Submission Error

Looks like the problem is with the filter. Could you please post the .ffxml file here? To find the .ffxml file, you can select the filter and press Ctrl+L (the Locate File command, it opens the folder where the selected filter is stored on your computer).

Thanks, I've forwarded this to the developers.

Crapadilla, are you quite sure this is the filter you were trying to submit?

The thing is this filter contains a user-imported environment (HDRI file), and such filters aren't accepted into the Library. You should have seen this on the second page of the Submit Wizard as a "problem with the filter". In all probability, you couldn't have seen the error message. You should never have got past the Submit Wizard.

If it IS the filter, please describe in detail what you did to submit it and what happened.

Ok, I have edited the Clockwork Factory filter to not use any of my user-environments and submitted it ... *drumroll* ... successfully. It can safely be assumed that the error was caused by the filter referencing these user-environments, I think.

However, it still eludes me why I dont get the "problem with the filter" page with my custom environments. In fact, I have NEVER seen it in all the time I am using FF and submitting filters.

So, as a test, I modified some other filters to use my user-environments in their presets, fired the submit wizard and it seems I dont get that problem warning at all. Of course I cancelled the submission before the final step, so I don't know whether these attempts would also have triggered the error message. Smells like a tiny bug hiding in the environment detection, no?

Step 2:

Step 4:

Crapadilla, how did you import your environments into Filter Forge? Did you use the Tools -> HDRI Import option only, or did you put the files from C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Filter Forge\My Environments into "C:\Program Files\Filter Forge\Environments" after HDRI Import?

Ah! That solves it!

You shouldn't have put your environments into the folder with the default environments. Better don't do it again

This is what happened: the Submit Wizard didn't show you the "problem with the filter" window because it mistook your environment for a default one (it was stored with the default ones!), but the server didn't recognize the environment and threw an error message.

The user-created environments are stored in "C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Filter Forge\My Environments". This folder is created automatically when you first use the Tools > Import HDRI option. If you don't use it but have a ready .ffenv file you want to import, you can create the "My Environments" folder manually in "C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Filter Forge" and put your environments there and they will be recognized by the server correctly.

We will be thinking about adding another step for checking the environments in the Submit Wizard.

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Crapadilla wrote: Maybe this folder should be created with the install

We have considered this and decided not to do it this way. As for another check in the Submit Wizard, this will definitely be done. The developers are discussing just how exactly to implement it.

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Kraellin wrote: where do you get those other environments from?

Well, there are free ones around, for example here. You will have to convert them to latitude/longtitude format with HDR Shop for example. Since you would only need them at a size of 400 x 200 pixels for importing into FF these should more than suffice.

Then there are many vendors of professional HDRI files, like this one. It does help to have some quality HDRI skies around at times...

crapadilla,

i tried loading one of those .pfm files with the tools option and it took so long i finally had to cancel the operation. i actually left it running over-night and it was still only about 1/4 of the way done. just waaaaay too long. but thanks

The .exr and .pfm formats are supported.

Tools > HDRI Import.

Yes, you can copy .ffenv files.

ok, these are much simpler to do than i thought. basically, all you have to do is have or make a .jpg around the 400 x 200 size. it does NOT have to be that size, however. squares work nicely and so do larger files. just be prepared for about 10 minutes or converting per 100k of file size.

you can make or use any .jpg you want. just save it as such and then go to windows explorer and find your file and change the file extension to .exr. then open FF and go to tools\hdri import. open that up, use the browse function to find your altered file. click on your file to get it into the file field. add a name for your hdri lighting filter and hit ok.

now wait...............................................................

if everything is fine, you'll get a message that your file imported ok. load a filter that uses hdri lighting and click on 'lighting' and your new lighting filter shld be there. that's it.

bear in mind that the resolution of your original file will also make a difference in rendering time. the higher the resolution, the longer it will take. i tried with both 72 dpi files and 300 dpi. both worked fine.

attached is one i tried tonight called 'mountain-1'. just download the file into "documents and settings\[your windows account name]\application data\filter forge\my environments". if you dont have a 'my environments' simply create the folder in that location and copy this file into it.

you DONT need HRDshop or the photoshop plugin. also, that plugin wont work with paint shop pro anyways; it's an .8bi file and psp cant use those.

so, try your own. they make some interesting differences.

Craig

edit: oops, the file is 2 megs, so i cant load it up here