Embedded Files Folder v99

Correct. The same folder is recreated.

How come when I get the missing textures Rhino prompts me to relink them one by one manually then?

Shouldn’t Rhino automatically create the embedded files folder and use the path to that folder instead?

I don’t understand how the scenario for the dialog to replace missing files to appear is given.

If Rhino always embeds then is should always create the embedded files folder when files are missing.

Yes. But there’s a bug,.which will be fixed in the next service release.

Hello - Rhino holds the files in the 3dm. Rhino gets access to the textures from a folder. If a folder is not found that has the textures, then Rhino unpacks them and stick them in the folder you are asking about, then gets at them there. i.e. it has to look out on disk for textures, they are not, I guess in a directly accessible form internally to the file, or the plumbing would need to have two paths depending on whether files are internal or not, and that is not practical , or some reason like that, is my guess.

-Pascal

Hi,

In V6, the dialog was not as smart as it is in V7, so you have to do them manually. In V7 you can do an automatic bulk replace.

Rhino only embeds the textures in the 3dm file if the Save Textures check box is checked in the Save As dialog. Once the textures are embedded, you should never see the Missing Images dialog because Rhino should always be able to use the embedded files if it can’t find the textures already on the disk.

The bug mentioned above was that Rhino created an embedded files folder even when it didn’t need to. But this bug was in an earlier release of V7.

@pascal Yes, I’ll look into the command you suggested.

John

@pascal @johnc A batch image replacer tool would defiantly be better than no batch image replacer tool. I would love to see this coupled with a dialogue box allowing the user to visually inspect linked textures to see which links are broken (if any), relink, and batch replace if needed.

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Hi Ryan - RH-62387 Re-path all textures

I do not know when there might be something to test or use, but it is on the pile.

-Pascal

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Hello,

This does not happen. I have ‘save textures’ check box ticked and if I rename the folders my images are in, Rhino loses the links and the dialog to relink pops up. No embedded folder gets created. This is actually what happened to me last time. Had to relink all files manually.

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Okay McNeel, this is turning ridiculous.

I just had a client open a Rhino file I have been working on tell me all the links are missing.
I saved with ‘save textures’ check box ticked and no embedded files folder was created when the client opened the file.

Honestly, Rhino should be smart enough to no even need that folder when working on the cloud. Just replace username or the Dropbox folder location on the PC.

I ended up saving with ‘save textures’ ticked OFF. I then opened that file and saved as again, this time with ‘save textures’ ticked ON and uploaded that file to Dropbox. Told the client to try opening that file and the folder was generated, but the links were no updated. The missing files dialog popped up and he had to relink one by one manually, the only thing this time he linked all the files in the embedded files folder. It would have taken ages to actually re link the actual paths.

You guys seriously need to redesign/redevelop/fix/improve/test how links work inside Rhino because right now it is impossible to work with them.

Also, I can’t stress this enough. Create a command to create embedded files folder upon request, or a “save as” option to create the folder and automatically change the paths. It should not be hard to script.

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I have another doubt people:

Once the embedded files folder has been created and I add new images/links, will the embedded files folder be updated once I save and re-open the file? Or will I always have half my links pointing to the embedded files folder and half to their actual paths? I would like to have all in one place please.

This is exactly what the goal should be in my view. The problem is exacerbated when sharing files and working off a server. I just want to be able to put everything in one place.

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OK - the key thing to understand is that this should not happen. The way the system is designed, if you have “Save Textures” checked, and the textures can be found on your machine, they should be embedded in the file.

When that file is opened on a machine where the textures cannot be found, they will be unpacked and found - so the texture dialog will not appear.

The fact that the textures dialog does appear means one of five things:

  1. The files were not found on the machine that saved the file.
  2. The files were not embedded for some other reason - possibly a bug.
  3. The files were not unpacked on the target machine - possibly a bug.
  4. There’s something wrong with the file finder on the target machine.
  5. There’s something going on that I haven’t even thought of.

If possible I would like to work with you to figure out which of those options it is - and the first thing I’m going to need is the file that you have saved - with the “Save Textures” checkbox checked…that doesn’t open correctly on the target machine. Because I need to figure out if the files are embedded correctly in the file.

Would it be possible for you to send me this file? The email address is andy@mcneel.com.

No - this will not happen. The texture paths should always stay pointing to the original location where the file was first saved. This is important - because if you take the file back to the original machine, that might be the only way we can find them…and you don’t want the files to be unpacked on that machine…right?

Note that you can implement a central location for texture files by adding paths to the search path in Rhino options. You could do this for a shared dropbox folder, for example…on each machine.

I am supposing you are referring to that bit?
I think that is what should happen.

On the other hand, this definitely does not happen:

It is not that simple though. Picture this: I am working on Dropbox with many people on the same file at different times. Some people need to review the file, check things, etc. Some others need to work on it, edit it, correct it, model new things, link new stuff, etc.

So. As we have already experienced, when another person opens said file from Dropbox on their desktop, all links appear missing. Embedded files folder was not being created, etc.

Fast forward this we now have the embedded files folder and everyone can see the images and textures ok from their machines.

Now, on which file do you suppose I do my future work? On the one that everyone else does not have the images turning up or on the one that has the embedded files folder created and thus everyone can see the images correctly? Right, the this last one. So… I kept adding new links to this Rhino file.

The old links (the ones that were there before embedded files folder was created) point to the embedded files folder. The ones after point to their actual paths. It is crazy.

Edit: I just want to have all my files pointing to the embedded files folder. It is clear the whole functionality should be redesigned, but right now, all I need to work is this bit.

I’ll see what I can do. It sounds like someone designed the missing files dialog for no reason then?

I think it is a generic problem though. Link some images onto a Rhino file on Dropbox. Tell someone else to open it and see if the images show up correctly. Probably they won’t, and no embedded files folder will be created either.

That’s correct - this won’t work “out of the box”, because the Dropbox folder name is different on different people’s machines. Unless the 3dm file is also in the dropbox folder.

Again…can I ask you to send me the file that you sent to the client so I can see whether the files are actually embedded.

I will need to exactly repeat the workflow you are trying to use here before I can fix something - and if I find something I can do, I can put it in a Rhino 6 Service Release.

Hi Andy, unfortunately I can’t provide the file (not up to me though, there is nothing special about it).

As for your test, I haven’t done anything out of ordinary. I just placed some JPEGs as planar surfaces with the ‘Picture’ command.

Those images were also on Dropbox but on a different folder than the Rhino file (which is also on Dropbox)

What about adding these for Rhino 7?

  • command to force Rhino to create embedded files folder (could be save as).
  • command to update embedded files folder (could be the same command as previous).
  • new link management panel displaying information about links in table format (path, name, link state, item number, etc) and being able to edit any of these from said panel.
  • making Rhino work on Dropbox without embedded files folder. (Right now it does not)
  • command to revert embedded paths to actual paths