instances from geometry nodes are not exported

[lictex]

Describe the bug

• as title

To Reproduce

1. create an empty scene and make some instances with gn
2. export the scene to gltf with Apply Modifiers
3. got an empty gltf file

Expected behavior

• all instances are exported

Screenshots

.blend file/ .gltf
If applicable, a zipped folder containing a .blend file for exporter issues and a .gltf file for importer issues. Please take care to include all resources, such as textures in the .zip file.

Version

• OS: windows
• Blender Version: 3.0.0

Additional context

• seems that none of the exporters in blender can handle this well... link

[julienduroure]

I confirm that current API can't evaluate depsgraph for GN.
Settings "Blender label", until this is solved in Blender

[julienduroure]

I created this task on blender tracker:
https://developer.blender.org/T94953

[scurest]

You probably know this already, but I'll point out that a Realize Instances node will turn instances into regular geometry that gets exported correctly (though inefficiently) in any exporter.

[julienduroure]

@scurest
Yes, sure. But I hope that current work on geometry node (core blender), made it possible without this node.
But thanks, this is always great to say it again. Maybe this is something @xyning didn't know

[lictex]

yes that should work.. but actually not. another blender bug makes the Realize Instances node removing all UVs, which is unacceptable for exporting
currently the only(?) way to export them is to manually breakdown instances into thousands of objects by the Make Instances Real operator, then join them.. weird and laggy workflow
this is not really related to the exporter tho, thanks anyway

[takahirox]

FYI: I'm writing an addon that allows to export instanced geometries created with geometry nodes as glTF + EXT_mesh_gpu_instancing extension https://github.com/takahirox/glTF-Blender-IO-EXT-mesh-gpu-instancing It started to work.

[feuerste]

Looking forward to having #1786 landed, which will address the issue here.

[julienduroure]

Closing this ticket, as we can now export GN Instances