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ForestSet Plugin

Overview​

ForestSet is a brand-new helper plugin used to create a multipurpose container for scene objects. A ForestSet object can be added to a Forest object as a collection of geometry, surfaces, references, or areas. Multiple Forest Objects can share a Forest Set, making it simple to add or remove areas, geometry, or surfaces and update several scatters from one easy-to-edit location. Even better, the contents of a layer can be dynamically linked to a Forest Set, making it easy to update scatters using familiar scene organisation tools.

Forest Sets can be used in Forest Pack nearly anywhere you can add scene items, including

  • Spline Areas (Include or Exclude)
  • Object Areas (Exclude)
  • Surface Areas
  • Scatter Items (including non-geometric objects)
  • References in Distribution > Reference mode
  • Paths in Distribution > Path mode
  • Particle Flows in Distribution > Particle Mode
note

Depending on where they are used, Forest Set's may work a little differently as follows:

  • For Geometry, a random item if the set is assigned as source geometry. For Surfaces and Splines, all items if the set are used as input.
  • ForestSet accepts any scene object as input, but only compatible types are used in each case. For example, a Spline cannot be used as a surface.

Also, there are a couple of other considerations to be aware of:

  • Groups, ForestLOD and Forest objects are not supported as items at present
  • ForestSet supports nesting (using a ForestSet within another ForestSet).

Procedures​

To create a new Forest Set​

  1. Go to the Geometry > iToo Software section of the "Create panel"
  2. Click on Forest Set
  3. Click and drag in the viewport to create a Forest Set item

To add a single or multiple objects to a Forest Set​

To add a single objects

  • In the Parameters rollout, click on the button and then select an object from the scene

To add multiple objects

  1. Click on the Add Multiple button

  2. Select items from the Add Multiple list

  3. Click Add

To delete an item from the list​

  • Select an item from the list
  • Click on the Delete button

To automatically load items from a layer​

  1. Enable From Layers. Type the name of the layer in the Layers List box

  2. For multiple layers, separate them with commas. To load items from the children of a layer, enable the Import Child Layers option

To change the wireframe colour​

  1. Enable Use Wireframe Colour. Change the colour using the wireframe colour swatch in the top right of the Modify panel.

Interface​

Parameters​

  • Items List

Lists all the items added to the Forest Set.

  • Add Item Button

Adds a new item to the Items List. Pick from the scene after pressing.

  • Delete Item button

Deletes the selected item from the Items List

  • Add Multiple Button

Opens an object picker list that allows you to select multiple objects from the scene and add them to the Items List

  • From Library

When enabled, the Items List is automatically populated using the Layer Names box below

  • Layer Names

Used to select layers from which the Forest Set is automatically populated. If multiple layers are needed, names can be separated using commas

  • Icon Size controls the size of the icon displayed in the viewport.
  • Use Wireframe Colour then enabled, the icon inherits the Forest Set's wireframe colour