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View Full Version : ZScript Utility: Select-It


aurick
07-14-05, 10:57 AM
ZBCImage.jpg (http://javascript%3cb%3e%3c/b%3E:zb_insimg%28%2714481%27,%27ZBCImage.jpg%27,1,0%29)


Have you ever had a mesh partially hidden and found yourself wishing that there was an easy way to maintain the model's groups, but also save that selection for later use?

You can! Introducing Select-It, a handy little plugin that adds extra functionality to ZBrush 2's partial mesh visibility features.

This utility makes use of your model's UV mapping to temporarily store your model's current visibility with the click of a button. After that, you can return to the stored visibility at any time -- even if you've partially hidden some other part of the model.

Each selection is stored as an Alpha. If you set multiple selections, you can switch between then by simply selecting the appropriate Alpha. Or you can even Save selections to disk, allowing you to recall them by name and even across multiple selections.

In short, this plugin works along side -- but independently -- of your model's polygroups. It is meant to supplement ZBrush's existing partial mesh visibility features.

Since the model's UV's are used to store the selection information, this opens up an option for editing your selections without using the Ctrl+Shift keyboard method. The plugin has options to convert your selection to a texture, which can then be modified using Projection Master before being converted back to partial mesh visibility. (For you fans of the Meats Meier "wire style," this feature actually works with any texture.)

A brief introductory tutorial is built into the plugin.

To install, simply click the link below to download a .zip file containing the plugin. Extract the file to your ZStartup\Zplugs folder (if you don't already have such a folder, create it before extracting). The plugin will now be found in the Transform palette every time you launch ZBrush.

Happy ZBrushing!

An important note about the Sel>Txr and Txr>Sel features: This plugin makes use of ZBrush's ability to convert visibility into alphas and textures via masking. Because masking is based upon points rather than polygons, the resulting alpha or texture will be based on masked points as opposed to visible polygons. What does this mean? When you use Sel>Txr, the black areas of the resulting texture may seem to have spread onto the surrounding polygons. You might also see a few stray black marks here and there based on your model's UV mapping. This is perfectly normal and is to be expected. When you use Txr>Sel, the mesh will still be hidden properly. The same thing is actually happening with all of the other plugin features, but you don't see it because those buttons don't display the alpha itself on your model.

lemonnado
07-14-05, 12:27 PM
THANKS !!! This is great!
LemonNado

ilusiondigital
07-14-05, 12:35 PM
Sounds exceptional

marcus_civis
07-14-05, 12:54 PM
Great work aurick! Good to see you're busy with zscripts in idle moderator moments. :D

wenna
07-14-05, 03:21 PM
Thanks for the plug-in!! Sounds real useful; can't wait to try it out!

sadicus
07-14-05, 06:40 PM
Thank You! What a usfull script,
Will all these cool Zscrips just be a natural part of the new ZB3?
:D

Digits
07-15-05, 06:52 AM
Great utility, thanks Aurick :tu::tu::tu:

TVeyes
07-15-05, 10:12 AM
Thanks you Aurick, very useful ZPlugin :tu:

Moochie
10-14-05, 02:59 AM
Gosh .. how did I miss this little beauty? Thank you!

Cassandra Helm
11-09-05, 01:50 AM
I missed it too. This is Great. Should be featured up top!

Anatom
11-10-05, 02:56 AM
Could it also controle Zbrush balls ?

So that parts of Zbrush construction be hidden and found later any time?

Anatom:D

routb
11-10-05, 10:55 AM
Awesome plugin.. This will simplify my life from here forward.. I use Zbrush every day to create 3D sculpture for architectural ornamentation manufacturers. Since my parts are actually going to be produced in real life, I usually have to import visual aid surfaces while modeling in Zbrush. (Like a plane to keep from sculpting out side of the thickness of material that the piece will be cut into..) As you can imagine I have to do a great deal of showing and hiding and masking to keep from sculpting my visual aids.

Would it be possible to have a floating bar that stores selectable 3D thumb-nails of visibility instances taken by the Set button?

Would it also be possible to save scripts that hide other meshes and poly groups that were hidden when the visibility instance was taken?


Thanks again,

IC

pelonxxx
11-16-05, 10:51 AM
Hello routb, your job is one of my dream jobs, have you heard about 3DOpacity szcript? I think It'd be useful for you, also there is another script called ZRefImage that is very useful to make models over an image.

PrayingMantis
02-14-08, 08:27 AM
Is it possible to make it functionnal for v3?