Question

I need to import a mesh animation from Cinema4D into Blender.

I tried to do that using Collada.The Collada 1.3 importer doesn’t seem to
do anything, the Collada 1.4 importer seems to work, but the animation didn’t get
imported into Blender.

After reading this post:

Problem solved!

In case anyone comes in here looking
for the answer, I spoke to Otomo via
email and he kindly explained that the
problem lies in the .dae file being
exported incorrectly from C4D.

I hope Otomo doesn’t mind me quoting
his email, I just don’t want other
people to waste the time I did on such
a stupid problem.

Open up the .dae in a text editor and
change:

data
data

to this:

data
data

The fps must also be the same in both
c4d and blender.

I tried that, but I get an error:

FEEDBACK: Illusoft Collada 1.4 Plugin v0.3.162 started
The minor version of the file you are using is newer then the plug-in, so errors may occur.
image not found: None
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Applications/blender/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/bpymodules/colladaImEx/cstartup.py", line 681, in ButtonEvent
    onlyMainScene, applyModifiers)
  File "/Applications/blender/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/bpymodules/colladaImEx/translator.py", line 120, in __init__
    self.__Import(fileName)
  File "/Applications/blender/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/bpymodules/colladaImEx/translator.py", line 127, in __Import
    documentTranslator.Import(fileName)
  File "/Applications/blender/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/bpymodules/colladaImEx/translator.py", line 333, in Import
    self.sceneGraph.LoadFromCollada(self.colladaDocument.visualScenesLibrary.items, self.colladaDocument.scene)
  File "/Applications/blender/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/bpymodules/colladaImEx/translator.py", line 550, in LoadFromCollada
    ob = sceneNode.ObjectFromDae(daeNode)
  File "/Applications/blender/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/bpymodules/colladaImEx/translator.py", line 2079, in ObjectFromDae
    a.LoadFromDae(daeAnimation, daeNode, newObject)
  File "/Applications/blender/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/bpymodules/colladaImEx/translator.py", line 1254, in LoadFromDae
    interpolationsSource = daeAnimation.GetSource(interpolations.source)
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'source'

Has anyone come across this issue ? Where can I find a newer Collada importer ?
Any hints on modifying the importer ?

Note:
Blender 2.5a2 imports collada animations, but the coordinate system is different and not all animation makes it through. For example, when I animate a box from 0,0,0 to 100,100,100,
rotate it on x,y,z and scale it on x,y,z, in Blender I get: translation on 1 axis(x which originally is y in cinema 4d), rotation is fine, scale is ignored.

Answer 1

I ended up writing a script.

I barely found usable C.O.F.F.E.E. documentation so went ahead and installed py4D.

The documentation is pretty good and the support on the forum is amazing.

Here’s the current script:

import c4d
from c4d import documents,UVWTag
from c4d.utils import Deg
from c4d import symbols as sy, plugins, utils, bitmaps, gui
import math


def BlenderExport():
    if not op: return
    if op.GetType() != 5100:
        print 'Selected Object is not an editable mesh'
        return
    unit = 0.001#for scale
    foffset = 1#for frames
    bd = doc.GetRenderBaseDraw()
    scr = bd.GetFrameScreen()
    rd = doc.GetActiveRenderData()
    sizeX = int(rd[sy.RDATA_XRES_VIRTUAL])
    sizeY = int(rd[sy.RDATA_YRES_VIRTUAL])
    name  = op.GetName()
    fps   = doc.GetFps()
    sFrame= doc.GetMinTime().GetFrame(fps)
    eFrame= doc.GetMaxTime().GetFrame(fps)
    code  = 'import Blender\nfrom Blender import *\nimport bpy\nfrom Blender.Mathutils import *\n\nscn = bpy.data.scenes.active\ncontext=scn.getRenderingContext()\ncontext.fps = '+str(fps)+'\ncontext.sFrame = '+str(sFrame)+'\ncontext.eFrame = '+str(eFrame)+'\ncontext.sizeX = '+str(sizeX)+'\ncontext.sizeY = ' + str(sizeY) + '\n'

    def GetMesh(code):
        # goto 0
        doc.SetTime(c4d.BaseTime(0, fps))
        c4d.DrawViews( c4d.DA_ONLY_ACTIVE_VIEW|c4d.DA_NO_THREAD|c4d.DA_NO_REDUCTION|c4d.DA_STATICBREAK )
        c4d.GeSyncMessage(c4d.EVMSG_TIMECHANGED)
        doc.SetTime(doc.GetTime())
        c4d.EventAdd(c4d.EVENT_ANIMATE)

        code      += 'editmode = Window.EditMode()\nif editmode:\tWindow.EditMode(0)\n'
        coords4D   = op.GetPointAll()
        coords     = 'coords = ['
        uvw        = 0
        uvs        = 'uvs = ['
        for tag in op.GetTags():
            if tag.GetName() == "UVW":
                uvw = tag
        for c in coords4D:
            coords += '['+str(c.x*unit)+','+str(c.z*unit)+','+str(c.y*unit)+'],'
        coords     = coords.rpartition(',')[0] + ']\n'
        faces4D    = op.GetAllPolygons()
        fcount     = 0
        faces      = 'faces = ['
        for f in faces4D:
            faces  += '['+str(f)+'],'
            uv = uvw.Get(fcount);
            uvs  += '[Vector('+str(uv[0].x)+','+str(1.0-uv[0].y)+'),Vector('+str(uv[1].x)+','+str(1.0-uv[1].y)+'),Vector('+str(uv[2].x)+','+str(1.0-uv[2].y)+')],'
            fcount += 1

        faces      = faces.rpartition(',')[0] + ']\n'
        uvs        = uvs.rpartition(',')[0] + ']\n'

        code       = code + coords + faces + uvs
        code      += "c4dmesh = bpy.data.meshes.new('"+name+"_mesh')\nc4dmesh.verts.extend(coords)\nc4dmesh.faces.extend(faces)\n\nob = scn.objects.new(c4dmesh,'"+name+"_obj')\nc4dmesh.flipNormals()\n\nif editmode:\tWindow.EditMode(1)\n\n"
        code      += "c4dmesh.quadToTriangle()\nc4dmesh.addUVLayer('c4duv')\n"
        code      += "for f in range(0,"+str(fcount)+"):\n\tc4dmesh.faces[f].uv = uvs[f]\n"

        return code

    def GetIPOKeys(code):
        # store properties for tracks
        tracks   = op.GetCTracks()
        # 0,1,2 = Position, 3,4,5 = Scale, 6,7,8 = Rotation, 9 = PLA
        # props = [[lx,f],[ly,f],[lz,f],[sx,f],[sy,f],[sz,f],[rx,f],[ry,f],[rz,f]]
        try:
            props = []
            trackIDs = [3,4,5,6,7,8,0,2,1]
            propVals = ['LocX','LocZ','LocY','SizeX','SizeY','SizeZ','RotZ','RotX','RotY']
            propIPOs = ['Ipo.OB_LOCX','Ipo.OB_LOCZ','Ipo.OB_LOCY','Ipo.OB_SCALEX','Ipo.OB_SCALEY','Ipo.OB_SCALEY','Ipo.OB_ROTZ','Ipo.OB_ROTX','Ipo.OB_ROTY']
            for t in range(0,9):
                props.append([[],[]])
                curve    = tracks[t].GetCurve()
                keyCount = curve.GetKeyCount()
                for k in range(0,keyCount):  
                        key   = curve.GetKey(k)
                        props[t][0].append(key.GetValue())
                        props[t][1].append(key.GetTime().GetFrame(fps))
            # find the max key
            maxProp = max(enumerate(props), key = lambda tup: len(tup[1]))[1][1]
            maxKeys = len(maxProp)
            # loop through tracks and keys
            for key in range(0,maxKeys):
                code += "Blender.Set('curframe',"+str(maxProp[key])+")\n"
                for track in trackIDs:
                    if(key < len(props[track][0])):
                        code += "ob."+propVals[track] + " = " + str(props[track][0][key]) + '\n'
                        code += 'key = ob.insertIpoKey(' + propIPOs[track] + ')\n'
        except:
            pass
        return code
    #     mesh/morph animation -> mesh always has the same number of verts
    def GetShapeKeys(code):
        track = 0;
        tracks = op.GetCTracks()
        for t in tracks:
            if(t.GetName() == 'PLA'):   track = t
        # track    = op.GetCTracks()[9]    
        if track != 0:
            curve    = track.GetCurve()
            keyCount = curve.GetKeyCount()
            verts    = []
            frames   = []
            vertsNum  = op.GetPointCount()
            ctime = doc.GetTime()

            for k in range(1,keyCount):
                key = curve.GetKey(k)
                frames.append(key.GetTime().GetFrame(fps))
                c4d.StatusSetBar(100*(k/keyCount))
                doc.SetTime(key.GetTime())
                c4d.DrawViews( c4d.DA_ONLY_ACTIVE_VIEW|c4d.DA_NO_THREAD|c4d.DA_NO_REDUCTION|c4d.DA_STATICBREAK )
                c4dvecs = op.GetPointAll();
                blendvecs = []
                for v in c4dvecs:
                    blendvecs.append([v.x*unit,v.z*unit,v.y*unit])
                verts.append(blendvecs)
                c4d.GeSyncMessage(c4d.EVMSG_TIMECHANGED)
            doc.SetTime(ctime)
            c4d.EventAdd(c4d.EVENT_ANIMATE)
            c4d.StatusClear()

            code += '\n\n# shape keys\nverts = ' + str(verts) + '\n'
            code += "if(ob.activeShape == 0):\n\tob.insertShapeKey()\n\n"
            for f in range(0,len(frames)):
                kNum = str(f+1)
                code += "if editmode:   Window.EditMode(0)\n"
                code += "for v in range(0,"+str(vertsNum)+"):\n\tc4dmesh.verts[v].co.x = verts["+str(f)+"][v][0]\n\tc4dmesh.verts[v].co.y = verts["+str(f)+"][v][1]\n\tc4dmesh.verts[v].co.z = verts["+str(f)+"][v][2]\n"
                code += "c4dmesh.calcNormals()\n"
                code += "ob.insertShapeKey()\n"
                code += "if editmode:   Window.EditMode(1)\n"
                code += "shapeKey = ob.getData().getKey()\n"
                code += "newIpo = Ipo.New('Key','newIpo')\n"
                code += "if(shapeKey.ipo == None):   shapeKey.ipo = newIpo\n"
                code += "if(shapeKey.ipo['Key "+kNum+"'] == None):   shapeKey.ipo.addCurve('Key "+kNum+"')\n"
                if(f == 0):  code += "shapeKey.ipo['Key "+kNum+"'].append(BezTriple.New(1.0,0.0,0.0))\n"
                if(f > 0):  code += "shapeKey.ipo['Key "+kNum+"'].append(BezTriple.New("+str(float(frames[f-1]))+",0.0,0.0))\n"
                code += "shapeKey.ipo['Key "+kNum+"'].append(BezTriple.New("+str(float(frames[f]))+",1.0,0.0))\n"
        else:
            #no PLA tracks, look for morph tag
            vertsNum  = op.GetPointCount()
            for tag in op.GetTags():
                if tag.GetType() == 1019633:
                    # print tag[sy.MORPHTAG_MORPHS]
                    '''
                    work around
                    1. store first key for each track curve
                    2. set the first key value to 1 for the 1st track and 0 for the others
                    3. store the mesh vertices -> track name verts = []
                    4. after all track verts are stored, restore the original values
                    5. write the the curve keys for blender shape keys
                    '''
                    code += "if(ob.activeShape == 0):\n\tob.insertShapeKey()\n\n"
                    tc = 0
                    tcs = str(tc+1)
                    for track in tag.GetCTracks():
                        curve = track.GetCurve()
                        value = curve.GetKey(0).GetValue()
                        curve.GetKey(0).SetValue(curve,1.0)
                        print track.GetName()
                        doc.SetTime(c4d.BaseTime(0, fps))
                        c4d.DrawViews( c4d.DA_ONLY_ACTIVE_VIEW|c4d.DA_NO_THREAD|c4d.DA_NO_REDUCTION|c4d.DA_STATICBREAK )
                        c4dvecs = op.GetPointAll();
                        blendverts = []
                        for v in c4dvecs:
                            blendverts.append([v.x*unit,v.z*unit,v.y*unit])
                        code += "Key"+tcs+"verts = " + str(blendverts)+"\n"
                        code += "if editmode:   Window.EditMode(0)\n"
                        code += "for v in range(0,"+str(vertsNum)+"):\n\tc4dmesh.verts[v].co.x = Key"+tcs+"verts[v][0]\n\tc4dmesh.verts[v].co.y = Key"+tcs+"verts[v][1]\n\tc4dmesh.verts[v].co.z = Key"+tcs+"verts[v][2]\n"
                        code += "c4dmesh.calcNormals()\n"
                        code += "ob.insertShapeKey()\n"
                        code += "if editmode:   Window.EditMode(1)\n"
                        code += "shapeKey = ob.getData().getKey()\n"
                        code += "newIpo = Ipo.New('Key','newIpo')\n"
                        code += "if(shapeKey.ipo == None):   shapeKey.ipo = newIpo\n"
                        code += "if(shapeKey.ipo['Key "+tcs+"'] == None):   shapeKey.ipo.addCurve('Key "+tcs+"')\n"
                        print op.GetPointAll()
                        c4d.GeSyncMessage(c4d.EVMSG_TIMECHANGED)
                        curve.GetKey(0).SetValue(curve,value)
                        keyCount = curve.GetKeyCount()
                        for k in range(0,keyCount):
                            key = curve.GetKey(k)
                            value = key.GetValue()
                            frame = key.GetTime().GetFrame(fps)
                            code += "shapeKey.ipo['Key "+tcs+"'].append(BezTriple.New("+str(float(frame))+","+str(value)+",0.0))\n"
                        tc += 1
                        tcs = str(tc+1)

                    c4d.EventAdd(c4d.EVENT_ANIMATE)
        return code

    def GetCamera(code):
        bd = doc.GetRenderBaseDraw()
        cp = bd.GetSceneCamera(doc)
        if cp is None: cp = bd.GetEditorCamera()
        fov = Deg(cp[sy.CAMERAOBJECT_FOV])
        pos = cp.GetPos()
        rot = cp.GetRot()
        code += "\nc4dCam = Camera.New('persp','c4d_"+cp.GetName()+"')\nc4dCam.drawPassepartout = True\nc4dCam.alpha = 0.5\nc4dCam.drawLimits = 1\nc4dCam.dofDist = 100.0\n"
        code += "c4dCam.angle = "+str(fov)+"\nc4dCamLens = c4dCam.lens\nc4dCam.lens = c4dCamLens\nWindow.RedrawAll()\nc4dCamObj = scn.objects.new(c4dCam)\n"
        code += "c4dCamObj.setLocation("+str([pos.x,pos.z,pos.y])+")\n"
        code += "c4dCamObj.setEuler("+str([rot.x+(math.pi*.5),rot.y,rot.z])+")\n"
        code += "scn.setCurrentCamera(c4dCamObj)\n"
        return code

    code = GetMesh(code)
    code = GetIPOKeys(code)
    code = GetShapeKeys(code)
    code = GetCamera(code)

    file = open(doc.GetDocumentPath()+'/'+op.GetName()+'_export.py','w')
    file.write(code)
    file.close()


BlenderExport()

It supports ipo keys(position,rotation,scale).
Point Level Animation gets converted to multiple shape keys.
Morph Tag animation preserves nicely.