Topic: Cloned Object Memory usage?

When you clone an object, does that clone take up the same amount of memory as the original object?

It is actually making a duplicate of the object, or just a representation of the object that appears but does not use memory.

I think I recall being able to create a clone of an object in a software and that clone not actually be rendered. So, you could create as many duplicates as you want and not use memory, as the object is only rendered once.

I think I recall, somewhere in my long history of learning 3d, such a thing.

Anyone know what it is called?

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

Maybe "instancing"?

Last edited by com3D (2013-11-08 06:38:01)

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

That is the word I was thinking it was, or "ghost clone" I am thinking of the getclone() function. Wonder if the clone uses memory, and if it does, whether it uses less. Otherwise you might as well just make a duplicate item.

  • anael
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Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

In the engine all meshs "copies" are instances,
so a clone doesn't take much memory, only the entity information (small).

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

I stumbled across the word I was thinking of:

"Proxy"

And thanks anael.

  • 255
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Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

It may has sense in english language (I don't know), but in informatics "proxy" is only the net intermediate server.
In programming it's more correct to use the words "object","instance", "clone", "copy". Where "object" is the actual data in memory and the other words are the clones objects which just "points" to the original data and so use less memory.

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

255 wrote:

It may has sense in english language (I don't know), but in informatics "proxy" is only the net intermediate server.
In programming it's more correct to use the words "object","instance", "clone", "copy". Where "object" is the actual data in memory and the other words are the clones objects which just "points" to the original data and so use less memory.

("Proxy" is only the net intermediate server) This is incorrect, a "proxy" is a "relay".

Example:

1. You relay information threw an "Internet Proxy Server" to its destination.
2. In the USA you speak to a judge via your lawyer, the lawyer is the "Relay" or "Proxy"
3. A Relay switch is also called a "Proxy"
4. A Military Force is a "Proxy"
5. Some say the USA and Russian involvement in the Syrian conflict is a "Proxy" war between the USA and Russia

In terms to  what we are referring to in this topic,   in the "English" language "Instance Clone" or "Cloned Instance" might be a more appropriate term to use.

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

I remembered that I stumbled across that word when I was using a copy of 3dsmax 2009(don't have it anymore). I remembered that it was used to put a lot of things in a scene without using a lot of memory.

Found a link about it.

http://3dvisualizationtips.blogspot.com … e-and.html

And another link (by Autodesk)
http://docs.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/15/ENU/ … =d30e38282

Last edited by Tutorial Doctor (2013-11-09 21:44:45)

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

Tutorial Doctor wrote:

I remembered that I stumbled across that word when I was using a copy of 3dsmax 2009(don't have it anymore). I remembered that it was used to put a lot of things in a scene without using a lot of memory.

Found a link about it.

http://3dvisualizationtips.blogspot.com … e-and.html

You can use the term "proxy", nothing wrong with that.

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

After reading that 2nd link, I think they make a distinction between a proxy object in Max, and an object instance.

The proxy it seems is rendered as point cloud data. I'm still trying to understand how it works, but so,etching like this would be useful in the Maratis engine. I don't think that even Unity has this.

Such an idea is a good one for game design, because you can get a bunch of high poly objects in your level without crashing your game.

11 Reply by 255

  • 255
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Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

@zester

255 wrote:

in informatics "proxy" is only the net intermediate server.

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

255 wrote:

@zester

255 wrote:

in informatics "proxy" is only the net intermediate server.

Informatics as you can see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informatics
covers an extremely broad spectrum of academic fields.

But by definition "proxy" even in "Computer Science" has multiple uses, in networking alone proxy is used in several different ways.

proxy noun \ˈpräk-sē\
: a person who is given the power or authority to do something (such as to vote) for someone else

: power or authority that is given to allow a person to act for someone else
plural prox·ies

Full Definition of PROXY

1:  the agency, function, or office of a deputy who acts as a substitute for another

2: a :  authority or power to act for another
    b :  a document giving such authority; specifically :  a power of attorney authorizing a specified
          person to vote corporate stock.

3:      a person authorized to act for another

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proxy
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/proxy

I think "proxy" used in place of "cloned object" is incorrect, I don't think "clone" is even entirely correct. A clone is normally a copy of another entity that can exist on its own, but in maratis or any other game engine, the object isn't actually a clone  its more of an "duplicated virtual instance" of an existing object.

But regardless it doesn't matter we all know what TD meant.

Last edited by zester (2013-11-10 21:04:36)

  • anael
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Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

The correct word here in this context is "Instance", it means the mesh is in memory only once.

"Proxy" is used in 3dsmax to import data from another file with an active link to it (in blender it's called a "linked copy"). It means what you manipulate in the scene is a substitute of the linked file, so if you change the linked file, the substitute change. A Proxy is an Instance (however an Instance is not necessarily a Proxy).

So technically a Maratis Mesh is a Proxy and an Instance as it points to an external file and is not duplicated in memory.

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

Thanks Anael. That clears it up really nicely. Does anyone know of any small software that can calculate the memory of a program dynamically? Perhaps task manager could do it. Thanks guys.

  • Vegas
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Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

Tutorial Doctor wrote:

Does anyone know of any small software that can calculate the memory of a program dynamically? Perhaps task manager could do it

You can go with System Explorer, it's a enhanced task manager who display all the infos you could need

Re: Cloned Object Memory usage?

Thanks Vegas! I had that program a while ago before my first laptop crashed. Hadn't downloaded it again. It was VERY good. Thanks again.