ZBrushCentral

Any way to place layers in a custom panel?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Any way to place layers controls menus in a custom panel?
From I can see it is possible to place individual layers but the result is rather broken because it lacks of the real interface of the layer system. The new layers don’t change properly in the custom panels.
If I try to drag the full panel of layers to the custom panel I only get access to the rename feature.

I use layers a lot and it is a pain continuously navigating to the layer control. The other option is to have two sides of menus active but I have no screen free for that as also I have the icons that can be activated with the tab. :confused:

#2

Sadly no, I don’t think there is. The Layer slots don’t carry over properly. They all ended up as the same layer in my tests and I couldn’t find a way to get them to work.

One thing that might help is this little plugin that enables you to assign hotkeys to the side panels. Unzip to your Desktop and them copy the PanelToggle.zsc file to your ZBrush 4R6\ZStartup\ZPlugs folder. Restart ZBrush and you should have two new buttons in the ZPlugin>Misc Utilities sub-palette, one for LeftPanel and one for RightPanel. Pressing the button will toggle the panel open or closed. You can move the buttons to a custom UI or assign a hotkey if you wish.

#3

Thanks! I just have installed it. :wink:
Any way to swap between both panels? I mean close one and open the other with a button or shortcut. I run quickly out of space with lateral panels. I guess perhaps it is possible to do it with a macro but if both panels are closed that could mean both open at same time instead one closing and the other opening.

I have just noticed it is possible to give shortcuts to panels (or palettes) and they appear as a floating menu. Not possible with sub-palettes and not the ideal as it is obviously a long menu. Better than nothing. I was thinking to create a button in my custom menu to call this palette with the shortcut using a button. Perhaps is this also possible with a macro? (Just tried, it doesn’t seem to be possible to create a macro of a shortcut to create a button, or at least I don’t know how)

#4

If you create a new folder in the startup\macros folder it will show up and you can use it for stuff :wink:
I posted a UI you might hate. It depends on lots of stuff you might not have and that I didn’t include with my files.
See also http://docs.pixologic.com/user-guide/customizing-zbrush/zscripting/command-reference/#IClick
is for IClick, knock yourself out :slight_smile:

#5

Thanks. I tried your famous colorful interface. :wink:
Also IClick but only opens a submenu. In order to open also the menu I have found IShow. Using them in combination is cool as it can send me to the layers menus no matter where I’m in the menus. What I have not found is a way to create a macro of a shortcut. In theory is Ikeypress but it doesn’t work for me. You would think should be the easier thing to do in a macro.
ANyway your link has sent me in a useful direction.

#6

WindowID might be helpful in some circumstances.

#7

Here’s a revised version of the plugin with an extra button for “Both”. This is a toggle again so:

  • if both panels are open, both will be closed
  • if both are closed, both will be opened
  • if one panel is open then that will be closed and the other opened
#8

Thanks a lot Marcus. :smiley: