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Nope. There's something wrong. Again, this happened when the Billboards all went Black. Whatever happened has affected the Viewport also.
OK, I tried making the script again. I used it on two individual billboards, and on two billboards at the same time. The log file shows:
2020-01-14 14:32:29.069 File loaded in 0 min 0.5 sec.
2020-01-14 14:32:29.076 Loaded file: Seated Chair Billboard Test.duf
2020-01-14 14:32:29.609 Loaded image C_ChaircushT.jpg
2020-01-14 14:32:29.721 Loaded image C_ChairframeT.jpg
2020-01-14 14:32:29.798 Loaded image Man Sitting 01 30 0.png
2020-01-14 14:32:29.853 Loaded image Man Sitting 01 30 0.mask.png
2020-01-14 14:32:29.918 Loaded image Teen Girl Sitting 01 -60 0.png
2020-01-14 14:32:29.973 Loaded image Teen Girl Sitting 01 -60 0.mask.png
2020-01-14 14:32:30.034 Loaded image Old Woman Sitting 01 90 0.png
2020-01-14 14:32:30.089 Loaded image Old Woman Sitting 01 90 0.mask.png
2020-01-14 14:32:30.162 Loaded image Man Sitting and Talking 01 -30 0.png
2020-01-14 14:32:30.217 Loaded image Man Sitting and Talking 01 -30 0.mask.png
2020-01-14 14:33:07.877 Loading script: /Users/Shared/My DAZ 3D Library/Scripts/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/FlipNormals.dsa
2020-01-14 14:33:07.879 DEBUG: FlipNormals Man Sitting 01 Billboard true
2020-01-14 14:33:07.880 Script executed successfully: /Users/Shared/My DAZ 3D Library/Scripts/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/FlipNormals.dsa
2020-01-14 14:33:27.899 Loading script: /Users/Shared/My DAZ 3D Library/Scripts/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/FlipNormals.dsa
2020-01-14 14:33:27.900 DEBUG: FlipNormals Teen Girl Sitting 01 Billboard true
2020-01-14 14:33:27.901 Script executed successfully: /Users/Shared/My DAZ 3D Library/Scripts/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/FlipNormals.dsa
2020-01-14 14:34:04.963 Loading script: /Users/Shared/My DAZ 3D Library/Scripts/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/FlipNormals.dsa
2020-01-14 14:34:04.964 DEBUG: FlipNormals Old Woman Sitting 01 Billboard true
2020-01-14 14:34:04.964 DEBUG: FlipNormals Man Sitting and Talking 01 Billboard true
2020-01-14 14:34:04.965 Script executed successfully: /Users/Shared/My DAZ 3D Library/Scripts/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/FlipNormals.dsa
So, it looks like the script was executed successfully. The icon for the FlipNormals script, in the Content Tab, shows up with an exclamation point on it, however, even when I made a separate .png file to accompany it, thinking the absence of a .png file was what produced the exclamation point. Apparently, it was not. With or without an accompanying .png file, the FlipNormals.dsa script file shows up with an exclamation point in the Content Tab. Can that be fixed?
I used the script, as you said, before rendering.
With the Per Pixel Shading OFF, the Billboards held and could be seen after the render finished.
With the Per Pixel Shading ON, the Billboards all turned Black.
Before using the FlipNormals.dsa script, however, the Billboards all turned Black in both cases. The Per Pixel Shading choice in DAZ Studio's Preferences/Interface, didn't seem to make a choice.
But the Viewport itself still seems Black. Can that be fixed?
You can compare the Screen Shot, which was taken after the render, and the render itself. Notice how dark the Viewport is in the Screen Shot. Are other users Viewports like this?
Excellent! I am glad you got it to work. The script flips the normals. Other than that, it doesn't affect your system, DS, or the scene. They make the billboards visible before rendering.
The billboards and the script have done nothing to your viewport. My suggestion would be to reset the graphics options back to what they were. Use the flip normals script when you need to fix them.
As far as the missing icon, that is because of the missing png as you surmised. The name needs to be exact (including case sensitivity) and 91x91 pixels.
On the file with the exclamation point, the name was exact. But I had just duplicated the .dsa file and changed the .dsa to .png. So, I created a new file in AffinityPhoto (kind of like Photoshop), and made sure it was 91x91 pixels. I then exported it with the same name (FlipNormals) and a .png ending. It now no longer has the exclamation point on it, and works, but it does look rather plain and drab.
You wrote As far as the missing icon. Is there an Icon expected? Is there a way to paste an icon onto it? I think I can do that, but will it leave the file still working. I think I'm going to try it, but if you have any points about that, please make them.
I realize this is a tiny matter, now, but I'd like to get this correct all the way. Here's a screen shot of what that FlipNormals.png file looks like in the Content Tab. (Click on the file to see all of it: the FlipNormals.png is in the far Left Corner.)
Now, I do notice something, and I believe I read it above: If I try to adjust the character's orientation, either horizontally or vertically, I can't get small gradations. The figure doesn't turn for a bit and then turns too much. Can't get exactly what I want. I've tried typing in what I want, but nothing happens. For example, for the horizonal gradations, if -11 is too small, and it jumps to -20, and I can't correct that with the slider, I might try typing in -16, but no, that won't work. I can't get a response to what I type in.
I seem to be having another problem. These characters, I believe, are pasted onto a billboard or some kind of background. (I think.) In any case, these invisible (are they?) backgrounds can overlap with each other, and makes a character render as though only a part of him or her will be clear. I don't notice it all the time, but sometimes one character, or a part of that character, will appear to be semi-transparent, as though some of him were being erased in a Photoshop program. Is anyone else noticing this? This is a lesser problem--the one above I find more vexing.
No, there is no icon expected. I made the script for you to fix your issue. If you create a bitmap in AffinityPhoto, it can be whatever you want.
That is correct. Every figure has been rendered 72 times, 12 horizontal angles x 6 vertical angles. That is why it jumps. The horizontal angles are 30 degrees apart: -180, -150, -120, -90, -60, -30, 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150.
These are billboards. You need to keep them the tiniest bit apart or the transparency can be messed up.
Just to make clear what I'm seeing: First here's a screen shot with what looks like the bounding boxes or something of the billboards are overlapping. Second, here's how the billboards rendered. Third, I separated those billboards a bit, and then they rendered clearly. Before I began this, I did use the FlipNormals script on the three billboards. And the DAZ Preferences are set as indicated in this thread. So, you're saying this is normal and to be expected, right? That's OK; I'm just checking to see if I'm making a mistake or if there is some kind of problem.
^Looks about right - they'll render in front/behind each other just fine, but not if physically overlapping (taking up the same space) - offsetting them just slightly in the z-axis should do the trick (you needn't separate them so much in the x-axis in your shot - though you can if you like)
Yes this is expected behavior. And @Silent Winter is right, you don't need to separate them that much on the x-axis.
OK, thanks for the information and tips from both of you. If I may make a request for a future Now Crowds billboard: how about Fighting? Could be guys fighting guys, women fighting women, women fighting men, and could include boxing, martial arts, wrestling, etc. They don't have to be clothed in typical gear for boxing, etc.
There is a fighting one, more for bar fights and rights than formal sports though:
https://www.daz3d.com/now-crowd-billboards--fight
Ah, the fighting one. I see that. It's tempting. Is it also about 10 GB?
Yes, it is.
Here's what I was complaining about before: My Vewport was way too dark. That happened right after the first time I rendered with the Now-Crowd Billboards_Modern Sitting Crowd. I could not get it back. I reset the defaults on DAZ Studio. Nothing. I started changing Styles. That still did not work. Then, I went to Customize Styles. I didn't choose anything specific (or so I think), and suddenly my Viewport was back the way I want it.
So, whatever happened, I don't want it to change back if I use the Billboards again. Can anyone explain to me why it happened? Or, can anyone explain to me, if it does happen again, how I could change it to this state again.
That should not have anything to do with billboards. Besides, the image on the right is my regular color for Daz studio, and it has been like that for 3 years.
Well, I do prefer it like it is on the left, and that's the way I had it. Then, the first time I rendered testing several of the billboards, it changed to the way the image looks on the right. I don't know why. I've finally got it back to the way I prefer. But, I'm concerned that if I render again, DS may revert to looking like the image on the right. This is the Macintosh version of DAZ Studio 4.11.0.383, I think (the last Macintosh version, in any case), and I'm using OS Sierra, 10.12.6. Maybe that has something to do with it.
It should be under 'Windows->Style->Customise Style->Viewports' and then select the colour under 'Viewport Background Color'
I'm not sure why the billboards would change this though - I tried changing the colour, adding one of the sitting billboards and rendering - it didn't change the viewport background colour.
Here's a little something I'm working on - uses the Now-Crowd Fight! and Sitting billboards - still need to add a few people and adjust the lighting a bit but thought I'd share this work-in-progress while this thread's up here...
Thanks @Silent Winter for your help. I knew there must be a way to change it.
BTW, I look forward to your breakable bar below!
Thanks for sharing that.
OK, well I guess I am learning. Thanks for the help. I really should have explored the inner workings of DAZ Studio more. I didn't know how to customize. I often pose with Black characters, and the dark default of DS makes it too difficult. I did look up normals, btw, and though I found Forum threads discussing normals, I didn't get to a definiton of the term. So, as I've got to flip normals, can someone tell me what normals are?
Modellers could tell you better, but for the purposes of the Daz objects, normals are vectors that define the "outside", or the side that will be rendered of the polygons that make up a 3D object. They are perpendicular (i.e., straight away) from the polygon/facet. For a figure, a normal faces outwards from the skin, telling the rendering engine to render those polygons. If the normals faced inwards, the skin would not be drawn. You would only see those polygons if your camera was inside a figure looking out of the figure. For the billboards, the normals were facing away from you so they were rendering the polygon black. By flipping the normals, we turned the normals to face towards you, making them render correctly.
I'm just now downloading an update to this product. What's in the update? Will I still need to flip the normals (which is OK, if I still do, just asking).
Nope. The normals should be flipped now.
OK, so the normals are now flipped. Any other changes?
No. This update was completely to fix your issue.
(Note that if you click the Read Me link on the product page, it will take you to a page where at the bottom resolved issues will be mentioned).
Well, thank you for fixing that issue. I learned some things about customizing DAZ Studio, too, and what normals might be, that I probably should have learned before.
Thanks for fixing the normals on these