“Model could not be read” bug in “Tool”

[Petros]

Has anyone come up with a fix for the "Model could not be read" bug in "Tool"

I was trying to work on the Ketch to get rid of that Tiki figurehead because it reverses shadow.
I put that ship together by adding locators to the Sloop2 in Tool way back, but now tool won’t load the Ketch or any Sloops.

What’s up with that! Tool used to be cranky but now it doesn’t load the ships it used to!
I’ve read that others have had this same problem.
Are there any updates to the Tool, any fixes for it?

 

[Armada]

This is my single greatest complaint about the TOOL, because nobody really knows why this bug even exists, and there have been no updates to the program to address this.
What annoys me most is that this problem can sometimes be created when exporting new or fixed models from Maya, and despite my many tests, I've not quite figured out why.

One thing we have noticed is that some people who still run Windows XP can open models with the problem, whereas the rest of us with newer Windows versions cannot.
The catch is that this doesn't actually fix the problem. The only way to do that is to get the model into Maya, re-export it with correct settings, check that it works in TOOL (sometimes it doesn't) and then borrow some locators from a similar model. I'll be releasing a tutorial that covers this soon.

In this particular case, are you simply wanting to fix the lighting on the figurehead, or remove it from view altogether?
The first option requires a Maya re-export, and the other (quick) option is to HEX edit the figurehead to use an alpha texture (blank.tga would work).

 

[Levis]

while browsing the forums I came acros a topic describing this problem aswell and it said something about the .net version.
I dont know which topic anymore. But apperently downgrading your .net version will allow you to use TOOL perfectly.
I haven't been able to test this myself yet.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

Probably what happened was that someone was working on it, got something wrong which caused a glitch in TOOL, and instead of starting over with a clean GM loaded it as is. There are lots of ships that used to work that no longer do and I blame user error.

 

[Petros]

Aha, it's working I think!
I probably should be off-line so I'll be back later if I succeed.

 

[Petros]

I am the one who created the Ketch by using "Tool" to add locators for a second mast and for "mast4" which is the "Tiki" figurehead, (It was the idol you need to sail into Khal-Roa )
I used "Tool" to rotate it 45degrees, re-skinned it and added it to sloop1 to give it a nicer shaped bow and add a figurehead at the same time. It was and still is a clean file.

Now with the nice work done here by you modelers adding anchors, figureheads, lanterns etc. with a "deck.gm" file, I thought the Ketch should be rid of that Tiki and get something nice.

Oh yeah, another reason was because I used "tool" to rotate it, and it got the reverse lighting bug which looks horrible, especially at night. It really wasn’t one of my better works.

In my position Scotty of Star Trek would say … " Damn it Jim, I’m a skinner not a modeler"
I don’t have Maya 5 nor any knowledge of how to use it if I had it.
I can only say that I was so frustrated with seeing that the "Tool" I had used to make all those locator additions, rigging, figurehead etc. now doesn’t even allow me to load the ship.


I’m thinking:
Tool is the same I always used.
The models haven’t changed as I tried to load Sloops from stock POTC with the same results.
I’m using the same computer with the same OS, Win XP. So what changed?
Levis you are right. Net.Framework has changed.

 

[Petros]

On my system, Net. Framework has gone from v1.1 to 3.5.
I removed 3.5, Tool didn’t work
I removed 3.0, Tool still didn’t work
I removed 2.0, Bingo, left with only Net.Framework 1.1 Tool loaded The Ketch file with no problems.
As there seem to be security updates to Net.Framework that Windows immediately installs if on Auto update, I decided to download 3.5 full install so I can reinstall it manually while still off line.

Going offline, I remove all vers 2 to 3.5 and then worked on Ketch. I was able to get all my locators form Ketch, apply them to Sloop2 which has a nicer bow, remove mast 4 the "Tiki" figurehead locator, and change the Ketch_deck.gm which was so nicely done, but without figurehead, and swapped in the one from Sloop2.
With all "Tool" work done, I reinstalled Net.Framework 3.5 and am back on line.
　
Long story, short.
1. Save all your "Tool" modding for one session,
2. Go offline and roll back/uninstall to ver 1.1 and work the "Tool"
3. When finished, reinstall Net.Framework 3.5 and go back on line. Be prepared to install several security updates.
This works for Win XP at least.

Now to start skinning!

 

[Hylie Pistof]

Good job!

It sounds like I might have to resurrect an ancient XP machine to use TOOL with.

 

[Levis]

I sugest installing a virtual machine on your computer with XP on it and the right .NET

 

[Armada]

Probably what happened was that someone was working on it, got something wrong which caused a glitch in TOOL, and instead of starting over with a clean GM loaded it as is. There are lots of ships that used to work that no longer do and I blame user error.

Along with occasional user error, I think some models are actually 'condemned' to have problems before you even touch them.
Seriously, some models that load perfectly well in TOOL can inherit problems if you so much as change a single locator. Galeon1 is one of these models, for example.
I think this has something to do with not being exported from Maya properly; most new models that export correctly are not 'condemned' like this.

One quick way to check this is to load the model in TOOL and go to View > Details. In that window, click Numbers. If you see three numbers greater than zero, the model is clean and can be edited.
If you only see three zeros, the model is 'condemned', and will become problematic if you edit it.

I used "Tool" to rotate it 45degrees, re-skinned it and added it to sloop1 to give it a nicer shaped bow and add a figurehead at the same time. It was and still is a clean file.

You mean Sloop1 is a clean file? That one also has the "cannot be read" problem, so it was probably corrupted before you even touched it for the Ketch.
Whether the stock game's version of Sloop1 is any different, I'm not sure.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

Now you rang a bell. Some ships were messed up in the stock game. Barque Longue is one example.

 

[Petros]

No really, the stock sloops can all be read with Tool and Net.Framework 1.1 .

Oh, yeah I should also mention that after installing 3.5 and then connecting to the internet, I still had to install 5 security updates, so it does take some time getting the machine back on line and running safely.

It would be so nice if "Inez Diaz" could come back and provide an update for "Tool"

 

[Armada]

No really, the stock sloops can all be read with Tool and Net.Framework 1.1 .

What happens when you view the Details window as I described above? That's the best way to tell if there is any corruption in the model, from what I've found.

 

[Petros]

What happens when you view the Details window as I described above? That's the best way to tell if there is any corruption in the model, from what I've found.

I will check that next time I load "Tool".
PC is still finding security updates so I'm not inclined to test "Tool" again until I really have to.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

I tried it and if the model can not be read, then the details window is greyed out.

 

[Levis]

Like I said install a Virtual Machine on your computer and use that one for tool. it would enable you to easily use it

 

[Petros]

Like I said install a Virtual Machine on your computer and use that one for tool. it would enable you to easily use it

Well I have had a lot of fun with my Dos machine (DOS BOX) inside WinXP!
Now to try Windows XP inside of Windows XP!

Question: does anyone know, would there be a problem with installing the same Licensed OS or should I use a new licensed copy?

 

[Petros]

What happens when you view the Details window as I described above? That's the best way to tell if there is any corruption in the model, from what I've found.

On "VMware Player" running Win XP
Net.Framework 1.1; Inez's Tool; & Stock POTC
Loaded Sloop1.gm got these numbers:
3780
833
1488
Loaded Sloop2.gm got these numbers:
3799
830
1482

 

[Petros]

Like I said install a Virtual Machine on your computer and use that one for tool. it would enable you to easily use it

Much easier said than done but this may prove very useful.
Thanks for the push in this direction. Just shows that one is never too old to learn some new things.

 

[Armada]

On "VMware Player" running Win XP
Net.Framework 1.1; Inez's Tool; & Stock POTC
Loaded Sloop1.gm got these numbers:
3780
833
1488
Loaded Sloop2.gm got these numbers:
3799
830
1482

Hmm... that suggests the model isn't corrupted at all. So why, I wonder, do some models open and some not, with newer .NET versions, even though they don't appear to be corrupted?
The TOOL confuses me to no end.