Switch layer runtime error

Autex · Post by **Autex** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:50 pm

Hey ya'll...I have a switch layer with 8 body angles in it (F, FS, S, BS, etc.) These layers are rather large, each with a rig in them, morph dials from Rudiger, and 1 large texture file. I can switch around from layer to layer only 3 or 4 times until I get a runtime error, saying nothing more than the usual...with "Program: C:\Program File..." Any idea what could be causing this? I've tried the file on other machines, and it also crashes. I've updated windows (Windows 7 Pro service pack 1) hoping that may fix any runtime bugs ..to no avail. I have also tried renewing the switch layer (doesn't work) as well as importing the 8 body angles into a new anime file...also doesn't work. I'm beginning to think something is broken in the file. I also get the same render problems as stated by chucky in his thread viewtopic.php?t=17766&sid=bc988508ea6ed ... ab1a0baf31 but this is at the moment the least of my problems. Anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

Autex · Post by **Autex** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:52 pm

oh yea, I have anime version 8.1. I tried it in 8.2 but the problem still exists.

dueyftw · Post by **dueyftw** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:03 am

Download the script and replace. It might have an error in it. 99.999% of the time downloads give an exact copy, you might have that .001%

Make sure that your using the correct name for the morph-dials layer. 'MorphDials' Miss spelling will cause problems.

Watch the tutorial again, you might be doing something different.

Dale

Autex · Post by **Autex** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:35 am

I believe I found the problem...I think it has something to do with the file size, as well as the amount of stuff I have in each bone layer/body angle. Anime takes quite a while to switch from layer to layer with the switch layer, like its reading through each bone layer until it gets to the one I've selected. My file size is around 90mb, each bone layer has morph dials in it. I've noticed that, when I erase all bone layers except for 3, (for example leaving F, FS, and S) I don't get the runtime error...leading me to believe that Anime must be getting lost along the way of all those other layers.

That's my only solution, thanks Dale for your input - all morph dials layers are named correctly and the script has worked like a charm until now. A good idea though, if the problem persists with just the 3 layers in my switch layer, I'll try re-downloading the script. In the meantime I'll continue to build without a switch layer, and when it comes time to animate, I'll just delete the angles I don't need in each respective scene leaving a max. of 3 in the switch layer.

Eric

Autex · Post by **Autex** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:03 pm

Alright, another update... its a problem with RAM. When Anime gets to or passed 2gb in the system, game over, thanks for playing. With a switch layer, you can see under resource monitor that with every switch you make from bone layer to bone layer, the RAM slowly increases because it saves the last layer you've had selected in the switch layer in RAM, until you've reached the 2gb barrier.

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:25 pm

Have you tried the usual tricks?
- switch off everything you don't need entirely
- switch off visibility as long as a layer is not visible (outside of project view or covered by other layers)
- pre-render any complex vector stuff (like a BG) and re-import it as PNG

Autex · Post by **Autex** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:12 am

Good tips slowtiger, thanks. I'll watch out for those things once again. The problem is, is that Anime doesn't have a flush command, freeing the RAM of stuff it doesn't need anymore. Instead, it just keeps packing the RAM full until it has reached its alloted 2gb. You can use Large Address Aware to give the program 4gb, but that may just delay the inevitable by large scenes.

Bottom line - control file sizes. Anything over 100mb will probably crash sometime during rendering if you try to render everything out at once.