Is it possible to write an object with a vertex normal map of a pointcloud (no polygons) into any format except houdini native ( fbx, obj, lwo, … ) ?
I need to export a cloud of points with vertex normals into lightwave 11 ..

when you export obj with vertex normals , it appears normals arent being written .

while point normals do . you can activate those on SurfEditor panel .

strangely ( ! ) the menu 's name is Vertex Normal Map .

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not sure what you want to do with those in Layout ( you didnt described it / i may not be aware of their usefulness in Layout ) , but maybe you can write an PFX exporter and send those data there .

did you tried FBX ?

zarti
when you export obj with vertex normals , it appears normals arent being written .

while point normals do . you can activate those on SurfEditor panel .

strangely ( ! ) the menu 's name is Vertex Normal Map .

–

not sure what you want to do with those in Layout ( you didnt described it / i may not be aware of their usefulness in Layout ) , but maybe you can write an PFX exporter and send those data there .

did you tried FBX ?

I need to make this pointcloud an particle emitter which emittes from vertices, but the direction of the particles has to come from the normal of the vertex ( which is an option in the emitter). Normaly Lightwave calculates them from the neighbours but in a pointcloud there are none and I need each vertex to be free to point in any direction. Those directions are determined by a real world university experiment ..
Still trying, without success, but not giving up !! :-)

ha - haa ! you sent me back in time ..

installed 10.1 but im afraid the option you mentioned is about the shape of the emitter , not initial direction .

following your post i tried to send into LW some non-edge-sharing-polies ( polyextrude > size down > only front faces ) , so no neighbour interpolation could occur . also i deformed point ‘s normals badly so i could easily notice the results of option you said above . well .. im failing to start moving particles . without any kind of force / wind , the normals only seem insufficient . i even cannot see those ( !?! )

hope im wrong though , since you seem to be ’ forced ' by invisible vectors to use LW .