Q100703: Transferring your Projects from Modo Indie

Luca Muscia

Updated : December 23, 2024 18:09

Created : December 23, 2024 15:15

SUMMARY

Modo Indie was a Steam-only version of Modo that allowed users to access most of Modo’s features, with some limitations. 

One major limitation is that Modo Indie’s native file type, .lxf, is not compatible with Modo so projects created in Modo Indie can not be opened directly in Modo. 

In order for Modo Indie users to access their project data and be able to migrate to alternative 3D workflows as soon as possible, we are making available a LXF to LXO converter. This will allow converting .lxf files to .lxo files, and Modo Indie users can keep working on their projects in Modo.

This article will discuss how to use the converter, as well as outline the differences between Modo Indie and Modo. 

MORE INFORMATION

The .lxf to .lxo converter is an .lpk Kit, named ModoEOL_kit, that works by duplicating your .lxf file and converting it into an .lxo file.  This means that when you use the converter you will automatically keep a backup of your .lxf file, and receive a copy of your project in .lxo format.

As the ModoEOL_kit converter is technically a Modo Kit, it must be used from within Modo. However, the Kit will not automatically open your converted .lxo file; after the Kit has converted your file, you must manually open your new .lxo file in Modo.

Furthermore, if you open Modo in safe mode you will not be able to use the ModoEOL_kit, as launching Modo in safe mode excludes all kits from loading with Modo. 

WHERE TO ACCESS THE .LXF TO .LXO CONVERTER

The ModoEOL_kit .lxf to .lxo converter can be downloaded from the Modo Downloads page, found here:

ModoEOL_kit.lpk

You can download the last version of Modo at the following link:

Download Modo 17.1

HOW TO CONVERT YOUR FILES

1. Firstly, download the ModoEOL_kit. See the section above for the download link.
   
   
2.  Once downloaded, launch Modo 17.1.
   NOTE: Ensure that you are not launching Modo 17.1 in safe mode.
   
   
3. Drag and drop the ModoEOL_Kit.lpk into the Modo viewport. It will automatically install, and then notify you that a restart is needed. Click yes to restart Modo.

4. Once Modo has restarted, you should see an Experimental Features button in the upper left hand corner of the Modo UI. This means the kit has been installed successfully.
   
   
   
   
5. To then convert an .lxf to an .lxo file, enter the command lxf2lxo in the Modo Command Line.

6. A file dialog will then appear. In the formats dropdown, ensure you have “all files” selected as otherwise your .lxf files will not appear. Navigate to the location of the .lxf file you want to convert, and select ‘Open’.
   
   
7. The file will not open automatically in Modo; however, an .lxo version of your .lxf file should appear in the same location as the original .lxf file.
   
   
8. In Modo, navigate to File > Open and open your new .lxo file. You will now be able to continue working on your projects in Modo 17.1.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODO AND MODO INDIE

FURTHER INFORMATION ON MODO

If you are moving from Modo Indie to Modo 17.1v1, it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the release notes to understand any differences.

The release notes for Modo 17.1v1 can be found here: What’s New in Modo 17.1

macOS

For macOS users specifically, it is worth bearing in mind that starting with Modo 17.0, we released two builds of Modo for macOS. These can both be downloaded from the Modo Downloads page, by selecting the dropdown on the Download for Mac button. You will see two options: macOS Intel, and macOS Apple Silicon.

The macOS Intel, sometimes known as the Intel build or the OSX build, is designed for macOS machines that use Intel CPU hardware. These will tend to be older macOS machines.

Newer macOS machines will most likely be using Apple’s proprietary hardware, and the macOS Apple Silicon build of Modo is designed to take advantage of this hardware. This build is also known as the ARM build of Modo.

Differences between Modo ARM & Intel 

Please note that some items are unavailable in Modo 17.0 due to third-party technology not being compatible with Mac ARM, including the IKinema full body IK. In addition, the pose tool and retargeting will not work in the Native ARM version, however they will work in the X86 emulated version of Modo 17.0 (Intel build).

Conversely, Modo 17.0 and 17.1 for macOS ARM comes bundled with OctaneRender, which you can read more about at the following article:

Q100691: Using OctaneRender in Modo 17

However, the Intel build of Modo for Modo 17.0 and 17.1 does not include OctaneRender. 

FURTHER READING 

The full System Requirements for Modo versions are listed in that version's Release Notes, which can be found here:
Modo Release Notes

For guidance on installing Modo, please see the following Learn pages:
Install Modo