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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

This page provides information on the Live Link feature from Rhino in Chaos Vantage.

 

Overview

The Live Link feature makes it possible to instantly see changes made in Rhino without the need to export and import .vrscenes in Chaos Vantage.

Live Link Setup

For Live Link to function properly please follow the steps below:

 

Installation

Live Link works only with V-Ray 5 for Rhino, update 2 or later versions.

1. Download and install latest official V-Ray 5 for Rhino, update 2 or later builds from the download button. Make sure you have appropriate licenses. If you experience problems please contact Chaos Support using the  online form .


 


Download VRay 5 for Rhino

2. Download 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.


 


Download Chaos Vantage

 

 

After installation Live Link can be initiated by either of 2 ways:

Chaos Vantage button

Use the Chaos Vantage button in Rhino. It can be accesses either from the Chaos Vantage button in 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

 

Using either of the two will initialize a live link session between Rhino and Chaos Vantage.  It will automatically:

  • Start Chaos Vantage if it is not already running;
  • Send the scene to Chaos Vantage on 20701 port(default) ;


 


 

 

 

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 wait for incoming data. 


 


3. Setup port range in Change Port.. menu and make sure the range entered here matches the one previously set SketchUp. 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.


 


 



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 wait 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.


 




Once a Live Link session is started the scene is transferred to Chaos Vantage, 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 will be ignored when in Live Link session.

 

To stop a Live Link session either:

  • Click again on 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.

 

 

 

Supported Features

The following changes made in Rhino will be propagated through Live Link:

  • Editing, creating and deleting of:
    • Camera
    • Geometries
    • Lights
    • Materials
    • Textures

 

 

Known Limitations

The following actions can be done Inside Chaos Vantage during Live Link :

  • create cameras;
  • create camera animation in the animation editor;
  • edit environment and fog
  • add post effect (LUT, Bloom, Highlight burn)
  • Render:
    • snapshots;
    • HQ still image
    • HQ sequence
  • save .vantage file with the changes from above.



The following actions cannot be done inside Chaos Vantage during Live Link:

  • transform objects;
  • hide/unhide objects;
  • reassign materials;
  • edit lights;
  • import external(including cosmos assets) files;
  • animation playback



The following requires a restart of the Live Link Session in order to be updated properly.

  • Updating of:
    • animated V-Ray Proxy files (.vrmesh)

When the Live Link Session is closed, the scene is still loaded inside Vantage but it is considered dirty and the aforementioned limitations are still in effect. A .vrscene file from the host application needs to be exported and loaded inside Chaos Vantage to enable full manipulation, editing and playback.

If a .vantage file is saved in an active Live Link session, it can be loaded in a next session or applied to a loaded .vrscene.