[Sam Treadway]

This a really simple setup, actually.
After you add the xPresso tag, drag the cloner and sphere into the editor graph.
Add a Math:Add and (optional) Constant node.
Enter the default value of the radius (half diameter) in the Constant node and then for the Math node, switch it to ‘divide’ mode.
Then hook up all the nodes like this:

[Sam Treadway]

Happy to help!

Don’t forget to click the button.

…and one other thing I’d like to point out about the method I presented using the matrix object: This is a reusable setup, so save it to your content browser. The setup only requires a quick point selection > create a new selection tag and then drop in the same number of nulls into the list in the xPresso setup.

With the other method, it is much simpler for a few points and one-time use but having to find the index of each point individually and then updating each node if the point order changes is not ideal.

[Sam Treadway]

You CAN bake them and this is what I usually do on export to FBX or Alembic.
But you can also drag those nulls into the timeline view, then in the Timeline’s menu select: Functions > Bake Objects…
From there, I’d just select: “Bake Expressions”, “Create Copy”, “Clean Tracks”, and “All parameters” and click OK. It’ll make a copy of each null that you can then add those compositing tags to each baked copy.

[Sam Treadway]

Like I said, I don’t use After Effects so maybe the method you are using to import the data doesn’t actually require baking and doesn’t fully support mograph instancing. In that case, the next best approach I can suggest would be to replace the Cloner setup with a Matrix object and then use xPresso to link separate nulls to the matrices. I’ve attached a scene file. Test this and let me know if it works.

The xPresso Graph would look like this:

I’ve attached the scene file. Here’s a screenshot showing it working. As you can see, Instead of a Cloner I used a Matrix object and the same method as in my first post to clone onto to each point using the selection tag. I then created a separate null object for each of the points and with xPresso, iterate through the null list and the matrices and position the nulls. (highly customized C4D layout so sorry if it’s confusing):

14043_nullsfollowingpoints.c4d.zip

[Sam Treadway]

I don’t use After Effects but this should work as it does with other compositing software when exporting as FBX:

1. Select each point of the animated object that you wish to have a null attached to.
2. Create a point selection tag (main menu > Select > Set Selection).
3. Create a Cloner and place it AFTER the animated object in the hierarchy (needs to come after or the nulls will be a frame behind).
4. Add a null as a child of the cloner.
5. Set the Cloner’s mode to Object.
6. Drag the animated object into the “Object” field of the cloner.
7. Drag a selection tag from step 2 into the “Selection” field of that cloner.

You should now have a null attached to each of the selected points and they should follow the points when using deformers or any other animation method.
The added benefit of this method is the position and rotation are transformed not just world location.

Bake a copy or export as FBX or whatever works with your setup. If the nulls will not transfer over to the compositing app then lights usually will without issue so make a light a child and set its intensity to zero.

[Sam Treadway]

This sounds like an order of operations issue that could be fixed by changing the priority level of one tag or the order in the hierarchy.

You may also try baking out parts by adding the appropriate tracks into the timeline view and then selecting Functions > Bake Objects from the timeline’s menu.

[Sam Treadway]

Prior to C4D R21, one license of C4D included unlimited Team Render clients. With r21 subscription this is limited to 5 clients. The Team Render installer is included with full C4D installer. I believe (speak to a Maxon sales rep to find out for sure) that if you want more than 5 team render clients then you must purchase additional subscriptions (monthly or annual). For our 3-4 rack servers you’r covered with a single subscription.

Check the official site here:
https://www.maxon.net/en-us/buy/

I don’t see any reference or recommendation for a “C4D Team Render Pack” this sounds bogus or misleading.

[Sam Treadway]

Create two spline circles spread apart as you have those disc objects.
Place both of the circles as children of a Spline Mask object.
Set the Spline Mask’s mode to “union” and the Axis to mach the axis the circles sit on.

For autogenerated triangles you can just check “Create Cap” on the Spline Mask
OR
Place the Spline Mask as a child of and Extrude Generator Object, set the Movement to 0,0,0 on the “Object” tab and turn on just the start Cap on the “Caps” tab.

This method is completely parametric (non-destructive) so you can move the circles further apart or closer without having to adjust a single point or merge anything manually.

[Sam Treadway]

I’m sure there are multiple ways to do this but I find using the Takes system in C4D to be the most organized approach.
There shouldn’t be a need to bake out animation either with the use of the Data Smith UE4 plugin.

Assuming you are using a motion system tag for separating keyed pose morphs into tracks:
Setup a series of takes for each animation. Name each take appropriately as an UE4 asset will be created for each take and given the same name.
Drag in the motion system tag for each take and solo the appropriate track.

Exporting to FBX:
You will export the FBX making sure animation is checked and in UE4 it will automatically create assets for the mesh, Skelton, physics asset, and each take.

Using Data Smith:
Save the C4D scene using the ‘melange’ or ‘Cineware’ option in the File menu.
In UE4 make sure the Datasmith plugin is loaded. As of 4.23 this is on by default I believe and available for all platforms, not just Windows.
To open the C4D file in UE4 click the Datasmith button on the editor main toolbar (blue circle button). This will bring of a dialogue to guide you the rest of the way.

[Sam Treadway]

Uncheck “Image Alpha” and see if that fixes it for you. I can’t see anything else that would cause the issue.
My guess is you are exporting an 8 bit PNG which does contain an alpha channel that is completely opaque.
Switching “Image Alpha” off will cause it to apply the mask based on luminance….or you can try exporting the png as 16 bit instead.