Template update AC27 to AC29 - Textures missing

[Titiriga]

Hello,

I'm trying to update my template from Archicad 27 to Archicad 29. I've resolved most issues, but I'm still having trouble with some textures.

Library Manager is showing a warning about several missing attributes. They appear to be image textures, but I can't determine where they are being used. The Show in Library Manager button is grayed out, and the More Info... button points to surfaces that don't actually use the missing textures.

I've also checked the Cineware and Redshift by Maxon engine, but I still can't find where these textures are referenced.

Does anyone know where else I should look or how I can identify what is using these missing textures?

Thank you.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Can you show the exact error messages in the Library Loading Report?

I have seen this type of issue before and I think it is usually some CineRender setting of a Surface where the image is used somewhere in one of the channels but sometimes it is very hard to find. In such a case, you can try to Update CineWare settings from the Basic Engine and that might make it go away.

[Titiriga]

Hello Laszlo,

My process was as follows. After loading the new Library Packs and using the Favorite Converter Tool, I manually updated the favorites that were missed by the tool (mostly objects from older libraries). After that, I still had the missing attributes warning, so I went through the Surface list alongside a new out-of-the-box Archicad 29 template and copied the textures used there.

This resolved most of the 100+ warnings, but I'm still left with a few that I can't figure out. I've attached a few images showing my current situation.

Thank you.

     

[Laszlo Nagy]

Here is what to try:

1. Use the Options > Element Attributes > Check Surfaces menu command (if it is enabled), which will remove all images that are specified in unused options of rendering engines (like Cineware).

2. Still, this way no solve all your missing image problems because in Cineware, there may be channels where the Surface is supposed to be using an image but since Archicad cannot find it, it does not display the name of the image in the UI. Here is an example. I have 3 missing images in the Library and they are all used by the "textil -3" Surface. I go to the Surfaces Dialog and display the Cineware settings for the Surface.

As you can see, the Bump channel is used, and the "Image" option is selected in the "Texture" field.

However, if I switch to see the settings of the Image, here is what I see:

The "File Name" field is empty. THIS IS THE CLUE. The Library Manager Dialog tells you an image the Surface definition is using is missing, and Image is being used, but you don't see the file name. I think this may be a User Interface bug because it should display something like "MISSING: <Image file name>" so you would know the image file is not in the loaded libraries. But seeing an empty field makes you thing no image file is being used.

So, the solution is to go back to the "Bump" page and set the "Texture" field from"Image" to "None" to make sure to image is being used by this channel.

In the above screenshot you can see 3 Image items, one used by the Color channel, Bump channel, and Normal channel each. On set the "Texture" field from"Image" or "Layer" to "None" for all three, clicked OK, then reloaded the libraries and the missing image error was resolved.

This solution will enable you to handle the missing images and keep using the rest of the Cineware surface definition.

3. The last option is to click the "Match Settings" button and choose the "Update Cineware Settings (form Basic)" option. This will modify your setting in the Cineware Engine based on the settings of the Basic Engine and since the Basic Engine does not use Textures other than the texture specified in the "Texture" panel (which is easy to check to see if it is missing), the missing image error message should be resolved after a library reload.

 

[runxel]

Another thing to add here, it does not matter if the checkmark is set or not! You have to check every channel.

That got me a few times!

[Laszlo Nagy]

I think the Check Surfaces command is supposed to take care of those image files that are used by those uncheckmarked channels, so you do not need to check them one by one.

[runxel]

Uhhh, I missed that part. 

"Options > Element Attributes > Check Surfaces menu command (if it is enabled)"

But when is enabled tho and what exactly does it do? I tried to look this up but there are zero results for that search term on the Archicad Help. 😞

[Laszlo Nagy]

Apparently, that menu command is enabled only when you are in the Floor Plan Viewpoint.

[Laszlo Nagy]

When I select a missing image in the Library Manager Report and click More Info, the following info is displayed at the bottom about the Check Surfaces command.

 

Indeed, there is no info about this menu command in the Help files. I will forward this info to the documentation team at GS HQ so they can fix it.