ZBrushCentral

Retaining mats on saved Z model files if losing them

I cant really say this is a tutorial so much as a tip. I have been trying to texture an old project of mine in the new Z. While using the new feature which allows for you to fill an object. I saved a tool and went to shop for groceries. When I got back and brought the tool in it had lost some of the material that I had injected into different parts of the model. I played with saving that tool with the correct mats and wasnt having any luck then I noticed that some of the mats stayed and some went. The ones that stayed were Always in the standard mat pallette and the ones that vanished were outside mats from my resources folder or from material library 2 (which works just fine in Z3). I played with it awhile longer and realized I wasnt going to get anywhere so I had the thought of saving the mats used and dumping them in Zdata/Materials. I rematted some of the sections of the model after I brought Z back up. Saved the file. Exited the program, brought it back up and opened the file and there my missing mats were. I would be careful if going this route. I only put 2 mats in the programs Zdata/Material folder. For all I know if you dump too much there it will explode!:smiley:

FYI, any folders under Data should not be added to. Those are only for Pixologic sanctioned data. You can accomplish the same thing by adding new material files to the Startup folders instead. (which also include other custom file-type folders for custom Alphas (which must be 16bit .bmp), custom textures, user-defined macros and of course properly formated zscript self-loading zplugins.)

What you are discovering is that ZBrush has predefined indexed slots filled with default materials (those that are loaded at startup) and custom materials that you edit or create and apply during a session must be reloaded each session AND be carefully reloaded in the same indexed slots as they previously occupied.

The thing that is different in ZB3 is that the NUMBER OF INDEXED SLOTS can be user extended (as you discovered) by adding new materials, always to the Startup>Materials subdir.

I’m not quite sure what the impact is of loading dozens of user-defined materials at startup might be on available memory. I also assume that there is a ceiling on the number of materials that can be added… before, as you say, it explodes.

Finally, there are other issues at work here, too, which are too complicated to explain in a single response. Hopefully we will get some kind of definitive Wiki section on material rules that explains it ALL, once and for ALL.

Sven

Ahh. Thank you for the clarification of that Sven :slight_smile: I would definitely not load anymore mats into that section and was to tell the truth experimenting in ignorance. It worked admirably however and served my purpose. The program didnt die in flames and all is well. I will Not be removing the 2 mats I put in. If what I tried is wrong then that needs to be added to the wiki in the future. I will play with the startup folders and relay my observations.

One thing I can say in this is I have learned. Startup works just fine. I let the thought of that pass me by in my anxiety of continually losing track of mats I had injected into the model. I am thinking like you on this. I Wouldnt overload it and would wait for the wiki and official explanation. Too many user mats could break it. I am sure there is a limit.

I remember from the very early ZBrush version a gold standard suggestion:
keep the original folder clean and…original:D
exceptio the zplug folder we created with the added plugin

I have other folder to save everything.

Andreseloy

Thats usually the way I have always done it Mario. :slight_smile: But the frustration of losing track of applied mats drove me over the edge!:lol:

Ok one further note. I moved the 2 mats I had put in Zdata/materials over to the startup materials folder. Started the program. Loaded the tool I had saved and it Lost the materials. Reapplied it from materials from startup folder. Exited the program for a true test. Started back again. Loaded tool and there the mat was.