README

testy_mctestface.py is the live test script I'm working with

Below are my running notes for doing this whole thing. These are LIVE notes.
Please be aware these may not make sense to anybody but myself, although hopefully they can be useful.
(Perhaps this might get formatted properly!)

Terminology

FBX SDK	Maya
Node - FbxNode()	"Transform" Node
NodeNode Attribute - FbxNodeAttribute()	"Shape"
material.DiffuseColor	material.color
Node - FbxNode() with FbxNull property	"empty" Group

Nodes can be parented just like in Maya
Material attributes might have different names in the FBX SDK

Maya > Max

• UV sets are passed as user-defined properties on mesh (NOT CUSTOM ATTRIBUTE) if in LOD group
• If exported as a LodGroup then custom Attributes are lost (at least when imported into 3ds Max)
  • EDIT: Not lost - just not accessible in the 3ds Max UI (there is an error on import actually in MAXScript listener)
• If Max keeps UV set user-defined property, would be cool to clean up on import actually to remove this from custom attributes.

FBX SDK

• LODGroups can be created (fbx.FbxLODGroup.Create(FbxManager, name)) from existing nodes
• SetDisplayLevel() in FbxLODGroup arguments: (index, Display Level as int)
  • Display Level is an enum in C++ but it has been converted to int in Python FBX:
    • UseLOD = 0
    • Show = 1
    • Hide = 2
• Maya makes the LODGroup Node attribute name == "" (AKA None)
• Max makes the LODGroup Node attribute name == Node Name (Also it doesn't matter what the name is)
• BOTH: MinMaxDistance == False by default
• BOTH: IsWorldSpace == False by default (True in Maya test file)
• FbxNode.AddChild(child) - This doesn't have any order to it so if creating from scratch, it is worth ordering beforehand.

Features/Goals:

• Create LOD Groups outside of Max/Maya
• Organize LOD Groups
• Export/Import existing LOD Groups
• Extract LODs/Reimport them
• Interface with other tools
• Work inside of Max/Maya too? (On Import and On Export)