intallation files, and not the other way around since it would be overwritten, then you open that location and replace the opts.py with the opts_eng.py file that was attached in post 8 here, or download it from here...
I think I installed an older version in the older 2.9 series or so, or 3.0, it worked, but I only had the japaneze menu´s at that time, will install this fresh on 3.3 later, no panic.
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prometheus
REBORN
To note, if you install the file from the zipfile, the lwo loader, I think you should check the Testing tab for the addons, it´s not showing up if you have checked community or official addons, so check testing and mark that box, save preferences.
You could first try and load any lwo file first with that japanese interface.
However it will not load lightwave 2019 object format, so export lwo to the Lightwave 2015 format.
You could first try and load any lwo file first with that japanese interface.
However it will not load lightwave 2019 object format, so export lwo to the Lightwave 2015 format.
prometheus
REBORN
Well..that didn´t work, I have to get back to that Tim
But it´s because I installed it from a not proper location, have to re-install in that program folder.
But it´s because I installed it from a not proper location, have to re-install in that program folder.
prometheus
REBORN
Blender is really horrible when it comes to installing addons, so many things that just do conflict or is missing.
Now I am having issues with error messages saying that it can´t import the opts file, due to a circular import.
And with that error message, I can´t remove the plugin either, have to close down, go to the installation folder and deleted it, and start over again.
I think I have to rename that opts_eng, I think that must be it, to opts only, don´t think it reads it otherwise, but instructions should be..not only replace, but rename the opts_eng.py file to opts.py in such case.
Now I am having issues with error messages saying that it can´t import the opts file, due to a circular import.
And with that error message, I can´t remove the plugin either, have to close down, go to the installation folder and deleted it, and start over again.
I think I have to rename that opts_eng, I think that must be it, to opts only, don´t think it reads it otherwise, but instructions should be..not only replace, but rename the opts_eng.py file to opts.py in such case.
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prometheus
REBORN
Yep..got it working now, you have to rename the opts_eng.py to opt.py and replace the one that is originally installed.
But better yet, wait till I Pack that folder to a new zipfile and post it here, so you don´t have to worry about that...then just unpack and place the folder within that zipfile in to the path of your blender version addon folders, then go to preferences and select that main folder to add, there are several other folders and cache folders within that ..such as blender and maya etc, so do not bother about targeting those.
But stressing this again, it doesn´t import LWO files from 2018 and up, only the 2015 Lwo format.
But better yet, wait till I Pack that folder to a new zipfile and post it here, so you don´t have to worry about that...then just unpack and place the folder within that zipfile in to the path of your blender version addon folders, then go to preferences and select that main folder to add, there are several other folders and cache folders within that ..such as blender and maya etc, so do not bother about targeting those.
But stressing this again, it doesn´t import LWO files from 2018 and up, only the 2015 Lwo format.
prometheus
REBORN
Here´s a new zip packed file, the original also had an unecessary two folder level of packing.
Within this zipfile I´ve replaced the japanese opts, with the english version, and renamed it, so you don´t have to bother about replacing or re-naming anything.
just unzip this folder, and the folder extract will be Load_LWO
Take that folder and place under something like this, depending on your system and where you installed or placed your blender version...
C:\Program Files\blender-3.3.0-alpha+master.12bde317f4c9-windows.amd64-release\blender-3.3.0-alpha+master.12bde317f4c9-windows.amd64-release\3.3\scripts\addons
Not sure how the py cache folders work, don´t do anything with them initially, unless it´s not working the first time, just place that Load_LWO folder in that addon path folder, then open blender and locate that folder, select it..but don´t target folders below, so just select that one and add it, so this is not installed from the zipfile directly.
Then Go to the Testing tab which filters out wether or not the addon is official, community or testing, otherwise you won´t see it installed, from there you should find it and be able to check it, save preferences, then go to import and test any 2015 lwo format.
Within this zipfile I´ve replaced the japanese opts, with the english version, and renamed it, so you don´t have to bother about replacing or re-naming anything.
just unzip this folder, and the folder extract will be Load_LWO
Take that folder and place under something like this, depending on your system and where you installed or placed your blender version...
C:\Program Files\blender-3.3.0-alpha+master.12bde317f4c9-windows.amd64-release\blender-3.3.0-alpha+master.12bde317f4c9-windows.amd64-release\3.3\scripts\addons
Not sure how the py cache folders work, don´t do anything with them initially, unless it´s not working the first time, just place that Load_LWO folder in that addon path folder, then open blender and locate that folder, select it..but don´t target folders below, so just select that one and add it, so this is not installed from the zipfile directly.
Then Go to the Testing tab which filters out wether or not the addon is official, community or testing, otherwise you won´t see it installed, from there you should find it and be able to check it, save preferences, then go to import and test any 2015 lwo format.
prometheus
REBORN
Lightwave curves can be created as splines in lightwave, and with the create curve option active in the importer, then you will have lw curves turned in to none destructive blender shape curves, to add shape forms to, and edit pretty much as you please or animate them with the envelope controls in the geometry/start and end mapping menus.
Awkward that those designing blenders UI is assuming everyone knows the little dot, is representing a Time envelope, it would be better to actually have a time clock icon there, or perhaps "E" for envelope, as it is in Lightwave.
Awkward that those designing blenders UI is assuming everyone knows the little dot, is representing a Time envelope, it would be better to actually have a time clock icon there, or perhaps "E" for envelope, as it is in Lightwave.
raymondtrace
Founding member
While that may seem helpful, there's a reason why chunderburger did not do this: copyright/license.
It really is not a challenge to follow chunderburger's direction, as you've well demonstrated.