Hi Everyone,
I just got Z3 and it keeps crashing when I reimport into subdivision level 1 my original maya obj that I used to sculpt on. I checked that there were no overlapping uv’s with the new function in 3. Is there anything else that could be causing this funkiness? It starts with the reconstructing subdivison surface and then crashes.
thanks ruby
Could you please describe your steps? Can you make the mesh available to test with?
here are the steps…
- import model into z-brush
- subdivide to leval 4
- sculpt obj (tried again with just Std tool. no pinch)
- lower sub division res to 1
- import orignal model
- The process bar starts and then a few seconds later it crashes.
Please look in your inbox for the geo
I double checked and did a simple automatic uvs in maya and the same thing happens.
Ruby
I’ve had this happen several times, and the only workaround I know of is to import the mesh as a separate ZTool, then export it (from ZBrush), then re-import that mesh in your original ZTool. It’s a hassle, but it works for now till they can get it fixed
Thanks for the advice. I exported from Z and now it works. Not to much of a fuss if you know.
ruby
My ZB3 crashes almost every time I try to import an obj. If I put the obj. file in the ZTool or ZDocs folders and import it from there it won’t crash, but if I import it from any other location from my computer it will crash almost every time. This happens with any obj. I try to import.
That’s wierd. I am importing from another folder not the Z-brush one and it’s fine. I remember it had problems with obj’s being on another machine on a network sometimes in version 2.
Out of curiosity, was your mesh created in Max? There’s a known issue where Max models have problems when reimported into level 1. The workaround described above by eldee.s fixes the problem for now.
The strange thing is that the crashes are happening almost any time I import something into ZB3 from a folder other than ZB3’s own folders. It doesn’t matter if it’s alphas, materials, tools, obj.'s… 
My obj’s weren’t made in max. Almost all were made in ZB3. The alphas, materials…etc were made in ZB3 too.
Actually, after more experimenting I’ve noticed it happening with several other software packages. It happens when you try to import a mesh who’s normals are reversed (or what ZBrush sees as a reversed normal). For example, If you export a mesh from Z3, Max9 and XSI see it as being inside out. The easy solution is to activate Flp when exporting so the normals are flipped, but when you’re done working with the mesh and want to export it from Max or whatever you’ve got to remember to reverse the normals on the mesh, because Z3 doesn’t have a Flp flag for importing, and thats what seems to cause these crashes.
Here’s something to test when you have a chance aurick:
-Create a PolyMesh3D Star, subdivide it to level 7.
-Export the level 1 mesh with the following flags: Obj, Qud, Txr, Flp, and Grp
-Immediately reimport the same mesh you just exported. Exploded mesh, subdivision history deleted… there’s no flag to reverse the effects of Flp when you import.
That about sums up how to recreate the problem… the only reason it doesn’t crash is because the PolyMesh star is so simple (I guess). If I try it with a human head… around 3mil polys or so… it crashes every time. The obvious workaround is to not use the Flp flag when exporting, and instead use a normal modifier (in max) while you work, then remove it before exporting. A Flp flag on the import rollout would also fix this problem I’m assuming.
My model was a maya model.
For the record, I had the exact same problem with an .obj file import, where there .obj was created in Cinema 4D r10.
The workaround worked great – THANK YOU!!
Guys, I’ve noticed that if you reimport a mesh with different importing XYZ flipping settings it crashes.
Try recalling what the XYZ flip settings for the import were when you first brought it into ZBRush and set it to them, then try importing again.
This might not be the error you’re experiencing, but it’s good to know anyway 
eldee.s, your advice just saved me, I was about to put my head through the wall! ZBrush screwed up the UVs that I layed out in Maya. Ive been working for the past 4 hours trying every import / export option between the two programs to get my remapped base mesh into my high poly ZBrush sculpt. I kept getting exploding meshes, crashes, and errors like everybody else, until I tried the Flp thing on my export. After that I remapped a couple messed up polys in Maya, reimported, and everything imported & divided up perfectly. Thanks for the tip. 
For the heck of it, I tried the same thing with my problem.
I had a Ztool with a lot of sub tools that totaled over 590,000 megs in file size. I was able to work on it just fine until one day I was not able to open the file.
I tried several times and ZBrush would give me a “not enough core memory” warning then immediately crash.
After running across this post, I put my file in Zbrush’s Ztool directory then started up ZBrush.
From the startup screen I selected my file, then it opened!!
I quickly saved out the sub tools I needed as separate files whew! That was a close one cause I spent a lot of time on one model part, but only had it as a sub tool.
If any of you are having “out of memory” issues when trying to open a file, try what I did and put it in Zbrush’s Ztool program folder. I don’t know why it worked, but it did.