hmm. i see. I also have .Net 2, but after i installed i'm only using the new QA version. I was affraid that since this version is made to only .NET 2 the old versions will not work right with net 2 installed.
so, is suppose that .NET 2 fixed that. wierd, isn't?
thanks

Dr Pixel, you were right, the opacity resets back to 0xFFFFFFFF every time the smd importer is used. I thought it didn't with the older plugin but that was only because I changed just "hair" group in my test mesh. Didn't touch the "hairalpha" groups, of course they kept their opasity setting, lol! So, yes, the opasity is changed and needs to be restored back.

This is bad, I got the Unimesh error back. Even with the latest smd plugin the mesh still becomes unreadable by Unimesh. And I tried SimPE QA as well but it didn't help. The problem disappeared with one mesh but came back with the other, aaarrrghhh!

I have communicated with skankyboy since we last communicated, windkeeper.
He indicated that, at least in part, the smd plugins use code that is part of SimPE, and that code is where the incompatibility you cited is.
I also passed some details on morph layout in the gmdc to help him improve his smd plugins. I believe I have everything I need to figure out why UniMesh doesn't perform the animations properly itself except for extra time (I know that sounds like a lame excuse, but I have much of my savings from a lifetime of work invested in this ranch, and it has to come before hobbies).
<* Wes *>

Not that it wouldn't be nice to have compatibility (to go from smd to unimesh and back and forth) but I have to say that we've never had full compatibility between most of the editing choices. You pick your method(s), because many times the tools rebuilt things slightly differently. I have always warned people to select their tools carefully based on what was most important to them. Course, it's hard that we're getting so close, but look how far we've come -- before this for the most part we had single bone assignment hair meshes.

I do see how it would be nice to be able to pop back and forth, but being as the smd only deals with one group at a time, that seems awkward for hair. Maybe final bone assignment changes have to happen in an smd editor instead to cut down on the back and forth. Or to have it all in one place. I'm sure people will keep puzzling. We've come such a long way - well, the talented and very persistent folks like Wes, Skankyboy, Quaxi, and everyone who's testing to further things.

Wes, you must of course care of yourself and your ranch. Best to you!

We can wait, Wes . I'm just glad to hear that there is a good chance for all this to work! I see animated hair posted here and there already and that makes me happy too! Its just like Tig said, we've come such a long way already! :D

If you really look back at where we are now, there are lots of contributors to discovery beyond the people that have written tools. Isaac Newton once said something like "If I am great, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants."
People that just tried to do things, like Windkeeper has done, have made important discoveries that have all helped to raise the bar.
While I have been pretty focussed on mesh/GMDC work for a while now (and stand on the shoulders of others like DarkMatter, DataFarmer, Delphy, Miche and others), I see lots of progress being made on things like primitives, flags, TXMT properties and such. These contributions are as as important as any plugins or tools.
Yet there is still a lot to be learned. I believe that the morphs in a gmdc (both body and object meshes) are triggered by animation scripts, and that it would be possible to create added morph states for body meshes (there is room for four) beyond 'fat' and 'pregnant'. These can be changes confined to certain events I refuse to describe in any depth in a non-adult forum, but related to anatomical correctness. I just wish I had the time to do the research myself.

<* Wes *>

it's a shame I can't use the SimPE tool for animation, so I would prefer for it to be possible within Unimesh and Milkshape.
But that's probably not possible, or you would have done that long ago. But if it is, I hope you will be aiming for that

I'm not sure if this will help but this is what I do. Before I export my mesh from Milkshape, I save it as an ms3d file. I then export it with the Unimesh exporter and make the necessary changes in SimPE for the animation to work right. Then I run the game to see if the animation is to my liking. If not, I open the ms3d file I saved in Milkshape, make changes to the bone assignments, and re-export with the Unimesh exporter. It can be a little time consuming, but it's an easy way to re-open the mesh in Milkshape.

Good news, guys! Animations work for me now! I have no idea why, but after reinstalling Direct x9c for the third or foruth time, it started working

I'm very happy!! YAY

Yay! Thats great, Nouk! The problem you had was a total puzzle to me, glad everything worked out :D

This works great for me. Thanks so much!

Help!
I have tried this now for days,but I cannot get it to work.When I try to import the smd file SimPE gives me this error message:
Message:
Indatasträngen hade ett felaktigt format. SimPE Version:
Default (0.58.2.20950).

Exception Stack:
System.FormatException:
at System.Number.ParseSingle(String s, NumberStyles style, NumberFormatInfo info)
at System.Single.Parse(String s, NumberStyles style, IFormatProvider provider)
at System.Convert.ToSingle(String value)
at SimPe.Plugin.Gmdc.Importer.GmdcImportFromSmd.LineParser(ImportedGroups grps)
at SimPe.Plugin.Gmdc.Importer.GmdcImportFromSmd.LoadGroups()
at SimPe.Plugin.Gmdc.AbstractGmdcImporter.Process(Stream input, GeometryDataContainer gmdc, Boolean animationonly)
at SimPe.Plugin.fGeometryDataContainer.StartImport(OpenFileDialog ofd, GeometryDataContainer gmdc, String defext, ElementSorting sorting, Boolean animationonly)
at SimPe.Plugin.fGeometryDataContainer.button1_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

Source:
mscorlib

Execution Stack:
at System.Number.ParseSingle(String s, NumberStyles style, NumberFormatInfo info)
at System.Single.Parse(String s, NumberStyles style, IFormatProvider provider)
at System.Convert.ToSingle(String value)
at SimPe.Plugin.Gmdc.Importer.GmdcImportFromSmd.LineParser(ImportedGroups grps)
at SimPe.Plugin.Gmdc.Importer.GmdcImportFromSmd.LoadGroups()
at SimPe.Plugin.Gmdc.AbstractGmdcImporter.Process(Stream input, GeometryDataContainer gmdc, Boolean animationonly)
at SimPe.Plugin.fGeometryDataContainer.StartImport(OpenFileDialog ofd, GeometryDataContainer gmdc, String defext, ElementSorting sorting, Boolean animationonly)
at SimPe.Plugin.fGeometryDataContainer.button1_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

What can I do??

Edit.I find the solution.It was language difference dot v. comma in notepad.I fixed that and I could import the smd file.Now I just have to figure out how to make it look good.

Oh, Sussi, I almost missed that you found the solution! I'm so glad, because I hadn't seen that error and was at a loss for how to help. Thanks for letting us know

If anyone was holding their breath until this was fixed (and is still alive), you can breathe easy now. I posted an importer update (V4.06C) in the UniMesh plugins thread.
<* Wes *>

Helga86 has been having this problem also - her meshes seem to show up fine for other pet owners, but with body thumbnails for others. This makes little sense

Edit: This has been figured out - and there are solutions for fixing Pets EP recolors already made and for making new ones that are compatible for all EPs.

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1467845

I have split off discussion about using hair animation bones and PETS to a new thread here:

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=202646

I have the same problem as Nouk did
I tryed everything, checked everything, changed everything but it is still same thing...mesh all white on the preview, and it doesn't show up in BS
Since I am doing all this on other computer, when I get back home I will install new SIMPE, DirectX again, all plugins...if the problem persist, I will scream here for help :P
lol

This thread is really old, among other things, Unimesh supports animation directly now. Not sure what is triggering the problems you're having though.

I have fixed the problem, well I actually installed every single thing on my compute back at home, and it works now, no white mesh problem, but the animations doesnt show up
Why?
Please can somebody help me...?
I extract every GMDC. and change it into SMD., import again, looks good in SIMPE, works in BS and in GAME, but without animations of any kind
Also I cheked the 3 bones stuff, and replace option