Finished ZPlugin: Reference Image - Updated

[marcus_civis]

RI_grab.jpg

Reference Image is a simple way to set up modeling reference images in ZBrush.



A single image is used with up to six views.
Switch views without leaving Edit mode or dropping model.
Rotate your model as you work, zoom or scroll the canvas and return to any view at the click of a button.
Save settings to disk for use between ZBrush sessions.

***Note: Reference Image does NOT save your model. Be sure to save it!***

Unzip the zip file to your ZStartup\ZPlugs folder. Restart ZBrush and you will find a new subpalette Reference Image in your Layers palette. You can Ctrl+drag the buttons to where you want and store the setting (Ctrl+Shift+I).

For full instructions click the R I Setup button and choose Help.

I hope you find Reference Image useful.

UPDATE 20 June 2005:

I've added a couple of options:
Default positioning: an aid to placing your model.
When switched on, clicking a view button that has not had a position stored will place the model at the correct rotation, in the center of the visible canvas. It can then be quickly moved into position before storing.

Point constraints
After Sven's suggestions I've added this option. When switched on, point movement is constrained to the view plane; a hotkey toggles on and off.

Also corrected a bug which imported the image in the wrong proportions when canvas was over 2048 in either direction.

For full instructions, click R I Setup button and choose Help. (The buttons for Right/Left are now the conventional way round. The alternatives, for those that want them, are included in the zip.)

Also, a tutorial and an example to experiment with, including image and model. Download the example.zip file and load after installing Reference Image. Instructions in zip.

Many thanks to Sven for his suggestions and invaluable help with testing.


Anyone new to user-made ZPlugins should read this FAQ info (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=187434) .

[wicked_n_raw]

Thanks for the download Marcus, I will try it out.

Furron

[Michoko]

Just BRILLIANT! Thanks a lot, this will be VERY useful! :D

Bye
Michoko

[chadtheartist]

Pretty cool plugin. I like the fact that it automatically sets up the transparency too, as that saves some time!

Thanks for sharing!

[Atwooki]

Extremely handy plug-in, marcus! and thanks for your generosity :tu:
I'm sure this'll save a heck of a lot of time :)

Chris

[SolidSnakexxx]

This is an excellent script.. Very useful indeed


Yong

[Svengali]

Hi Marcus,

What a fantastically useful utility. I've been wanting something exactly like this for a while now. Very nice implementation, too - so easy. Thanks for sharing!

Sven

[matvara]

"A single image is used with up to six views.
Switch views without leaving Edit mode or dropping model".


Where have you been all this time?!

Dear mister Marcus;
I have been looking for such functionality in Zbrush ever since I
got my first copy. As I base my 2- and 3D stuff upon hand-drawn
sketches, this will help to get an exact modelization in Z. Bonzai!!!

Thanks a lot and please don't stop coding like this!

:tu: :tu: :tu:

[Buckie]

Absolutely brilliant mate... props to you dude :tu:

[jotajota]

:tu: yes!!! :tu:

[Abyssis]

marcus-zplugs-guru:tu:
And now: PLEASE make:b4: one true-perspective-plugin:cool: :cool:
and too: :b4: one plugin to free rotate alpha:cool:

[marcus_civis]

Thanks guys, it is your enthusiasm that makes the fun of zscripting so much more fun. :)

I realized I'd gone against convention with the pics on my Left/Right buttons so I've posted a small additional file at the start of the thread for anyone who wants to correct them. Perhaps someone would explain, in simple terms that my dim brain will comprehend, why exactly the Left view generally gives the Right side of someone's face?

Sven, you are too kind. I know that you are quite capable of making a plugin like this yourself. :)

Abyssis,
Will tomorrow do? ;)

Cheers,

[aurick]

VERY cool plugin!!! :tu:

Is anyone else encountering a situation where every time you change the transparency setting, store a view, or click on a view you receive two ZBrush dialogue boxes warning that a model is active in edit mode and asking if you want to switch models?

[abcd1234]

:tu:

Is anyone else encountering a situation where every time you change the transparency setting, store a view, or click on a view you receive two ZBrush dialogue boxes warning that a model is active in edit mode and asking if you want to switch models?No, I have another minor problem but it's not important.

[Dickie]

Thank you, Marcus!!! We've needed this for sooo long...:D

Works fine so far...:tu:

Dickie

[Svengali]

Hi Marcus,

Been playing with the RI button set and have two comments if I may.

I've tried out the various view buttons in conjunction with constraints on point movements.
Using xyz toggle buttons under TRANSFORM:Modifiers: xy for Front and Back, yz for Left and Right, xz for Top and Bottom. Can be helpful but you need to remember to set xyz buttons appropriately each time you change views and turn all three back on for normal modeling. :D

Other thing is, it might be a good idea to put in a trap for background position values still set to 0,0 for undefined button views. Now, if you press an unassigned view button, the UPPER-LEFT-CORNER of the canvas gets moved to the center of the screen.

Other than that, I've had great results, especially with polyframe turned on. Nice work!

Sven

[Abyssis]

Abyssis,
Will tomorrow do? ;)


ok, thanks :cool: :D :D

[ryankingslien]

Marcus -

Elegant and simple! Thank you very, very much! You are awesome! I really appreciate you taking the time to think this through. :D :D

Ryan

[marcus_civis]

Many thanks all, much appreciated. If anyone has any problems, do let me know. PM me if you like. I've tested the plugin but we all work in different ways and there may be something I've missed.

Aurick, you wrote:
Is anyone else encountering a situation where every time you change the transparency setting, store a view, or click on a view you receive two ZBrush dialogue boxes warning that a model is active in edit mode and asking if you want to switch models?

If you've TWO objects in Edit mode, let us know how! ;) Seriously, I've not been able to reproduce this. The image is loaded onto a 3Dplane but once that's in position (on its own layer) the buttons don't call a tool of any sort. The position buttons need an object in Edit mode but it's not referenced in any way. The slider loads the ModelTransMat material but otherwise leaves settings alone. Only one thing occurs to me: the plugin uses the 'rebound' effect to recall the previous zscript. If your defaultzscript loads a particular tool then this could cause the problem?

Sven,
Many thanks for your testing, much appreciated. I see what's happening with the unused buttons (easily solved) and I'll have a think about the constraints (perhaps a warning message...).

Cheers,

[TVeyes]

Excellent Zplugin Marcus :tu: I will be using this once I get out of my modeling monsters stage, which will take a year or two ;)

Nice implementation.

[unknown]

Nice piece of engineering, thanks for plug-in. -Mark

[Digits]

:tu:Mucho thumbs:tu: Nice work my friend. Startup plugins are great, ready to use when you need them.

[wenna]

How have I missed this!!?!! Thanks so much as I try to use a ref pic often! Can't wait to try it!

[el-d]

Looks v. usefull, will be testing later

Thanks

El-d

[Sebcesoir]

against, thanks to help the communitywith yuor helpfull scripts!

[Bas Mazur]

Thanks Marcus! :tu:

[saltapiedras]

He colocado todos los archivos en ZBrush2\ZStartup\ZPlugs\ZRefImage_data, menos RefImage.zsc y RefImage_readme.txt, que van en ZBrush2\ZStartup\ZPlugs\ y cuando abro el programa no me sale nada. ¿Qué he hecho mal? o ¿Dónde debo buscar? ¿Alguien puede contestarme en español?
Gracias

[marcus_civis]

He colocado todos los archivos en ZBrush2\ZStartup\ZPlugs\ZRefImage_data, menos RefImage.zsc y RefImage_readme.txt, que van en ZBrush2\ZStartup\ZPlugs\ y cuando abro el programa no me sale nada. ¿Qué he hecho mal? o ¿Dónde debo buscar? ¿Alguien puede contestarme en español?
Gracias

¿Usted ha mirado en la gama de colores de las capas [Layers palette]? Recomenzar ZBrush después de instalar el plugin. Entonces en la gama de colores de las capas debe haber un nuevo título "Reference Image". Chasque encendido el pequeño círculo anaranjado y usted debe ver los botones.

[Google translation]

[saltapiedras]

OK. Gracias marcus_civis.

[boozy floozie]

Van Gough did some eyeball pleasers.
He must have been a pencil squeezer.
He didn't do the Mona Lisa,
That was an Italian geezer.

There ain't half been some clever b*st*rds
(Lucky bleeders, lucky bleeders)
There ain't half been some clever b*s-t*rds.
----------------------------------------------------
I love the way you've been looking at what ZBrush is missing and have the talent to follow through.

Marcus - what a guy :-)

Very generous

[cswat]

you ever have one of those days where the exact thing youre looking for falls directly into your lap? thx marcus

[Thomas Mahler]

Thanks a lot, this will come in handy!

[jimphillips2]

Marcus,

I've been waiting for Zbrush to include this in their next release...looks like you beat them to the punch! Many thanks!!!!:D

[Moochie]

Fantastic .. thank you!

[marcus_civis]

grab.jpg

Many thanks all for your comments. :)

I've posted an update at the top of the thread. It adds in a couple of options - default positions and (as Sven suggested) point constraints. There's also an example to experiment with.

[wenna]

Thanks for the update, Marcus!! I really like this and works so well!

[andreseloy]

Thanks Marcus!

i have a questions:
1.-this plugin work just with one image or i have to stored to the six position, let say six images?
2.-when i try to pass to other image side the object dissapear.
What i am doing wrong?
Thanks
Andreseloy

[marcus_civis]

wenna, thanks, I'm glad you like it. :)

Mario,
It works with one image, with up to six views on the one image. Did you try the example.zip I posted at the start of the thread? If you follow the instructions included with that it should give you an idea of how the plugin works. The views are already set with that. Press the R I Setup button, choose Load Project and load the project & image files (Moonface.dat & Moonface.jpg). Then load the model Moonface.ztl using the Tool>Load Tool button. Draw the model anywhere on the canvas and hit T to enter Edit mode. Now click the Front view button and the model will be placed and canvas scrolled for that view. (Don't SHIFT-click the button otherwise you'll overwrite the setting). Try out the other buttons.

If you still have problems after trying the example, send me a message and I'll try to put together a zscript for you.

Cheers,

[marcus_civis]

I've added a brief tutorial in the example.zip at the start of the thread.

[Frenchy Pilou]

...
Left....... Face... Right
Bottom... Back.... Top
will be just a little more appropriate :)
Pilou
Ps I don't use it, just my 2cents :rolleyes:

[TVeyes]

Just had time to test this out. Great work Marcus :tu: Should be useful for many people. Thanks.

[Dragonfury]

Hi :)!
I have a problem with this plugin and I hope someone will help me to solve it.When I try to load an image,after the loading time, it appears a white blank layer.I have tried many times even changing the image format,but I get no results.I use ZBrush 2 since not much time,so I am not very expert with it.Is it a problem of compatibility maybe ? Sorry men if I said a stupid thing !

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/9274/scr4ui.png

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/8070/scr17oi.png

[marcus_civis]

Hi Dragonfury,

I'm sorry you're having problems. I'm not sure what's going wrong here so I need to know a couple of things. Have you tried the example (example.zip) at the start of the thread? If so, does that give the same result? And after trying to load an image, does it appear in the Texture palette?

[Dragonfury]

Hi :)! I have just downloaded the example.zip file.I have tried to load the Moonface.jpg image,but the program doesn't show the image.I have tried to see in the Texture palette,but I don't see it.I attach you an avi file,so maybe my problem can be solved better !
Thanks for your help man :tu:!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=246AXPI7

[Sai Win Myint Oo]

Hello

How can i adjust the depth of the Ref image.Right now my model and ref image are collading each other.I would like to move my ref image in negative Z direction.:o

[marcus_civis]

Dragonfury,
Thanks for the video of your problem. I will reply to you tomorrow (I haven't the time just now).

Sai Win Myint Oo,
Rather than move the image back move your model forwards. With your model drawn on the canvas, switch to Transform:Move mode - so that the Gyro is visible. Now click and drag downwards OUTSIDE the Gyro. That will move your model forwads so that it no longer is clipped by the image.

HTH,

[Dragonfury]

Ok ! I wait for your reply :) !

[marcus_civis]

Dragonfury,

I've just sent you a Private Message.

Cheers,

[Pixolee]

the plugin is awesome.

but the button images (front, back, left, etc) are not visible on my Layers palette for some reason. all i see is a orange triangle with a question mark in each button... :ex:

i created a "RefImage_data" folder in ZBrush2\ZStartUp\ZPlug folder with the psd images and the custom material. restarted zbrush again and again...

thanks :)

ps. the custom material doesn't load either...

[marcus_civis]

Hi Pixolee,

Apologies, there's an error in the Readme.txt file - the folder should be named ZRefImage_data (as it is in the zip file). Make sure you put that folder & contents in your ZStartup\ZPlugs folder. The RefImage.zsc should be also be in the ZStartup\ZPlugs but outside the ZRefImage_data folder.

HTH,

[ryankingslien]

bump. :)

[ferber]

:cool: thank you very much, txo

[vrgz]

thanks a lot!

[Entomogant]

Installed it today! Works fine and i love that piece of software!
Splendid work!!

[Entomogant]

Oh, i found one thing that good be better!

If you load an project it would be great if the plugin remembers the last folder.
It is a bit annoying if you have to search the right folder every time...

[marcus_civis]

Thanks for the comments guys. :)

Entomogant,
Good idea; I'll bear it in mind for when I get around to an update. :tu:

Cheers,

[SNARK]

Hi, Marcus.

This looks like a great idea. When you say in the first post -

"Unzip the zip file to your ZStartup\ZPlugs folder."

Do you mean to put it in the ZStartup folder? For some reason in my version, the ZPlugs folder is under ZDocs (not ZStartup) and there is no folder under ZStartup until I place the ZRefImage folder there. When I do this and re-start ZBrush it does not show up in the plugins drop down. If I place it in ZPlugs under ZDocs and re-start the result is the same. Should I move ZPlugs to ZStartup? This is how the program installed and how I've been using it.

Thanks!

~S.~

[marcus_civis]

Hi SNARK,

The ZPlugs folder for user-made plugins is not created by the ZBrush installation. You need to create a new folder in your ZStartup folder called ZPlugs. (Don't move the ZData\ZPlugs folder or install any plugins there.) Then install Reference Image so that the RefImage.zsc file and the ZRefImage_data folder (and contents) are in the ZPlugs folder.

You may find this information (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=187434) about user-made plugins useful.

I hope you find the plugin useful,

[SNARK]

Thanks Marcus. You guys are great. I'm on it!

~S.~

[SNARK]

Everything's working great! Thanks!

~S.~

[marcus_civis]

Good! ;)

[SNARK]

Marcus,

Quick question. After I have set up my Ref Image and stored positions, how do I save those settings so that at a later date, when I load the tool for further work, I am able to call up the settings from the initial set-and-store process?

Thanks!

~S.~

[marcus_civis]

Hi SNARK,

To save a Reference Image project, Shift+click the R I Setup button. To load again in a later session, click the R I Setup button and choose 'Load Project'.

HTH,

[SNARK]

Thanks Marcus!

Even though the method is very different from the 'Quad View' approach used in apps like Maya, this works very well and I thank you.

~S.~

[TrapDoor]

Hi Marcus,

I have a question, is it possible to add in more position buttons to the ones already provided. It would be nice to have about 10/12 buttons to help when you are bringing in multiple objects on layers?

Thanks,

TrapDoor

[Al_Kang]

Hey Marcus ...

I love your plug-in!

I was working away with it, until I suddenly encountered a problem ... I came in this morning, and when I tried to launch Z Brush, I got this error :

ref_image_error.gif

I isolated the error to strictly the .zsc file ...

Without it, I can work fine in Z Brush ... BUT I'd rather work WITH it ...

Any thoughts?

Thanks ... and great work by the way ....

[marcus_civis]

Hi Al_Kang,

I've not encountered any problems of this sort with the plugin before. Please check that it is installed correctly though. Reference Image (as with all user-made plugins) should be installed in the ZStartup\ZPlugs folder for which (for a standard Windows installation) the full path is:
C:\Program Files\Pixologic\ZBrush2\ZStartup\Zplugs

For new installations you will need to create the ZPlugs subfolder.

(Note that there is another ZPlugs folder in the ZData folder which is for factory-made plugins only.)

I hope this helps.

and Trapdoor,
My apologies for the delay in replying to your message. It's an interesting idea to have more buttons. It would certainly be possible and I will bear it in mind for an update.

Cheers,

[tonyhnz]

I am new to Zbrush and have started trying to use the reference image plugin.

The problem is on occasion I have inadvertantly framed the model in the view port (by alt click I think). This meant the model was no longer at same scale/position as the background image.
Is there any way to recover from this ?

[SNARK]

Hey, Marcus. I love the plugin. How do I go about placing my reference image in a layer so that I can turn it on and off?

Thanks!

~S.~

[smokebox46and2]

Each image you load is automatically placed in a different layer...

[marcus_civis]

I am new to Zbrush and have started trying to use the reference image plugin.

The problem is on occasion I have inadvertantly framed the model in the view port (by alt click I think). This meant the model was no longer at same scale/position as the background image.
Is there any way to recover from this ?

Hi tonyhnz,
All you need to do is press the button for the view that you want. As long as your model is in Edit mode the setting will be restored.


How do I go about placing my reference image in a layer so that I can turn it on and off?

Hi SNARK,
You can switch layers to turn the image off but remember to return to the model layer otherwise you will lose transparency. Switching layers will drop your model to the canvas. Use Ctrl+N to clear the model layer. Redraw your model, press Edit, then whichever Reference Image button you wish to work with.

All the best guys,

[SNARK]

Thanks Marcus!

It would be cool not to have to re-draw as part of turning the ref image on or off but it's still a big help to have the plugin.

Thanks!

~S.~

[marcus_civis]

SNARK,
I'll bear in mind your suggestion for when I get around to updating the plugin.

Meanwhile, another way occurs to me. If you have a RI view button you're not using and your image has some blank area, simple move and zoom the canvas so that you just see the blank area, then draw your model and save the view. Now pressing that button will restore that view and you can model without your image showing (and without the fiddle of switching layers).

[SNARK]

Great, Marcus!

~S.~

[ashaiad]

I just srarted playing around with this utility
my Q is
after placing the Image in layer1 for example
how can i move it backword so it will not intersect with my creature
if i try to move the creatre away , then it get smaller and i can't allign it correctly
thanks

screen.jpg

[Blaine91555]

When you first place your model, before you enter edit mode, select move. The gyro should now be on the screen. Click and drag your cursor up or down anywhere outside the gyro and the model will move in or out.

[ashaiad]

that did the trick

thanks
as a SUG maybe it should be in the image plane setting...
:D

[Blaine91555]

Your welcome. Cool concept.

[marcus_civis]

I just srarted playing around with this utility
my Q is
after placing the Image in layer1 for example
how can i move it backword so it will not intersect with my creature
if i try to move the creatre away , then it get smaller and i can't allign it correctly

Hi ashaiad,
You can easily move your model forwards so that it's not clipped by the image. All you need to do is switch off the Edit button and then switch on Rotate, so that the Gyro is showing. Then click outside the Gyro and drag downwards to bring your model forwards. (You can rotate the model to check that it is far enough forward.) When you are done switch Edit back on and then set up and store your different image views.

HTH,

[raedabdalwahab]

thanks :tu:

thanks :tu:

thanks :tu:

thanks:tu:

[SNARK]

Marcus,

First off, I love the plug-in, ... but I keep having this little glitch that manifests from time to time that makes me want to pull my hair out. I'll be using the move or scale or rotate button to do the initial line up of the tool to the ref image and when I release the mouse button the tool snaps to a different scale (either larger or smaller) and a different location, losing my line-up. Somedays it is just impossible to use. Somedays there's no problem. How can I use this without having this 'Scale Snap' problem?

Thanks!

~S.~

[marcus_civis]

Hi SNARK,

I'm glad you like the plugin but I'm sorry you're having problems.

I wonder whether you're switching on the ZBrush 'sticky key' feature by accident and this is causing the problem. This can happen when switching between Alt, Shift and Ctrl sometimes and means that the Shift or Ctrl keys get 'stuck down'. You can tell that this has happened because your cursor will be blue or yellow even when no keys are pressed. To get rid of it just press the Shift (for blue) or Ctrl (for yellow) keys. [Press Shift, press Alt, release Alt, release Shift to see what I mean.] Note that if the Shift key is stuck down then pressing any of the plugin view buttons will always STORE not retrieve settings, so mucking up your project.

If this isn't what is causing the problem then I'm afraid I'm at a bit of a loss. The plugin only takes control of your model when you press a plugin button - to store or retrieve a setting. Otherwise ZBrush is in control. You might try using the gyro to position your model. As long as you switch on Edit before storing a view then you won't have any problems.

HTH,

[SNARK]

Hi, Marcus.

It happens whether I use the hotkeys, the bar buttons or the gyro. But it doesn't happen every session. I've been living with it and it is a small price, ultimately, to pay for such a fine tool. I have noticed it seems to happen only when making tiny, final adjustments to the model position for line up. I'll (for example) depress alt and the L-mouse button to move the model slightly and when I relese either the alt or the L-mouse button first, the model will snap to a different scale and position. Once I have gotten the position stored (sometimes after many many attempts) then it is no longer an issue. There is no color shift in the cursor arrow.

Thanks!

~S.~

[marcus_civis]

Hi SNARK,
One thing you should avoid is pressing/releasing the Alt key before the mouse button when you're done placing. That will muck up your placing/scaling. It's a ZBrush thing rather than anything to do with Reference Image. Change the Scale of a model in Edit mode and then click the Alt key off and on and you'll see what I mean.

[SNARK]

Hi, Marcus.

It's great you pay such close attention to your thread. It doesn't make a difference whether I first release the alt key or the mouse button. However, I can live with this. I had hoped it was a common complaint with a common solution, but, please, don't trouble over it any more. It's more a temporary annoyance than a barrier. I'll deal.

Thanks,

~S.~

[guillermete]

thanks Marcus!!!!!!!!!!

[alcazaam]

I am new here, but thanks for the scripts.

I have a problem... After trying load the image from R I Setup i get an error message

Alpha:Brush00
in...
(ipress, alpha:Brush00)

I have ZBrush3.0 with the 3.1 update.

Can anyone give me some feedback?

[jasongri]

I have the same problem, i'm not sure that it was made for 3.0 and 3.1. I sure hope they make a revision for this, it was a good plugin.

[marcus_civis]

I regret this won't work with ZBrush 3.1. An update is in the works but it will be a little while before it's ready.

[Majorbrighton]

;) A big thankyou Marcus, for a brilliant job on this plug-in - keep cooking!

[gabi68]

Hi,


New user of V 3.1. Any news about that upgrade for the new version of ZB.

TIA
GAbi

[marcus_civis]

gabi68,

It's in the works but won't be ready for a while.

[gabi68]

Thank you, I'll wait (it is somehow hard to do so) :D


Gb

[Eban65]

Are "a while" close in time now?;)
Would be a great tool!

[marcus_civis]

Are "a while" close in time now?;)
Would be a great tool!

Yeah, I'm aware that this would be useful. I've certainly not forgotten it but have had a lot to do recently. Hopefully soon. :)

[Maxxi]

I can't understand why this tools was not originally in ZB 3.1. You can find it in all the major 3D softwares and every modeler need it. I'm think I'm going back to ZB 2 :cry: