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ZBrush has got a wonderful seamless smooth workflow, and to me adjusting draw size or focal shift with a slider is quite annoying. I wanted to have a tool which would do it more naturally, without having to relate to precise numbers, just like like in Photoshop with Alt or Maya/Mudbox holding B key. The adjust plugin shipped with zBrush did not do it for me, so I started to write my own one, and there it is.
So : You choose between one of the six independent profiles with the top buttons, set whatever parameters you like, assign a hotkey to the big button at the bottom, then while sculpting you hold that hotkey down and adjust a chosen parameter with X axis and another one with Y. While doing so the cursor stays in place. While doing this, you have instant smooth visual "analog" feedback of brush size and focal shift, as well as numerical in the status bar if you enable the Display option. You can also adjust Z Intensity and RGB Intensity if you want.
You have six independent profiles, each with its own settings and hotkeyable action button, so you can have up to six different hotkeys adjusting various parameters in various ways.
Axis culling means that just after starting to hold the hotkey, if you aim within a certain Angle from the horizontal/vertical axis, the other axis will be filtered out so you won't have to be extra-precise to avoid changing its value. If you aim outside the defined Angle then you will adjust both axis just like usual or if you set angle on 45° then there will always be an axis culled. The Length slider sets the number of pixels traveled that the plugin will take in account when it evaluates axis culling. Lower it for optimal response, raise it if you find the test too much precise. (For example, with the settings shown in the image, if just after starting to hold the hotkey you go straight to the right/left, you'll only adjust Brush Size, if you go straight up/down you'll only adjust Focal Shift, and if you go diagonally (so 45° - or within 10° from 45° as Angle is set to 35) you'll adjust both at the same time.)
To adjust values for mask/smooth/clip brush, you have to first hold the hotkey, then without releasing it, press and hold the modifier one (SHIFT/CTRL). You have to do it in that order. So, choose your hotkeys wisely : it is best to choose a single key which also is not part of another zBrush shortcut with CTRL/SHIFT added. So, for example : D key first seems to be a nice choice, till you remember CTRL-D is for subdividing ! You won't be able to adjust mask brush settings. Two solutions : you can remove all conflicting shortcuts, or choose another key.
The current version is zAdjustor v2.0, now available on both windows and mac osx. There is a separate package for windows and osx, download the right one for your OS below. |
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Voilà ! Hope you will like it, use it and find it useful. I would like a lot of feedback (I hope less problem reports and more bugless thanks , but both are really needed), so don't hesitate.
Also pardon me for my not so good English and if you see any mistake let me know.
Happy sculpting everyone !!!
> Important note :
When answering to support questions here on ZBrushCentral or other forums, I noticed that, whereas most people seems to get how to make the plugin work almost instantly, almost everyone that was having difficulties had them only because of comprehension issues.
So, please pay attention to this chapter :
- This plugin is made for tablets just as much as regular mouses. It is working with either, and is as useful while holding a stylus as it is while working with a regular mouse.
- Please, be very attentive to the installation process !!! About 50% of the asked questions about this plugin are from people that didn't extract the archive in the right folder. The other 50% were from people that did not understand properly the way the plugin operates or that didn't know how to define a hotkey in ZBrush :
- You must NOT click on the big button at the bottom to use it. This button's only purpose is to allow the user to set up a hotkey that will be the plugin's trigger. You set up the hotkey like usual in ZBrush : CTRL+ALT+CLICK on the button, then ZBrush asks to press a key on the keyboard. Then, to use the plugin, while working over the canvas, HOLD that hotkey down, then move your mouse or stylus to change the values. Then, when you are done changing the values, just release the hotkey.
- You have 6 different profiles that you can select with the numbers at the top of the plugin's palette, and they have all their own 'Big button' to set up a hotkey for each. Use as many as you want.
- Settings are automatically saved. They are not stored with ZBrush own preferences but instead in some files created in the plugin's folder. So you don't have to press 'Store config', ZAdjustor's settings are always saved each time you edit them.
- You must not click with the mouse/stylus while using the plugin. It won't crash or do anything bad, but won't do anything good either. It just isn't the way the plugin is used.
- The page you are on is the official ZAdjustor's thread. Don't hesitate to tell what you think about the plugin, ask a question or for support, say thanks if you like it, just confirm if it's working... |
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> Download :
ZBrush_SizeAjustor_Plugin_v0.9b.zip (now obsolete)
ZBrush_SizeAjustor_Plugin_v0.91b.zip (now obsolete)
ZBrush_SizeAjustor_Plugin_v0.92.zip (now obsolete)
ZBrush_ZAdjustor_Plugin_v1.0.zip (now obsolete)
ZBrush_ZAdjustor_Plugin_v2.0.zip (latest version for Windows)
ZBrush_ZAdjustor_Plugin_v2.0_OSX.zip (latest version for Mac OSX)
> Installation :
Just extract the whole archive directly in your ZBrush plugin's folder, depending of your OS :
On Windows > "C:\Program Files (x86)\Pixologic\ZBrush 4R?\ZStartup\ZPlugs"
On Mac OSX > "/Applications/ZBrushOSX 4R?/ZStartup/ZPlugs/"
(Of course "?" being replaced with your current ZBrush version)
If you have a previous version installed, try not to overwrite the old files when extracting, but instead do manually delete them before installing (as mixing old and new files is not at all recommended).
More detailed instructions are included in the ReadMe file, if needed.
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> Version history :
*** ZAdjustor v2.0 OSX :
_ Ported ZAdjustor v2.0 to OSX. Works exactly like 2.0 on Windows. Done!
_ The cursor (here I mean the arrow icon) stays visible, out of personal preference. When using with a tablet, not seeing it was a little confusing when you finished adjusting.
_ Unlike v0.92, ZAdjustor v2.0 WIN and OSX are two separate packages, as not only the dynamic library but also the ZScript part are different.
_ Now, Mac or PC, everyone is really happy as never before. The world is saved !!!
*** ZAdjustor v2.0 WIN :
_ Went back to an engine more like 0.92, as Denvi found the way to make it work even with cursor locked. Removed the loud code used in 1.0 to bypass that ex-problem. THE BIGGEST THANK YOU TO DENVI !!!
_ Removed "Delay" setting, as it is useless and misunderstood.
_ Added option to display changing values in zBrush's status bar.
_ So no more problematic exe, only a good old tiny dll.
_ Attracts your lover and make him or her irresistible to you, make your marriage successful and more.
*** zAdjustor v1.0 WIN : 4th release :
_ Cursor now stays in place while adjusting
_ Axis culling feature added
_ Up to six different profiles in only one palette
_ Name changed
_ Complete source rework
*** SizeAjustor v0.92 WIN+OSX : 3rd release :
_ Added support for Mac OSx : now everyone's happy.
*** SizeAjustor v0.91b WIN : 2nd release :
_ Fixed an interface bug where buttons could be on top of each other depending on [Preferences:UI:Buttons Size]. Should now look good on any interface setup.
_ Recompiled the dll with CodeLite(g++) instead of Visual Studio 2013, so no more need to install Microsoft VC blah blah Runtimes or whatever to fix dependencies issues. Dll should now work ok without installing anything.
*** SizeAjustor v0.9b WIN : 1st release
Happy sculpting every-Z-one !!! |