About

I’m now kicking ass at Solid Angle as a Senior Support Specialist.

Previously I was a “Product Support Technical Lead” for the M&E division at Autodesk, and the team lead for the Softimage support team.

AKA stblair or xsisupport or StephenBlair on the different Softimage forums.

I worked at Softimage [and Autodesk] for over 13 years (1995 to 2000, and 2004 to 2012), first as a programmer-writer on the SDK team and then as team lead/technical support specialist.

My specialties were ICE, scripting, the SDK, scene troubleshooting, and anything related to system configuration, set up, and licensing.

My LinkedIn profile.
My ResumUP profile.
Me, running cross-country
My old bike.

Customer Quotes:

From the survey on my last support case

After some shaky experiences with autodesk in the past, I hadn’t put much stock on the support guys being able to offer help. I am so pleased I set aside my previous bad experiences and tried them again as Stephen Blair exceeded our needs. Extra note to Stephen’s Manager: Stephen Blair completely resolved the query I had, and exceeded any previous support by offering multiple solutions, code snippets, screenshots, completely broken down guides to follow. I was absolutely blown away by his attention to detail and level of care provided. If there is a pay review or bonus coming up, I would like you to be mindful of this review as Stephen is an asset to your company and whatever you are paying him you should pay him more!
— Lockheed Martin

Here’s a couple of unsolicited e-mails sent to my manager, both within the same 24 hours:

“If you are looking for the next employee of the month, Stephen Blair is absolutely in for it. In the past few weeks he has provided us with quite a few workarounds for really nasty nearly-not-to-catch low-level production showstoppers which hit us after moving the team to v2011 SP1, the very worst one being solved just this morning. Feel free to move this on to whoever is in the position to give him a raise.”
—— —-, 49 Games

“I just wanted to give my praise again to Stephen…he is one of the most incredible support people I have ever dealt with in my 15 years of working with Softimage. His response time today for me was less than a minute when I needed some serious help….if he is due a raise double it “
—– ——–, Janimation

53 thoughts on “About”

Amy Peck on August 25, 2009 at 10:22 pm said:

Hi Steve -

I am a Program Manager with Microsoft’s Windows Application Experience team.

We have identified a compatibility issue concerning Softimage XSI Advanced 6.5 when upgrading the operating system to Windows 7.

For the benefit of our mutual customers, Microsoft has implemented a “Reinstall on Upgrade” soft block for Softimage XSI Advanced 6.5. It serves only as a warning of known upgrade issues and recommends that users uninstall the application before upgrading to Windows 7. The application can be reinstalled after upgrade.

Application compatibility test results and soft block implementation details:
PRODUCT NAME: XSI Advanced 6.5
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM: fails to launch after system upgrade to Windows 7
STEPS TO REPRODUCE:
On Vista SP1–
1. Install XSI Advanced 6.5
2. Verify that XSI Advanced 6.5 launches/runs on system
3. Upgrade system to Windows 7
4. Launch XSI Advanced 6.5
RESULTS: Application attempts to launch batch script and immediately terminates

TEST/DEV NOTES: \windows\system32\drivers\etc\services file do not migrate which misses a key TCP port opening (7050)

The following application(s) and version(s) are soft blocked in Windows 7:
Application XSI *
Blocked file XSIChooser.exe
Version UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION=”1.3.2007.316”
Type of block Reinstall_Upgrade
URL for Windows Upgrade Advisor – PLEASE SUPPLY URL

The soft block dialog box will appear at the beginning of the Windows 7 upgrade process.

The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, a stand-alone applet that may be run at any time separately from the Windows 7 upgrade process, also flags applications with Reinstall on Upgrade soft blocks. The Upgrade Advisor provides the user a link to the partner website for more information.

Please provide a URL for the “more information” link. The URL you provide must contain actionable information for the user in reference to the problem described above. It may contain a description of the problem, a downloadable update and/or point to a new Windows 7 compatible version of the application. Users should be able to get the solution in 3 clicks or less.

Thank you –

Amy Peck
Program Manager
Microsoft Windows Application Experience
Reference Number: 12463

Please note that I contacted support@softimage.com on 07.02.2009 but received only an auto-response.

Reply ↓
John-Pierre on October 29, 2009 at 2:58 pm said:

Thank you Stephen for writing the seven steps to get the licensing going for 2010, followed them worked a dream.

JP.

Reply ↓
Travis on December 3, 2009 at 5:56 pm said:

Hi Steve,

when I have a problems trying to install Softimage 2010 on Linux, would you assist me? Are you the one?

Thanks in adnvance

Travis

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on December 3, 2009 at 11:44 pm said:
  
  I think you already logged a case, right? The answer was to run the setup in a tcsh shell.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Hirazi Blue on February 23, 2010 at 9:22 am said:
    
    Great resource, obviously!
    It might, however, be an idea to link the side bar “Softimage KB” to the actual page of the Softimage KB, now it links to the autodesk.com home page…
xsisupport on February 23, 2010 at 2:41 pm said:

Thanks!
Unfortunately I’m not able to specify where that link goes, I just enter the title text and wordpress somehow figures out a URL based on the RSS feed URL I give it.

Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on October 28, 2010 at 10:38 am said:

Hi,
At the moment you have two topics marked as “Sticky” (to use a phrase from the forum world). This is confusing as opening the page doesn’t give you the impression anything new has been posted (as the two “sticky” posts take up the whole browser window), so it might be an idea to “unstick” your “Installing Softimage 2011″ post. No biggie, obviously. Merely a suggestion.

Reply ↓
frédéric on April 18, 2011 at 8:04 am said:

hello

autodesk send me to you because i have a problem to find an old version of cat fore max 9.

do you know where i can still buy it ???

thx in advance.
best regards

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on April 18, 2011 at 3:05 pm said:
  
  I’m sorry, there is no way to purchase the older versions of CAT.
  Autodesk doesn’t sell CAT because CAT is included in 3ds Max.
  
  Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on August 1, 2011 at 7:08 am said:

Am I missing something or did you disable RSS feeds on comments?

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on August 1, 2011 at 7:32 am said:
  
  I didn’t disable, unless I did it be accident somehow.
  The feed looks up-to-date here: http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/comments/feed/
  
  Reply ↓
  - Hirazi Blue on August 1, 2011 at 8:03 am said:
    
    Must be overlooking something then, happens all the time…
Hirazi Blue on August 1, 2011 at 8:05 am said:

But there’s no more RSS feed for individual threads (or have I gone totally blind?)

Reply ↓
- Hirazi Blue on August 1, 2011 at 8:06 am said:
  
  By which I obviously mean: no more RSS feeds for the comments on individual feeds…
  
  Reply ↓
  - xsisupport on August 1, 2011 at 8:14 am said:
    
    I don’t see a clickable link for the rss feed, you’re right.
    But I can subscribe to the page feed through my browser (Firefox > Bookmarks > Subscribe to this page)
Hirazi Blue on August 1, 2011 at 8:33 am said:

What’s this “Firefox” you mention? Some new alternative to Opera?
I figured it out (for Opera at least): adding “[/]feed/” to the URL of the article brings up the feed I can subscribe to…

Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on October 4, 2011 at 6:32 am said:

Regarding your tweet about your surgery: I wish you a speedy recovery!!!

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on October 4, 2011 at 8:23 am said:
  
  Thanks The fracture wasn’t going to heal by itself like we originally thought, but now I should be headed in the right direction
  
  Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on October 15, 2011 at 2:34 pm said:

A possible suggestion for the “Friday Flashback” series, as this is something the younger “Autodesk” crowd will probably have never worked with: the “legacy” particles from the olden days…

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on October 16, 2011 at 12:31 pm said:
  
  That’s a good idea, thanks. The legacy particles were always a bit of a unknown to me. I put off learning them because it always seemed that Moondust/ICE was just around the corner.
  
  Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on December 6, 2011 at 4:12 pm said:

Yet another Friday Flashback suggestion: “Autodesk Acquires Softimage”.
The webpage celebrating this acquisition can still be found here: http://tinyurl.com/7vballb (Wayback Machine)
while the webcast of the interview with Marc Petit & Marc Stevens still lives on the Autodesk servers, but you must know how to find it: http://tinyurl.com/787pp44
As a topic, “something for everyone”, I would think…

Reply ↓
- Hirazi Blue on December 6, 2011 at 4:13 pm said:
  
  “Your comment is awaiting moderation.”
  I know I’m annoying, but this is silly…
  
  Reply ↓
  - xsisupport on December 6, 2011 at 4:22 pm said:
    
    Strange, your other comments never need moderation because I clicked “always allow” or whatever it was called for you. Maybe it’s something about the About page?
- xsisupport on December 7, 2011 at 5:13 pm said:
  
  Thanks. I’ll probably use this next Fri (16 Dec), since 15 Dec 2008 was my first day in the Autodesk offices.
  
  Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on December 6, 2011 at 4:25 pm said:

No problem, I just couldn’t let it go by unmentioned…

Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on March 28, 2012 at 8:16 am said:

Just a quick FYI – Are you (or your colleagues) aware the Google Groups Mailing List Archive stopped updated yesterday morning (European time)?

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on March 28, 2012 at 9:19 am said:
  
  Hi
  The Google Group is not something we created or maintain. It was created by a user.
  
  All the XSI list messages are showing up in both my Outlook and my gmail e-mail accounts, so as far as I can tell the list is working ok.
  
  Possibly this is just a temporary problem with the groups.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Hirazi Blue on March 28, 2012 at 10:31 am said:
    
    Thanks for the info. That certainly clarifies it a bit.
Hirazi Blue on May 16, 2012 at 10:21 am said:

Very IMHO: The new banner isn’t really an improvement over the old one I’m afraid!
We all know how the splash screen looks already…

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on May 16, 2012 at 10:23 am said:
  
  No, it is not an improvement. Just somewhat more Autodesk-ie.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Hirazi Blue on May 16, 2012 at 10:29 am said:
    
    That’s for sure, but I’m sure you’re able to come up with something that is a bit Autodesk-ie (as required) and still as “special” as your original picture…
Hirazi Blue on May 16, 2012 at 11:06 am said:

I’m not sure if you’re be allowed to use it, but a banner based on the 7.5 splash screen could make a nice “marriage” of the “old” and the “new” IMHO.

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on May 16, 2012 at 11:48 am said:
  
  I was working on something like that when you posted
  
  Reply ↓
  - Hirazi Blue on May 16, 2012 at 11:58 am said:
    
    Very nice! And much better than the standard splash screen banner IMHO.
Hirazi Blue on May 16, 2012 at 11:06 am said:

Strike the “be” from me previous post…

Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on May 16, 2012 at 11:07 am said:

And while you’re at it: the “me” obviously should be a “my”

Reply ↓
Doeke on June 9, 2012 at 3:32 am said:

Hi Steve, i was hoping you could help cause there is no contact at the wiki.
At this page of the wiki
http://softimage.wiki.softimage.com/index.php?title=Category:Documentation
i try to download this (a chm file of the xsi documentation):
http://softimage.wiki.softimage.com/xsidocs/xsidocs_2013.zip

I get ‘connection reset by peer’ after a few mb’s. I also asked some other’s to download it for me but they have the same problem.

hope you can do something about it.

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on June 11, 2012 at 3:31 pm said:
  
  https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12898205/xsidocs_2013.zip
  
  Reply ↓
  - clankill3r on June 11, 2012 at 3:37 pm said:
    
    thanks a million
    downloading now
    for the rest, i love your blog, i hope autodesk won’t put you on maya.
  - xsisupport on June 14, 2012 at 9:45 am said:
    
    Thanks!
Hirazi Blue on December 13, 2012 at 6:39 am said:

As I strongly suspect arnoldsupport.wordpress.com is “your doing”, why not at least announce it here as well (or did I somehow miss the announcement)? Yet another “free” post, at least, I’d say.

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on December 13, 2012 at 9:20 am said:
  
  Honestly, things are still up in the air. Will their be an official Arnold support blog? An un-official one? Where? What domain name do we want?
  
  So for now that Arnold Support blog is sort of a sandbox for me. I also have a potential tumblr site and another wordpress blog in case I need a more “personal” blog that is not tied to a company, rather like this one but more general (in that I can freely mention Maya or other DCC apps Or even give a stronger hint on how to reset trials
  
  Also, PayPal disabled my credit card and won’t let me renable it, even though their support says I should be able. So at the moment I can’t buy the domain, which was my original idea (because it seems WordPress has followed PayPal’s lead in not liking my card, even though it works everywhere else!)
  
  Having said all that, I guess I could clarify what I’m doing if I can figure it out myself.
  
  Reply ↓
- clankill3r on December 13, 2012 at 10:28 am said:
  
  thanks for letting me know!
  Finally a new cool blog to follow
  
  Reply ↓
  - Hirazi Blue on December 13, 2012 at 2:54 pm said:
    
    Just a suggestion: edit out the domain name you’ve been “eyeing”, out of your post (I assume you can do that on your own WordPress). That way you lessen the risk of someone picking it up just to spite you (or “your” company).
  - xsisupport on December 13, 2012 at 6:14 pm said:
    
    Good suggestion, I did exactly that.
  - clankill3r on December 13, 2012 at 4:38 pm said:
    
    yeah i allready thought not smart to show that name
    before you know it’s a titty bar
Hirazi Blue on December 24, 2012 at 3:55 am said:

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and your loved ones, Stephen

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on December 24, 2012 at 9:18 am said:
  
  Thanks Hirazi.
  Merry Christmas to you too, and all the best for the new year!
  
  Reply ↓
Hirazi Blue on April 30, 2013 at 8:03 am said:

What happened to your “header”? All I see is text on a wide background, with the usual white on black menu…

Reply ↓
- Hirazi Blue on April 30, 2013 at 9:39 am said:
  
  Appears to have been a fluke, the banner seems to be back in place…
  
  Reply ↓
brian tindall on April 30, 2013 at 12:57 pm said:

Hey Stephen,

My iBook “The Art of Moving Points” is now available on the iTunes site. This iBook is about facial articulation.

Here is the first review online.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/ebook-review-the-art-of-moving-points

cheers,

brian

Reply ↓
Aaron Rogers on June 12, 2013 at 8:39 am said:

Stephen,

I found your web site while searching for information about old versions of Softimage. Great resource, thank you for providing it.

I have some screenshots of Softimage Creative Environment 2.66 that I’d like to send you in hopes that you could use them for a Friday Flashback. What is the best way to get them to you?

Regards,

Aaron

Reply ↓
- xsisupport on June 12, 2013 at 11:31 am said:
  
  Hi Aaron
  
  Thanks! You could use this link to upload to my Dropbox account:
  http://www.entouragebox.com/u/VM6gungwP8nZxFfy98xayJysz
  or
  http://j.mp/14ll6v2
  
  Steve
  
  Reply ↓

eX-SI

ICE, scripting, and other tech stuff about Softimage aka XSI

About

Like this:

53 thoughts on “About”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Follow “eX-SI”