Make1Mesh v1.24 - plug-in for Zbrush3 (Updated 7/1/07)

[Game Master 770]

Makes a Single Mesh, from a Tool with multiple SubTools.
The current Subtool, and all other visible Subtools get mergred into 1. The selected Subtool becomes the base of the new Mesh.
The Sub-D level of each SubTool at the time of activation, is the one that gets used.
Each extracted Sub-Tool, gets polygrouped, so if you were to split the resulting single mesh, you will get the same Sub-Tools you had before.

Clone method (default) - preserves poly-painting and UV maps, but changes the names of all the originaly used Sub-Tools.
PolyMesh3D method (ALT+click) - preserves the original Sub-Tool names, but deletes any poly-painting and UV maps on the created mesh.

:b3: Download Make1Mesh plug-in :b3:
http://www.mediabakers.com/files/Make1Mesh.zip



--Version History--
v1.2 - Added Features
- Added Shift and Alt modifiers for different useage.
- Counts total merged polygons, and checks against MaxPolysPerMesh setting.
- Default behavior is now to merge selected and visible Subtools.
- Option to rename after it's complete. (use Shift Modifier)
- Returns original Subtool selection.
v1.22 - Added Features
- Changed method from MakePolyMesh3D to Clone. This should help preserve poly-painting and UV maps.
v1.23 - Bug Fixes
- Verify "Del Higher" and "Del Lower" before pressing them.
- Added IUpdate in each IFreeze and the main loop.
v1.24 - Bug Fixes, Updated Feature
- The Clone method changes the original names, which caused some side-effects. This update should fix them.
- Changed Alt behavior to include PolyMesh3D method.

[Useage]
(Click Button) - Merge using Clone method.
(Click Button + ALT) - Merge using PolyMesh3D method.
(Click Button + SHIFT) - After merging, a request to rename the new Mesh appears.

Note: If you plan to use ALT+SHIFT together, make sure you press Shift first, or SHIFT might be ignored.


Original v1.0 thread
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=366035#post366035

Also, I never figured out how to rename via script, so if somebody wants to tell me how, without saving, I'll add that in.

[dubbilan]

Cool, thanks alot!

A request, would it be possible to retain polypainting after merging?
Maybe it already is, but it doesn't work for me :(

[Game Master 770]

Cool, thanks alot!

A request, would it be possible to retain polypainting after merging?
Maybe it already is, but it doesn't work for me :(I can't control some of the side effects that it may have. I'm not rebuilding the mesh outside of Zbrush, where I would have total control over UV's and such, but inside Zbrush. It's rather simple, copy a subtool, copy another, and merge them together. Copy a 3rd and merge that with the other 2 that are merged already. How they get merged internally, is upto Zbrush. If I wanted it to be perfect, I'd have to make OBJ's of each, and merge them in an app outside of Zbrush, where I would have full control of it all. Zbrush has always had UV issues, starting with the fact that only 1 UV map is supported, and only 1 texture map. Even with multiple SubTools, still only 1 texture map.

If you know of a method that works if you manually do it inside of Zbrush, than I can add that in. Let me know if you come across such a solution.

[aminuts]

actually since i haven't tried it yet can't say it works....but
if you are grouping then there is no reason that if you save those cols>tex (am not saying you should have to gamemaster as this would open up cans of worms i know you don't want to open) then once your tool is whole you should be able to load each texture by itself (like you would before it was one mesh) by simply selecting the group you want and then loading the apropriate texture.......if you are asking if you can combine them into one....that actually can be done by loading each group...doing the tex>col thing....to your one mesh then col>tex if the whole now is mapped in one.....you don't wanna go there i think GM....but if one stays in zb....a user can do this...this is one of the reasons polypainting was designed the way ti was

[Game Master 770]

aminuts, I don't really follow what you mean, but I'd like to. You think you can record a simple session that does what you are saying?

[aminuts]

hi will try to do that tomorrow for you.....but


really this is not an area you want to walk down i think for a public script but

i'll give you...well try to give more plain what i am thinking....

since i can texture...and polypaint then save to texture any subtool i have.....

and since make1mesh also polygroups my subtools...then i should also be able to make sure said group is visible then reload said previously saved texture and use tex>col to apply that to that group as a polypaint for that group.....now this should work fine in theory.....but as i have said... i havent had a chance to test it yet...for pix...will attempt to show tomorrow.....once one has one's whole mesh "repolypainted"this way then one could transfer this uv'd anydamn way they wanted i reckon...some ways with a tad more work than others but there you are....

hopefully that made sense..if not...i will try to post a script tomorrow afternoon.

[Game Master 770]

I tried what I think you mean, and it didn't work, so I may have done it wrong. The Col>Txr feature, is highly UV dependent, and the UV's seem to get damaged when you use "Make PolyMesh3D".

On another test, I did notice the polypaint colors holding steady, if I use "Clone" instead of "Make PolyMesh3D", but that requires me to delete the higher and lower sub-d. That's no big deal, as it will just take a little longer to process, but that might be the solution, instead of the texture route. Going to do some more testing to confirm my findings. But so far, I think "Make PolyMesh3D" removes all extra data, including UV and polypaint, which is causing the issues. "Clone" might be the silver bullet here.

I am using "Make PolyMesh3D", since it gives me a mesh with no sub-d in it, which is the requirement for merging. Yeah, I know if they are all the same sub-d level, it works too, but to insist that everyone's mesh is equally sub-divided per-subtool, is insane.

[Svengali]

Actually, I was trying to think of a method for this too.

The objective is to have all of the subgroups in the merged model retain their polypainting so when done, it looks just like the polypainting on the original multiple subtool model.

It could end up being pretty easy to do adding subroutines which manage the following steps..

Select a subtool.
Select a texture map.
Press Col>Tex (saves a copy of the polypaint to the texture map.)
(Copy the Material:ItemInfo to a variable if you want to xfer that)
Clone the subtool.
Select the clone.
(Set Material:ItemInfo with variable and Fill Object)
Select the same texture map.
Press Tex>Col which should reapply the texture map as polypaint on the clone.
Select the mergeobject.
InsertMesh the clone

Rinse and Repeat for all subtools.

I guess you could safely use the same texture map for all transfers.

It might be necessary (or even smart) to add a step that assigns GUV mapping to the subtool before the Col>Tex step.

For export, you could save the maps with unique names that would match the clones.

Sven


[Edit ] Wait a Sec...

After all that, I see that cloning a subtool simply generates a copy with the polypaint intact. (including materials) When the clones are merged, the polypaint comes right along. So Duh, never mind!

Cloning bypasses the whole problem of MakePolymesh3d, right?



Sven (note to self: test FIRST)

[aminuts]

yeah....you are gettin what i mean....and the probs it entails....and I am semi thinking i semi have a work around but again...that requires me experimenting.

i think we can safely say that pixologics idea of polypainting....and doing so with 0 uv's......are not for naught....these probs we are trying to address in meantime me thinks are not necessarily for nothing but i think since zb has been dealing with ilm etc......how can we think multi-textures and bringing multitools together for same...have not been addressed in some way?.......specially since polypainting which was available in z2 is now uv independent in z3? I think I love mr. alon......doing this frees an artist in about 38 million ways i haven't even thought of yet....let alone what he has instore for us.....so...hahhaha where was i? sighhhhhh

i gotta do some testing me thinks.... :eek:

[aminuts]

ha...Sven...you posted pretty much what i was thinking but can never state i guess in plain english....thanks...but yeah that's it!! :D

[Game Master 770]

I updated the original link, to v1.22
I did not use the texture technique you guys are talking about, but something more simple instead. It seems to work OK for me, on both poly-painting and UV maps, but I only tested it just enough.

v1.22 - Added Features
- changed method from MakePolyMesh3D to Clone. This should help preserve poly-painting, and UV maps.

[andreseloy]

Marcus I agree with you, i use regularly the clone tool because it make "native" every tool you clone, say:material,texture,paint...become incorporated.
GameMaster: the addition are just outstanding.
for the moment the link dont work.
Andreseloy

[Game Master 770]

.... for the moment the link dont work.
AndreseloySounds like you caught the 1/2 hour window where I was having FTP troubles. Please try downloading again. :tu:

[saltapiedras]

Gracias, Game Master 770, excelente plugin. Esta nueva versión se me cuelga a veces, aunque no siempre, en cambio, la anterior nunca me dio problemas.

[Game Master 770]

Gracias, Game Master 770, excelente plugin. Esta nueva versión se me cuelga a veces, aunque no siempre, en cambio, la anterior nunca me dio problemas.Alegre tienes gusto de él. ¿En qué punto para? ¿Para en el mismo lugar, con el mismo acoplamiento? Apesadumbrado, sobre el mal español, utilicé un programa de la traducción.

(English version) - Glad you like it. At what point does it stop? Does it stop at the same place, with the same mesh? Sorry, about the bad Spanish, I used a translation program.

[andreseloy]

here is working fine! no delay
just to make sure: you have to click first the button from your plugin and then alt or shiftf key?
what is the results of pressing shift and alt together?
same rule: click button AND shift+alt?
Andreseloy

[iImagine]

As a token of my appreciation for this plug-in, just this morning I had my first-born christened Game Master. :D

[Svengali]

GM,

The merge works well.

However, something funky happens after running Make1Mesh 1.22, in that following a merge I have problems launching other plugins. Is it only me? Have you or has anyone else noticed a similar problem?

Sven

[marcus_civis]

However, something funky happens after running Make1Mesh 1.22, in that following a merge I have problems launching other plugins. Is it only me? Have you or has anyone else noticed a similar problem?

Sven

Yes, I was going to mention this but wanted to be sure that it wasn't due to my particular set up.

The issue is that after running Make1Mesh the interface doesn't update correctly when loading zscripts into the ZScript window. I know the cause - it is due to the use of IFreeze around the Loop in Make1Mesh which causes some sort of recursive behaviour (I had the same problem with one of my own scripts). The solution is to add the [IUpdate] command into the loop.

[Game Master 770]

I never used IUpdate before. It needs to be in the final IFreeze loop, or simply at the end of the script? I have several Loop and IFreeze sections. Can you explain better where it needs to go. Every Loop? Every IFreeze? End of script?Yes, I was going to mention this but wanted to be sure that it wasn't due to my particular set up.

The issue is that after running Make1Mesh the interface doesn't update correctly when loading zscripts into the ZScript window. I know the cause - it is due to the use of IFreeze around the Loop in Make1Mesh which causes some sort of recursive behaviour (I had the same problem with one of my own scripts). The solution is to add the [IUpdate] command into the loop.

[marcus_civis]

I never used IUpdate before. It needs to be in the final IFreeze loop, or simply at the end of the script? I have several Loop and IFreeze sections. Can you explain better where it needs to go. Every Loop? Every IFreeze? End of script?

I'd put it as the last command within every loop that is within [IFreeze, and also as the last command within the [IFreeze too for good measure. Just use the command as [IUpdate] without specifying any values.

I've noticed problems with IFreeze before, particularly when interating over the Item Info slider. It only seems to kick in after a certain number of iterations, so it's not always detected if testing lower numbers.

HTH,

[saltapiedras]

Me sucede con una cadena que he hecho para un tanque, en la que el mismo objeto se repite 27 veces. No se si eso influirá. No me pasaba con la versión anterior. En cualquier caso, el plugin es maravilloso y ahorra cantidad de trabajo. Es todo un regalo, Game Master 770.

Gracias de nuevo.

[sammysmee]

i may be being dumb but i cannot get this to work :S i click the button i get this messege :

http://i19.tinypic.com/6ffkutz.png

and then my model has all its subtools removed and they get added as new tools.

meh :O

[Game Master 770]

I'm posting an update tommorow, that should address some of these issues.

[feureau]

Wow, how did I miss this for all the time it's been out here! LOL :D

Awesome lifesaver! Thanks Game Master!
:tu: :tu: :tu:


Btw, it would merge some tools and refuse to on others. Weird. Expecting the update! ;)

[Game Master 770]

I updated Make1Mesh yesterday, but couldn't access the ZBC. Seems they changed thier IP address.
Anyway, I hope this helps fix some of the problems people were having.

v1.23 - Bug Fixes
- Verify "Del Higher" and "Del Lower" before pressing them.
- Added IUpdate in each IFreeze and the main loop.

[Game Master 770]

While the Clone method preserves UV's and poly-painitng, it alters the original subtool names, and that caused some other bugs, which I fixed.
I also brought back the PolyMesh3D method into the ALT+Click useage, to give a chioce between keeping the Subtool names, or the extra vertex data. All useage now is only on visible Sub-Tools.

v1.24 - Bug Fixes, Updated Feature
- The Clone method changes the original names, which caused some side-effects. This update should fix them.
- Changed Alt behavior to include PolyMesh3D method.

[ancomic]

v1.0 = :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu:
v1.2 = :confused:
v1.22 = :confused:
v1.23 = :confused:
v1.24 = :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu: :D
Very nice plug-in. Thank you.

[Atwooki]

Yup - Things update's a real goodie Games Master 770 :)
Many thanks to you for this gem :tu:

[ArfGraf]

Greetings,

I have not been able to get Multimarkers in ZBrush 3 to work like they used to. I have been investigating sub tools and looking for some answers as how to merge them and use as a replacement for Multimarkers. Many thanks again for your terrific script:)

[marcus_civis]

Is this plug-in just to merge all the subtools or is it also for, after merging, to move all the subtools at the same time? In case it is also to move, I am not getting to do.

I can answer this :) You have some of your objects masked which is why they aren't moving. You can't really use topology masking for merged subtools. Instead use the lasoo to mask the parts you don't want to move (often the simplest way is to mask the bits you do want to move and then invert the mask).

HTH,

[marcus_civis]

You are right. :tu:
It is easy, but perhaps it is not so easy, depending on the case and of who is the artist, like you can see. :lol:
Thank you.

Actually the demosoldier's legs are so close together that it is difficult to avoid that.

[-WOODY-]

Thanks for the plug Game Master 770, that's pretty handy dandy :tu:

[rhinomax1]

make 1mesh can't work in zb3.1

[Game Master 770]

I just found out about 3.1, so I'll have to take a look to see what's different late next week. I'm tied up till then.

[jadedsoul]

im using 3.1 and iv realy been after a tool like this. so thanks alot. however its not working for me, if it does work in 3.1, its saying "THIS TOOL HAS NO SUBTOOLS" when i have like 20 subtools...am i doing somthing worng??

[Eastman]

jadesoul, this script is for 3.0. It appears it needs to be updated for 3.1. In the post above yours the creator says he's going to try looking into it at the end of next week (which is the end of this week) :)

[Game Master 770]

I made a new version for 3.1, and you can get the details at the link below.
The new version is not compataible with 3.0. The visibility flags seems to have changed from 3.0, so my FlipSubVis plug-in is also broke, and will be updated shortly.
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=385571#post385571

[pixelpickle]

I've been using this tool for a while now, it has become part of my standard workflow, I love it.
Well done GM770 :D

[Maxsunset]

This isnt really working for me (I use 3.1). It only merges some of the subtools together (the top 2 or so in the list). Even the alt-click method (which you have to put the whole Zplugs menu into a tray to get to work, otherwise pressing alt just closes the drop down menu:confused:) doesnt merge all my subtools, and becuase it looses the UV info, is pretty much useless.

[Game Master 770]

This isnt really working for me (I use 3.1). It only merges some of the subtools together (the top 2 or so in the list). Even the alt-click method (which you have to put the whole Zplugs menu into a tray to get to work, otherwise pressing alt just closes the drop down menu:confused:) doesnt merge all my subtools, and becuase it looses the UV info, is pretty much useless.It seems to be working for other people, so maybe it's related to your mesh some how. Try other meshes and see what happens, or you can send me your problem mesh and I'll take a look at it.

[delminiature]

Problem is that it's made for 3.1 and I got 3.0 for now no time to update :(

Going to see if I can update soon !

[Game Master 770]

Problem is that it's made for 3.1 and I got 3.0 for now no time to update :(

Going to see if I can update soon ! Zbrush 3.0 users should continue to use version 1.24 (http://www.mediabakers.com/files/Make1Mesh_v1.24.zip) , as stated in the most recent version's thread version 1.26b (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=49952)
I would have updated the link in this post, but after some time, you can't edit your own posts. So I put that info in the latest version's thread.

[dreadream]

everytime i use the button make mesh..
i dont know whats goin on and my function of blurin a mask crashes too.

i dont know where to get rid of these lil bug and i got in both versions on different PCs...

[Game Master 770]

everytime i use the button make mesh..
i dont know whats goin on and my function of blurin a mask crashes too.

i dont know where to get rid of these lil bug and i got in both versions on different PCs...Make sure you are using the proper version for your Zbrush. 3.1 users should be using the latest version 1.26b. Zbrush 3.0 users should be using version 1.24

[delminiature]

Thanks going to test it :)

[RockinAkin]

Fantastic script! I was hoping there would be a way to do this in ZBrush.

Keep up the great work.

[wckedsunny]

Ok buddy, thanks for this plugin but I am having a problem.

I am using the right version of plugin.

When I am merging the subtools, I am not able to retain the lower subdivision levels.

I have double checked that all subtools are at same subdivision level.

Any idea how to achieve this ?

I am able to retain the levels when i use tool>geometry>insert mesh process but thats time consuming and zbrush crashes when I use about 10 subtools.

Do let me know if you can help in this.

[Game Master 770]

When I am merging the subtools, I am not able to retain the lower subdivision levels.

I have double checked that all subtools are at same subdivision level.

Any idea how to achieve this ?
This plug-in is designed mainly for exporting, and other apps will not support multi-res meshes. The purpose is to flatten multi-tools into 1 simple mesh. So there is basicly no way to support lower subdivisions, right now.

There is a version of this plug-in by EZ that sounds right for you. Here's the link to it, which also has a video on how it works, so you can watch that, and see if that's what you are looking for: http://www.highend3d.com/f/4875.html

[KHALLUS]

I used it with demosoilder and imported to cinema 4d10 it works beautifully thanks for the fab plugin i love it..now to get some real work done.:cool:

[Sebcesoir]

Is the DL link dead?

[aminuts]

Sebcesoir......



Download Make1Mesh plug-in - v1.26b for Zbrush3.1
http://www.mediabakers.com/files/Make1Mesh.zip


Zbrush 3.0 users should continue to use version 1.24 (http://www.mediabakers.com/files/Make1Mesh_v1.24.zip)

[tez]

Spot on, thanks for this update, works great from what iv tryed so far.:tu: