Quick bcf2vdb guide

[Jascha_Wetzel]

Overview

The bcf2vdb command line utility converts TFD’s .bcf simulation cache files to .vdb files. The utility is part of the licensed plugin package. It is a transitional solution until the next major release that will make VDB export part of the main plugin functionality.

Windows

Simple Usage

1. Find the cache base folder you want to convert from the TFD container in your scene. In the shot below the cache base folder is C:\Users\jascha\TurbulenceFD Caches 007.
   
   
   
   Use Windows Explorer to navigate to that folder. It contains one or more cache folders.
   
   
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2. Navigate to the bcf2vdb folder inside your TurbulenceFD installation.
   You extracted the TurbulenceFD package somewhere and added the path to C4D’s plugin paths or extracted it into C4D’s plugins folder.
   
   
3. Drag the cache folder on the file bcf2vdb.exe s.t. the Open with bcf2vdb.exe tag appears.
   
   
4. You should see a command prompt showing the progress of the conversion.
   
   
5. The converted .vdb files are inside the cache folder you dragged.

Advanced Usage

1. Open Command Prompt from the Windows start menu.
   Note that Powershell is different from Command Prompt and will not work with the instructions below.
2. Find the TurbulenceFD installation.
   You extracted the TurbulenceFD package somewhere and added the path to C4D’s plugin paths or extracted it into C4D’s plugins folder.
3. Drag the file bcf2vdb/bcf2vdb.exe from the TurbulenceFD folder to your command prompt.
   The full path of the .exe file should appear in the command line.
4. Press Return to see a list of options of the bcf2vdb utility.
5. Press Up Arrow to get the path of the bcf2vdb.exe into the current command line again.
6. Press Space, drag a cache folder into the command prompt and press Return to start the conversion.
7. In order to add options to the command, append them separated by spaces to the command line before pressing Return.

MacOS

Simple Usage

1. Find the cache base folder you want to convert from the TFD container in your scene. In the shot below the cache base folder is /Users/jascha/TurbulenceFD Caches 001.
   

   
   
   Use Finder to navigate to that folder. It contains one or more cache folders.
   
   

2. Navigate to the bcf2vdb folder inside your TurbulenceFD installation.
   You extracted the TurbulenceFD package somewhere and added the path to C4D’s plugin paths or extracted it into C4D’s plugins folder.
   

   

3. Open Terminal
   Open the dashboard by either pinching on the touchpad, pressing F4 (or Fn+F4). Then type terminal and press Return. Alternatively you can use Finder to navigate to /Applications/Utilities and double click Terminal.
   

   

4. Drag the file bcf2vdb from the bcf2vdb folder in the TurbulenceFD folder to the Terminal window.
   The full path of the file should appear in the command line.
   

   

5. Drag the cache folder to the Terminal window and press Return to start the conversion.
   

   

6. The converted .vdb files are inside the cache folder you dragged.

Advanced Usage

1. Drag the bcf2vdb file to the Terminal window.
2. Press Return to see a list of options.
3. Add options separated by spaces to the command line and drag a cache folder to the Terminal window before pressing Return.

[Mark_Cottrell]

Every build of LightWave TFD (for Mac) I have does not include a bcf2vdb tool.
Does this exist on MacOS?

[Paul_Selhi]

What sort of size is your project ? Perhaps i could convert for you ?

[Mark_Cottrell]

Thanks Paul, I am not working on a project.
I was watching a tutorial which used the bcf2vdb tool, and I saw the Mac instructions above. But don’t know how you get it (it’s not in the Mac download).