[4.7.2] - Editor Crashing Upon Model Re-Import During Distance Field Generation

Hey Guys,

I just reset the Pivot Transform on my 3D Model and it re-imports fine, but every time it then try’s to rebuild the distance fields, it crashes. I’ve also submitted my crash logs to Epic through the tool that catches the Exception.

Thanks!

Hey MC -

I have been trying to test this internally but haven’t been able to get the crash you are experiencing. I did go ahead and report the crash bolstered by your logs sent via the crash reporter, UE-11933. I believe it may have something to do with the asset you are using or the specific project. Since I cannot get an internal reproduction yet, it would be helpful to test the fbx file that has caused the issue for you. Also what modeling program are you using to do the pivot translation?

If you think of anything else as well, please let me know in addition -

Thank You for your report -

Eric Ketchum

Hey Eric,

Absolutely and thanks Eric. And you’re very welcome for the kind words. I’d be confused if it were the FBX since I’ve been using this one for a while now but you never know. This is the thing though, it imports fine but it’s not until the code in the engine that computes the associated distance fields tries to generate those fields before crashing. I haven’t run the editor in the Debug Editor configuration to see where the exception is hitting.

I did submit my project on the 20th to Epic for a Dev Grant so I wouldn’t mind sending you the fbx to test out. It is for an unreleased game.

I’ll get that up later today and shoot you a PM with a link so you can try to import it. One thing I’m wondering is if I just disabled Generate Mesh Distance Fields, import/save, then re-enable distance fields if it would work. I’m afraid though since I wouldn’t want it to lock up entirely if it trips up on itself.

Anyways, thanks Eric and I’ll get that mesh over to you tonight. BTW… I pretty much just went into Max, re-adjusted the Pivot Point but noticed the Rotation/Scale Pivot Transforms locked in a different location all together giving my Pawn irregular rotations when importing. I then went back into the Pivot and clicked to Reset both Transform and Scale.

Anyways, I’ll send this over to you later Eric to check out and thanks again for the awesome support!

Hey Eric, just shot you a PM, thanks and let me know if it runs into an issue for you as well. I’m not sure if the code to calculate the fields potentially looks at previous generated fields to optimize where needed but if so, you may not see it. Thanks and looking forward to the feedback.

Hey Eric, I just checked in and it says that you’ve now marked this as resolved but I don’t see a response from you. Did you receive my fbx and were you able to locate the issue?

Hi MC Stryker -

Sorry about that I have been trying to go through a few issues and I must have forgot to submit my response.

So, yes I was able to get your FBX and I can see that it causes a CPU hiccup when generating Distance Mesh Fields but on my machine it does not crash though it does take a while for the hiccup to clear. After looking at your model, the issue is in part the size and in part the CPU intensity of building a Mesh Distance Field. However, the engine should never crash so we want to take a look at why it was crashing for you (hence my earlier issue report).

I have attached your asset to the Issue report so when we investigate this issue we can dig in to your specific case.

Thank You Again -

Eric Ketchum

Ahhh… no worries Eric :slight_smile:

I appreciate the help and I’m assuming you did the import into the new 4.7.3. I did this in 4.7.2 but I’m in the process of getting the bits down from GitHub right now so I’m hoping it stays stable.

Right now, all my models are to scale since the game targets VR so it’s okay if it takes a little longer to process them. But I’ll give the new release a shot and keep those fingers crossed :slight_smile:

Let me know what you come up with and once I try it in 4.7.3, I’ll shoot you an update. Thanks again Eric and appreciate the assistance. Take care.

Okay Eric, I have an update for you. This version also crashes when I try to re-import it. I’ve just submitted another Crash Log for you guys to look at but it fails in 4.7.3 as well.

Also, as far as the perf, it’s not just that model. The entire engine is much slower in general when Generating Distance Fields than in 4.7.2. Not to mention, if you run your game in Standalone, all Enumerations are listed as NewEnumerator0, …1, etc. That’s a different issue all together but now a couple others have come to unfortunately join the party.

Keep me posted and I’ll let you know if anything else comes up Eric.

Hey Eric, as a heads up to keep both issues separate for your tracking purposes, I’ve posted the performance issues on another thread listed here… [4.7.3] - Generate Distance Field Performance Slower Than 4.7.2 - Debugging, Optimization, & Profiling - Unreal Engine Forums. Keep me posted on if you want me to try a couple different test cases to lock this down and for the meantime, we’ll continue to work on this one until I can get the model in. The re-import is not to bad (other than my ships rotation origin is off), I could wait it out for a week possibly. I could probably just delete it and re-import it or try some workaround but in the end, it won’t help you guys find it. I can hang on this one so just keep me posted on if there is anything I should test. BTW… where does the compiled output from the mesh distance fields go… the uasset for the StaticMesh? Maybe I can send you the one I’m trying to re-import over and that might nail down this issue. Thanks Eric.

Hey Eric, hope you are having a great afternoon. I noticed this was marked Resolved and didn’t know if this was a bug but since this is somewhat of a critical issue for me and hasn’t been resolved yet. Can we keep it open until then since I am still suffering from this issue? Thanks and keep me posted!

Hey Eric, I wanted to quickly check in and see if you wanted me to maybe shoot over the current uasset for the mesh and to try and reimport over it to see if it allows the tech to catch the exception.

BTW… I just saw your and Tim’s Ghostbusters video… FREAKING AWESOME ERIC!!!

Hi MC -

Sorry for the delay, but yes that would be great.

Eric Ketchum

No worries Eric. I’m going to be busy until tomorrow evening but I’ll get it packed up so you can try it out by Monday. Take it easy.

I did get your asset. We are running tests now.

Thank You

Eric Ketchum

Thank you and the support staff for taking the time to help me out. Really appreciate it!

Hey MC -

I wanted to check in. I’ve been testing today on 4.7.5 and still haven’t been able to reproduce this crash you reported. Can you let me know if you are still having this issue, I don’t see any reported crashes since 4.7.3 so the issue may have been related to an engine crash that was fixed in 4.7.4.

Let know me -

Eric Ketchum

Really!!! That’s awesome news Eric. You guys are working really hard nailing every last issue reported from the community.

I will try this out immediately. I have the VXGI branch from NVidia coming down so as soon as that finishes, I’m getting 4.7.5 on the machine and will test that since I’m going to get the dev grant team a standalone build of my game to try. If you get the access to try those demos out, check it out and let me know what you think.

Thank you so much Eric, this is going to make a big difference flying now that I can import a version with a centered origin transform. I’ll let you know if it passes.

EDIT: Oh Eric, this doesn’t relate but I’ve had to add to the engine to call the splinecomponents refresh time function from Blueprints since it doesn’t always update properly (or at least in previous builds). I’ll test this to see if this is fixed as well but figured I’d pass that on.

Bummer… I hate to say it, but it unfortunately crashed in 4.7.5 as well. I submitted the report through the Exception Tool.

Hi MC -

Okay, I did a little clean up on this question so I could start fresh. I have your *.uasset and the FBX still, but I think there is something specific in the level setup which is also feeding this crash. So, if you can go through these questions that follow and try to be as exact as you can in how you level and project is setup:

1 - Does your model have any LOD settings or LOD models which are imported into the Static Mesh?

2 - Do you import the model with Materials and Textures or do you create the material separately after the model is imported into the engine? If so, can you send those textures to me privately?

3 - What type of lighting setup are you using specifically, I know you are obviously using Distance Field, but is there any other setting that you have enabled in regards to lighting?

4 - In the map that is open when you crash (probably the default opening level) is the model in the level already and if so is it merely placed in the level or a part of a blueprint?

5 - If the model is in a blueprint can you give me a breakdown of any functions called on that model by the blueprint? For instance if it is an enemy model that is spawned, how is it spawned and as what is it spawned as?

6 - Anything else you can think of that relates to the model?

Thank You

Eric Ketchum

Also the issue is still reported as UE-11933, for clarity though I want to find a successful reproduction.

Thanks Eric for getting back to me.

    • No LOD’s currently setup
  1. When I import the model, I create the materials separately and ignore importing those with the mesh
  2. Hmmm… I don’t have any GI like LPV or VXGI enabled. I’m pretty sure I have static lighting still enabled but it’s only for 1 level and is getting phased out so most of my levels have the Force No Precomputed Lighting flag checked. In the Blueprint that contains the ship, I do have some lights placed in the cockpit of the craft but that’s obviously a couple levels up from the mesh.

Wow I’m confused. Okay, I just got it to work in a default level but after testing a couple times, a couple times worked and a couple crashed. On a good note, I was able to import the version I was trying to get in but it does still exist. I’m sure you’ve tried it a couple times but maybe if its working for you to try and reimport a couple times to see if it happens to fail. I did submit the crash logs just in case but it’s now 50/50 which is substantially better.

  1. It’s a pretty large Blueprint and I have a couple child ones inherited but I have a core BP that has functions like Control Thrusters, Update the HUD etc. Then I have a Prime BP that inherits that in which it adds things like multi-camera support, routes the input and handles everything that handles the tick. Above that is one that adds support for a Joystick and Saitek X52 and the final one is one above that where I simply set the spaceship mesh, materials, lights, cameras and settings to be handled by the children BPs.

  2. I’m not 100% sure… I will try to think of some things though. All my materials currently on the spaceship use RGBA masked textures and I use material layers to blend between them. I’m not sure and will need to think about this one and see if anything could be standing out.

Thanks and keep me posted on anything else you want me to try and I’ll try to think of what else could possibly be the issue. Thanks again!