Extracting pixols depth information?

[Brutus]

Hi there. I'm wondering if there's a way to extract the depth information of the pixols to a greyscale image.

In 3D we can use the Z infomation for composing, just wondering if the same could be done with the Z information of pixols.

Regards

[Frenchy Pilou]

Hi Brutus
If its just for make an image in level of grey you can use the mrgbZgrabber on the all Canvas so will otain an image in grey level :) See the trick follow
So grabb the Canvas :
Sub menu texture : Make Alpha
Sub menu Alpha : Make texture
Menu Color / Fill the canvas :)
You can save your image in grey level

If it's for make some displacement map or similar wait the next Version or see all this thread (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=011260)
I think that is this sort of thing that you talk :)
Have good reading :rolleyes:
Pilou

[sirquadalot]

Z-depth compositing. It is possible to some degree, by using the Mrgbz tool. The hardest part is planning your scene. I have had limited success with this because if you have to many objects that overlap each other, than it is difficult for other apps to comprehend all that info. Just make sure under the MRGBZ tools option, that auto crop is disabled and shaded rgb is enabled. Then go directly to the alpha panel look for the depth grab.
If you create the alpha from the texture menu's option(it will show in the alpha panel as RGBgrab) it tends to add to much info, and limits the zdepth way to much. Hope this clarifies things alittle.
What are you planning to make? Particle effects? or background shaders. ;)

[sirquadalot]

I was playing a little with this just now, and something I forgot to mention, was that say you place just 2 simple spheres on your canvas(one at -300 other at +1600 in my test), they can only have a toatal Zdepth of around 2000 or less or else the MRGBZ tool won't be able to see objects that are farthest away. Maybe a MRGBZ guru could explain this better. ;) ;)

[aurick]

Adjusting the levels on the exported alpha should be able to help with that. :)