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View Full Version : QuickSave Update Plugin Button Set for ZB3 (replaces QuickSave)


Svengali
07-29-07, 12:34 PM
quicksave update splash.jpg

QuickSave Update plugin for ZBrush3 replaces the first QuickSave plugin which replaced the old PSnap button set.

Unzip and install new QuickSave.zsc in the ZStartup\ZPlugs folder. Next time you startup ZBrush3 you will find NINE buttons in the ZPlugins menu under the Svengali subgroup.

Image and I+ buttons

:b1: First, the Image button lets you save the canvas image as a .psd or .bmp file.

:b1: After that, the I+ button will save new versions of canvas image incrementing the original filename. Tree002.psd, Tree003.psd and so on.

Model and M+ buttons

:b1: First, the Model button lets you save the current model (tool) in the directory of your choosing. Models are automatically saved at the lowest SubD level. If more than one SubTool is present, the top SubTool is selected and given the file's name, after which the original SubTool is reselected.

:b1: Any subsequent saves with the M+ button will increment the root filename, assigning that new filename to the top SubTool.

Docum and D+ buttons

:b1: Here, you save the current Document (.zbr) to the directory of your choosing. Note that if a model is active, it WILL NOT appear in the document file, but will be restored afterwards, same location and size, in edit mode.

:b1: The D+ button will incrementally save subsequent document files.


NEW: Video and V+ buttons

Nothing fancy here, just two new buttons which work pretty much like the others in QuickSave.

Video button

:b1: If you Press Video button when no Movie is in progress., you get a warning popup message that tells you so... and aborts.

:b1: If Movie IS in progress, the Pause button is automatically pressed and the Save As Movie dialog box opens up - you enter a new name, press Enter, and the Movie (from beginning to its current pause point) is saved in the directory you choose, a momentary popup confirmation message is displayed, then the Movie resumes recording.

:b1: If you have already saved a movie before, all you need do when the Save As Movie dialog box opens up, is to press Enter, and the Movie (again, from beginning to its current pause point) is saved OVER the previous save using the same filename and path. A momentary popup confirmation message is displayed, then the Movie resumes recording.

:b1: Note for the Video button to work you must have already MANUALLY STARTED the Movie (after setting your custom parameters). The Video button merely automates saving to the current point then, continuing the capture. When done, you must also MANUALLY STOP it.

V+ button

:b1: If you Press Video button when no Movie is in progress., you get a warning popup message that tells you so... and aborts.

:b1: If Movie IS in progress, the Pause button is automatically pressed and a NEW COPY WITH INCREMENTED NAME is automatically created (from beginning to its current pause point) and saved in the same directory as the original, a momentary popup confirmation message is displayed, disappears, then recording of the Movie resumes recording.


One warning about using V+
:b1: If you press the V+ Button after beginning a Movie, but without having already saved it with a UNIQUE NAME for that RECORDING session, you will save a NEW COPY OF THE MOVIE IN PROGRESS WITH INCREMENTED NAME using the Movie Name assigned from a previous session. This may or may not be what you want, but QuickSave can't know.


The ninth button, QS-Help?, elaborates on this info about each button and how it works.

To use QuickSave, I drag all buttons (except for QS-Help?) to my User Interface (as shown).

*** A CAUTION! ***
I strongly recommend that you TEST THESE BUTTON-SAVE OPERATIONS WITH NON-CRITICAL FILES UNTIL YOU ARE CONFIDENT THEY WORK AS EXPECTED. And please, if you find any problems report them here.

Finally, at the suggestion of Marcus_Civis, I’ve added some code that keeps better track of previously used folders. Thanks to Marcus and to Aminuts for extensive testing and various feedback... and to Scott for suggesting the Video addition. appreciate it guys!


Sven

Bimm the Stone
07-29-07, 12:44 PM
OK, this is pure Candy....saves so much work..Thank YOU!


Bimm

panstar
07-29-07, 02:27 PM
Just what the good Dr, ordered. Thanks this is great.

Sebcesoir
07-29-07, 04:42 PM
Very cool... !!!thx dude!

vlad74
07-29-07, 05:00 PM
This is great. Thanks a lot.

Wordsmith
07-29-07, 06:15 PM
Sven, thank you so much. We all really appreciate the work you and others do in our behalf.

It always amazes me the things people can do, and are willing to share on this forum.

Again, thanks

Word.

feureau
07-31-07, 03:10 PM
Hey, the new one's out! w000t!! Thanks svengali! This plugin has saved countless hours of zbrushing. ;)

Svengali
07-31-07, 06:53 PM
Thanks guys... I hope to have a few others posted this week, both updates and one or two new ones.

Sven

Buckie
08-01-07, 04:09 AM
I remember having this very useful plugin for ZB2, great to see it for ZB3 now, Thanks Sven... :D

Atwooki
08-01-07, 02:14 PM
Works a treat Sven (just as before :) ) Thanks for all your ingenuity and hard work :tu:

Chris

RAMWolff
08-07-07, 01:49 PM
Awesome set of tools. Thanks so much!! :)

JUPITER
11-03-07, 05:11 AM
Thanks for the .zsc ;) very useful

NathanLedet
11-18-07, 10:44 AM
Loving it...however, it keeps saving in the ZScripts folder. Is there a way to make it save in the ZTools folder?

Svengali
11-18-07, 11:49 AM
I'm surprised you are having this problem. The script specifically allows you to pick the folder path in the standard file save dialog window. And Quicksave remembers this path between saves, even between ZBrush sessions.

After the model is saved there is a popup note that tells you the path where your file was saved (above the name of the file saved). The path you choose when you do a save should match the path when you later do an incremental save...


quicksave confirm window.jpg

Sven

NathanLedet
11-18-07, 11:57 AM
well oddly enough after you post it seems to be working.... :lol:

newb error.

Chi_D
11-27-07, 06:31 AM
Needed a quick save like this. Thanks

jaystein777
12-07-07, 06:08 PM
Svengali, I think you just saved ZBrush 3.1 for me. I no longer seem to be getting the save crashes. So far so good. :)

Flyer
01-25-08, 05:33 PM
Svengali, Thank you.

Quicksave is a truely impressive solution to the ever so common issue of zbrush crashing during saving. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I have lost my creativity on models. But still being human, from time to time I tend to get so envolved and focused on my project that I forget to reach for the "M" key to save and my workstation crashes.

Now, not being a programer or scripter I have no idea of the time or envolvement it takes to create scripts like these, but I was wondering if additions to the script would be possible? The addition I had in mind was a timed autosave. With a timed auto save, the artist would be able to set the time interval whether it was 15 seconds or 15 minutes and would not have to worry that his work was saved just prior to a system crash. I know that this is not a new idea and that programs such as 3ds max come standard with this type of save programming. I was just wondering if this could be added to the quicksave scripting?

Again, thank you for "saving" us. :)

Ohlda
03-02-08, 10:27 AM
Hi,

thanks for the autosave script - as Zbrush keeps crashing constantly I hope this will help me moving forward with my work

One question: your script does not save my models at their lowest level (which I know is also a reason for broken models)

any idea why?

kind regards Michael

Ohlda
03-02-08, 10:30 AM
Loving it...however, it keeps saving in the ZScripts folder. Is there a way to make it save in the ZTools folder?
use the "model" button to determine path - then use M+ button

m :tu:

Svengali
03-03-08, 02:38 AM
Ohlda,

QuickSave was originally written before subtools (pre ZB3). The first version didn't save the model at lowest subD level, but I changed that in the second (pre ZB3) version (to reduce the saved file-size). This also seemed to resolve crash-on-save problems.

With the release of ZB3/3.1, I updated QuickSave to guarantee it would work in the new environment, then also added another save mode (video).

* The current QuickSave still only reduces the current selected subtool to lowest subD... but it does not set any of the other subtools to lowest subD. Perhaps it should, but to do so, I'd have to add a subroutine to specifically set each and all subtools to lowest subD before saving.

I don't know if this would help further reduce crash-on-save problems, or for that matter, further reduce the size of saved files. It's something I'll have to investigate. Based on test results I might consider a future refinement to QuickSave.

Sven

* Correction: The current QuickSave selects the TOP SUBTOOL, then sets that to the lowest subD before saving... finally resets TOP SUBTOOL to previous subD level and returns to subtool that was active before the save. Note also that the top subtool is also renamed to match the most recently saved file name.

Hardtwist
03-03-08, 10:17 AM
Thanks Sven:cool: This will come in very handy.



Jim

Svengali
03-03-08, 05:39 PM
I've briefly tested a modified version of QuickSave which reduces all subtools to lowest subD levels before saving the model - surprisingly, the new saved files turned out slightly LARGER than the same files previously saved with just the first subtool reduced to lowest subD level.

Consequently, I've decided to let the current release of QuickSave stay as is.

Sven

Wozrush
03-03-08, 06:26 PM
I got the idea from this thread to manually save my tools with their lowest subdivision levels to save HD space and your right, they do come out as slightly bigger files?

I don't know anything about .ztl .obj files but I thought that was odd?

PS: Thanks for the plugin :)

DanRoberts
03-04-08, 01:17 PM
Thanks much Sven.

I was just tthinking today I needed an update to this plug as I have just upgraded my system and there it was. Will save lots of time.

Thanks again,

Dan

Gen-an
03-15-08, 08:14 AM
thanks very much! M+ is awesome :tu:

rasdasa
05-25-08, 12:55 PM
fabulous, thank you x37!

Freerunner
08-07-08, 12:28 PM
Thanks Sven looks like a crackingly good little plugin I will be testing it in about 20 secs :D

walfisch
10-16-08, 05:20 AM
Fantastic. Thanks for coding mate :-)

caustic02
03-17-09, 07:12 PM
Is there a trick to drag the buttons to the UI? I seem not to be able to do so.
Thanks for your help, and thanks for the wonderful plugin.

Gen-an
03-17-09, 09:15 PM
1. Preferences>Custom UI>Enable Customize
2. hold down CTRL and drag the button where you want it
3. disable Preferences>Custom UI>Enable Customize
4. finally to save the settings Preferences>Config>Store config

caustic02
03-18-09, 05:51 PM
Thanks a lot!

VERADV
03-21-09, 09:31 AM
Much Thx! :cool:

PSTCHOART
07-02-09, 04:28 AM
great plugin ,

how to determine the number of files that save.. ?

i mean: i can't stop the count ..start form - 001,002,003 .... to 999..

for example ..

i want to save only 6-7 versions of the file, then they must begin to be replaced by 1, 2, 3 ... to 6-7


hope you can understand me :) my English is bad

thanks

Svengali
07-02-09, 06:52 AM
PST,
Yes, I understand.

Having a limited number of saves has been requested before.

When I update QuickSave for ZBrush 4.0 I will make that the default save method... (unless Pixologic offers the autosave, which everyone wants!)

I will make it so a click on QuickSave + button starts by saving with 01, incrementing up through 09, thereafter saving by overwriting... 01, then 02, etc.

Any other suggestions are welcomed, but be aware that currently, timed autosave using ZScript is not possible.

Thanks for using QuickSave, Svengali

PSTCHOART
07-02-09, 08:55 AM
great thanks Svengali (member.php?u=3419)


i can't wait for update ..

thanks

Ceco

DigitalDreamer
07-21-09, 05:13 AM
After loosing 3 ztools, due to crashes, though thankfully I did save an earlier version, I came across this thread and downloaded your plugin. Thank you so much! I performed the same operation, which caused my crashes, namely saving at highest poly divisions, and this time no crash! Whoopie! I know your script saves out at the lowest sub d and an incremental version (not over write) so makes it easier. Also I think a cause of my earlier crashes has been unwittenly saving a model whith hidden polys a definate no no!
So thankyou again, great plugin!:tu::D:tu:

japanNuke
08-23-09, 12:27 PM
i love this plugin! xD
the idea of having 999 copies of my model is just great :cool:
i dont know why ppl complain about no overwriting option
imo overwriting can be dangerous, its better to manualy delete older versions
thanks again, the fun of using zbrush is back :D

Lynxed
10-08-09, 11:56 AM
Does this amazing plug-in works with Z3.5R2?

akaDARK
10-15-09, 01:55 AM
The plug-in still working for me on 3.5R2

Kenmasters
11-06-09, 08:09 AM
This is a real time-saver! Thanks :) (http://www.electronickitchenscales.org/salter-kitchen-scales-cheap-salter-electronic-kitchen-scales.html)

biggerjohn
11-27-09, 11:12 PM
Is this safe for 3.5R3?

akaDARK
11-28-09, 05:01 AM
Is this safe for 3.5R3?I am using the save model function for R3 and look safe for now.

tennet
02-19-10, 12:45 AM
Hi! Just installed Quicksave and I've experienced some problems saving over network.

I'm running Zbrush 3.2 on a Mac and I get this message "WARNING: File not saved" when trying to save my model over the network (using (Apple) AFP-network protocol)? The file IS still saved at the destination, but the script doesn't seem to understand that.. Trying to save incrementals after this will save the model to last "working" destination and not to the chosen network path.

I can connect to the server using some other protocol called CIFS (SMB) and then the script works, but it's very slow. AFP-access is much faster, it's more like saving to the internal drive.

Running the script and saving to the internal harddrive works perfect, but I have my projects stored on a network server. Hope you can help. Thanks!

// tennet

Svengali
02-19-10, 05:53 PM
I'm a bit in the dark as to how this might be resolved... 1) I developed QuickSave on the PC - I'm not Mac savvy at all. 2) Also, I haven't actually tested the PC version on a network - I'm not really sure ZScript is meant to deal with network file operations and would have to defer to other ZScripters who might have some informed input here about that.

The error message is generated by a routine that follows each save operation using a simple "fileexists" test - displaying the warning you are seeing if it cannot confirm that the file was actually written on the path used for the save.

Sorry I couldn't be more help. :confused:

Sven