LightWave Pro Tools


Hundreds of ways to speed up workflow

Intro

This page contains a link to the original ODTools documentation for each of the tools in the 2018 and 2019 collections, now included in LightWave 2023 as LightWave Pro Tools. The 243 entries prefaced by an x have no written documentation. There is video documentation for 215 of the 413 tools here and here, with links to individual videos where available.

The total quantity of these plugins is quite overwhelming and there's no way you'll use all of them. The trick is to skim over the descriptions and find a few that will really help your workflow, so here's a list of where to start. It's compiled by our top beta testers, people who spend hours in LightWave every day so you know it'll be good.

It would be surprising if you used more than 50 of these plugins regularly. The trick is that the 50 essential plugins will be different for everyone.

Modeler top plugins

Weld Clean and Weld Average Clean

Lewis
Modeler top plugins

Layer Panel Pro

Lewis
Modeler top plugins

UDIM tools

Ben
Modeler top plugins

Set Position

Tim
Modeler top plugins

Quadfill

Shaun
Layout top plugins

Instance baker

Tim
Layout top plugins

Clones to Instances

Tim
Layout top plugins

Layout primitives

Jason
Layout top plugins

Instancer GL display

Mauro
Layout top plugins

Camera Zoom tool

Ben
Layout top plugins

SuperVehicleSetupPro and TrailerMover

Lewis
Layout top plugins

Snapshots

Ben
Top generic plugins

Presets panels for FFX, HDR environments, IES, Instancers, Layout Models, Surfaces (with images), Motions, Nodes, Scenes, Turbulence, VDB, Volumetrics and more

Ben
Top plugin links to external software

Link to RizomUV

Lewis
Top plugin links to external software

Link to RizomUV

Shaun
Top plugin links to external software

3D Coat applink

Jason
Top plugin links to external software

Blender FlipFluids link

Ben

How to assign plugins to a key or add them to a menu

Assigning something to a key is simple. All you need to do is hit Alt-F9 or choose Edit > Edit Keyboard Shortcuts...

Assign plugin to key

Find the plugin you want in the left menu, here I've chosen the Instance Baker. In the right window, I've scrolled down until I've found a keyboard shortcut I like and I've selected it. Now I can click Assign at top right and Done. Now, I can hit i to bake my instances instead of having to find the plugin every time. You can also replace standard keyboard shortcut items with the improved Pro Tools versions.

Pro Tools will have their own menu by default when you install LightWave, but adding plugins to menus to customize your setup is equally simple. Go to Edit > Edit Menu Layout... or use Alt-F10 and this window appears.

Adding plugin to menu

Type in the search window or scroll the left menu to find the plugin you want. Here we're using the CamZoom Control. In the right menu, scroll down and open hierarchies to find the perfect place to put it. You can also replace standard menu items with the improved Pro Tools versions.

Adding a plugin to a mouse button

To add a plugin to a mouse button, you need to add it to a keyboard shortcut first. It doesn't matter how difficult the shortcut is, or how memorable. You'll never use it directly. Now, open up your mouse driver software. Here, I am showing the Logitech Logi Options+ application that controls a wide range of mice, your application might be different.

Logitech Options+ window

Add the application for which you want to assign this button. If you don't do this, the keyboard shortcut you want for LightWave specifically will be used for all applications. Click the mouse button you wish to use and choose Keyboard shortcut. Now, type the keyboard shortcut you chose for your plugin and from here on you will just be able to click a mouse button to use the plugin you chose in LightWave.

The video demonstrations linked here will be replaced little by little by LightWave Digital and this page will be accordingly updated. If there's a plugin from this collection that you really like, tell me why. Let me know at docs@lightwave3d.com and I might add your recommendation to the list at the top.

Setup

Setup Plugins

Modeler

Modeling Plugins

Layer Plugins

Surface Plugins

Selection Plugins

Development Plugins

UV Plugins

Vertex Map Plugins

UNSORTED Plugins

Layout

Channel & Envelope Plugins

Development & Debugging Plugins

Instancing Plugins

Buffer/Passes Plugins

Here's a video for all of these:

Visibility & Display Plugins

Setup Plugins

Surfaces & Materials Plugins

Scene Reference Plugins

Videos here and here

Rendering Plugins

Transform & Motion Plugins

Placer & Distribution Plugins

UNSORTED Plugins

Presets and Standalone

Preset Plugins

The Pro Tools presets system is an excellent way to manage your building blocks for great scenes. (video and video

Standalone Applications

Unmatched Videos