This guide shows you how to set up Live Link from Rhino to Chaos Vantage. For more information about Live Link, see the Tools in Rhino and Grasshopper page.
Overview
Live Link Setup
For Live Link to function properly, please follow the steps below:
I. Installation
Live Link works only with V-Ray 5 for Rhino, update 2 or later versions.
1. Download and install the latest official V-Ray for Rhino build from the download button. Make sure you have appropriate licenses. If you experience problems, please contact Chaos Support using the online form.
2. Download the latest Chaos Vantage build from the download button. Make sure you have appropriate licenses. If you experience problems, please contact Chaos Support using the online form.
II. Initiation
After installation, Live Link can be initiated in one of the following ways:A. Chaos Vantage button
Use the Chaos Vantage button in Rhino. It can be accessed either from the VRay Live Linking toolbar which is hidden by default but can be enabled from:
Tools > Toolbar Layout > VRayForRhino > VRay Live Linking
right click on Shelf > Show Toolbar > VRay Live Linking
or from the V-Ray menu > Rendering > Chaos Vantage.
Using either of the two initializes a Live Link session between Rhino and Chaos Vantage. It automatically:
Starts Chaos Vantage if it is not already running.
Sends the scene to Chaos Vantage on 20701 port(default).
B. vrayVantage command
In Chaos Vantage:
1. Open Chaos Vantage.
2. Open the Live Link menu and make sure Start Server is enabled (greyed out). If Start Server on Application Start is enabled, every time Chaos Vantage is launched in stand-by mode and waits for incoming data.
3. Set up port range in Change Port... menu and make sure the range entered here matches the one previously set in Rhino. Default is 20701.
In Rhino:
1. Execute vrayVantage in the command line.
2. Specify the same IP and Port values that were set in Chaos Vantage. Defaults are IP: 127.0.0.1 and Port: 20701.
3. Hit Enter to execute the command and start the Live Link connection.
C. V-Ray Live Link component in Grasshopper
In Chaos Vantage:
1. Open Chaos Vantage.
2. Open the Live Link menu and make sure Start Server is enabled (greyed out). If Start Server on Application Start is enabled, every time Chaos Vantage is launched in stand-by mode and waits for incoming data.
3. Setup port range in Change Port... menu. Default is 20701.
In Grasshopper:
1. Create a V-Ray Live Link component and plug the Scene output from a V-Ray Render component to the Scene input of the V-Ray Live Link component .
2. Specify the same Port value that was set in Chaos Vantage. Default is Port: 20701.
3. Right-click on On input > Set boolean > True to initiate a Live Link connection.
III. Pause and Termination
Once a Live Link session is started, the scene is transferred to Chaos Vantage and a thick blue contour line appears around the viewport and the status message in the lower right changes to [LIVE LINK].
The Pause when app loses focus option in the Preferences menu is ignored when in Live Link session.
To stop a Live Link session either:
- Click again the Chaos Vantage button in the VRay Live Linking toolbar.
- Execute vrayVantage command again.
- Right-click on On input > Set boolean > False in the V-Ray Live Link component in Grasshopper (if using V-Ray for Grasshopper)
- Open the VFB and stop the Interactive rendering.
