Using Asset Importer Version 1.1
From Multiverse
| Asset Management |
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Overview and Setup • Download an Asset Repository • Using Asset Importer • Using Asset Packager • Team Development |
| Reference |
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Anatomy of a Repository • Asset Definition Files • Asset List Files |
Use Multiverse Asset Importer to create and modify asset definition files in an asset repository and copy required asset files (meshes, materials, textures, and so on) into the repository.
For a full explanation of the Multiverse asset repository system, see Setting Up an Asset Repository.
Contents |
Running Asset Importer
Double-click the desktop icon to start it. The tool looks like this:
First, if you have not done so, designate an asset repository directory. Click the Designate Asset Repository toolbar button or choose File | Designate Asset Repository. Then select the directory that contains your asset repository. Initally, choose a directory where you have extracted one of the prebuilt Multiverse asset repositories.
Running from the command line
You can also run Asset Importer from the command line, which can be especially useful for scripting repetitive tasks. To run from the command line, add C:\Program Files\Multiverse Tools\AssetTools to your PATH, or run the tool when this is your current working directory.
When you run Asset Importer from the command line, it creates prototype asset definitions for all asset files of the specified type (kind). The prototype asset definitions do not have metadata, such as asset descriptions and categories. Asset Importer matches mesh, material, and skeleton assets based on file names, rather than looking inside the mesh to determine the materials and skeleton it requires.
If you want to import a single specific asset, use the Asset Importer GUI instead of the command line.
The syntax is:
AssetImporter [--generate_asset_definitions | --generate_asset_kind type] [option [argument] ... ]
See Command Line Syntax for a general description of command-line syntax notation.
Options are:
| Option | Description | Arguments, if any |
|---|---|---|
| --generate_asset_definitions | Generate asset definitions for all types (kinds) of assets. | None. |
| --generate_asset_kind | Generate specified type of asset; if not specified, all asset types will be generated | The type of asset to generate. One of:
|
| --repository_directory | Specifies the asset repository directory. This option is required if the default tools asset repository is not set.
Use this option multiple times to specify more than one asset repository. | Full or relative directory path to asset repository root. |
| --output_file | File containing warnings produced by the asset generation process. | Output file name |
To generate definitions for all assets, use the --generate_asset_definitions command-line parameter. To generate definitions for just one type (kind) of asset, use the --generate_asset_kind kind parameter.
Creating an asset definition definition file
To create a new asset definition file:
- Click the Create New Asset button or choose File | New Asset.
- Choose the type of asset (mesh, material, texture, and so on) from the Asset Type dropdown listbox.
- Asset Importer displays fields for the required the asset files or asset definition files, depending on the asset type. Some are optional and are labeled as such.
- Every asset requires at least one file, known as the primary asset file, shown immediately below the Description field. For example, for a 3D model, the primary asset file is a mesh file, as shown in the figure above. Click "Browse..." to select the primary asset file; Asset Importer will automatically fill in the Asset Name field based on this selection.
- If you wish to, change the Asset Name field, this sets the name of the asset definition file.
- To add additional asset files to the asset definition, click the "Browse..." button to display a file selection dialog box, and choose the appropriate file. Asset Importer will display all the files in the selected directory in the list box on the left. To select more than one file of the type just selected, drag and drop it from the list box.
- Optionally, choose a category for the asset. World Editor will group the asset into this category.
- Optionally, enter a brief description of the asset.
- Click the Save button to save the asset definition file. It will be saved to the
AssetDefinitionsdirectory in your asset repository.
Adding or Editing Properties
The World Editor interprets texture assets that have the "TerrainDecal" or "TerrainTexture" properties set to "true". World Editor will display these assets in its texture picker dialog for the appropriate type.
To add or edit a property to an asset, click "Edit Properties." The Edit Asset Properties dialog opens:
To add a property:
- Enter the desired property name in the Property text field.
- Enter the corresponding value in the Value text field.
- Click Add.
The new name/value pair will then appear in the list at left.
To edit a property:
- Select the property in the list on the left side of the dialog box.
- Change the name or value.
- Click Edit.
The modified name/value pair will then appear in the list at left.
Click OK when you are done. Clicking Cancel to ingore any changes made.
