Are there any ways to export sockets with a static mesh- not skeletal? Or even anything that could contain point information, null points, tags, etc.
I’ve poured over the docs and it seems only skeletal meshes support this type of information export but figured I would run it by here.
You can already create sockets for static meshes in the mesh editor. I think what OP wants to know is if it is possible to bring in dummies as sockets in addition to that, and the answer is no as far as i know.
I am able to get multiple sockets on a static mesh using the Socket Manager (who knew it even existed, it’s not on by default)- the problem is the export information from MAX. I want my pieces to have precision snapping. Right now that means taking the relative vert coords from MAX and typing them into the move transform in the Socket Manager. It would be a hell of a lot easier if I could pop a dummy in MAX and that would turn into a socket.
What we need is someone to write an FBX exporter for MAX that also spits out sockets.
EDIT: ****, was writing at the same time as you Jacky, exactly!
I believe the FBX exporter in MAX exports point helpers (well back in 2010 it did). I would use that for importing socket translation data.
TimeSpirit messaged me regarding my change where you can snap sockets to vertices in the static mesh editor. For those interested, the change doesn’t look like it’ll be accepted - https://github.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine/pull/200. I don’t have a clear understanding why but it seems the use case isn’t strong enough and the meta data stuff I added is frowned upon.
Happy to remove the meta data ag and improve the workflow if I can get a blessing from Epic to continue, otherwise it’s a waste of everyone’s time submitting another pull request.
It’d be good to support exporting sockets and snapping them in the static mesh editor.
You can see an animated gif of my change here: https://forums.unrealengine.com/showthread.php?7568-StaticMeshEditor-change-Snap-sockets-to-a-vertex-and-meta-data&highlight=socket+snap
bump!
i’d love me some vertex snapping sockets. keep it up!
Very simple add Socket to Static Mesh without Skelet. In Mesh viewr. Panel Windows\Socket Manager And in the appear panel “Create socket”
UE4 Docs: Static Meshes - How To Set Up and Use Sockets. If you need to bring them into the engine from MAX, I recommend exporting as Skeletal Mesh.
If you use nulls in the static mesh and use the prefix SOCKET_ for the name, such as SOCKET_AttachPoint, when you import the static mesh it will create sockets. It won’t rebuild the socket list on reimport, btw.
You can Export sockets:
Maya: Locators or 3ds max: Point Helper/Dummy, with name Socket_ as prefix, but only works with one Mesh per file.
I tried exporting an FBX with point helpers (both parented and unparented to the main object). I used the SOCKET_ prefix. Tried selecting “convert deforming dummies to bones” and with it disabled. No sockets seem to get recognized in the static mesh editor (UE4.10). Is this a bug or am I missing something?
I’m having the same issue - no sockets are being created.
Btw - I did end up solving this for static meshes. In 3dsmax:
Now if I could only figure out how to get these to work with Skeletal meshes…