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Crashes when using "picker" tool

ZBrush Artworks
#1

Hello ZuZu,

I am having difficulty with ZBrush crashing when I use the “Picker” tool to set the Z depth. This happens when picking a value from the image, AND also when typing in a value for Z depth.

I have repeated the problem on two systems, using the ZBrush’s default configuration file, and default drawing size. Display is set to 1024x768 and TruColor. I also tried increasing the compact memory settings, to 144 on the WinNT system, and 200 on the Win98 system, but this did not prevent the crashes. In both cases, ZBrush is installed on a second partition.

The first system is a PII 300Mhz and WinNT4 with service pack 5. It has 196Mb of RAM with 650Mb assigned for virtual memory. There are 300Mb free on the partition with ZBrush, in addition to the 650 for vmem.

The second system is an Athlon 900Mhz and Win98 second edition. It has 384Mb of RAM with 350Mb of disk space free for vmem on the C drive. The partition that ZBrush is on has over 1Gb of free space.

Thanks,
Chris Dordoni
Shapex Solid Image Systems
[email protected]

#2

Well your systems sounds fine. Could you write a more detailed discription of the process you are doing before it crashes. Are you using the demo or full version? What version are you using?
Upham :slight_smile:

#3

Upham, thanks for the prompt for clarification.

I am using the full version, 1.13.
The problem occurs when I drag from the Z depth box to the image to pick up the value. I am reasonable certain I am doing this correctly, since I can pick colors and materials in the same way. The cursor changes to a pick icon and allows me to select anywhere on the image. In the case of Z depth, the application crashes just after I release the mouse button on the image.
It also crashes if I type in a Z depth value.

Chris Dordoni

#4

Hi ChrisD,

Does it help to set the ‘compact mem’ slider to ‘0’?

It’s possible that this is the result of some conflict that will be fixed in version 1.23.

-ZuZu :slight_smile:

#5

Hi Chrisd . . . :slight_smile:

I just gave using the “Picker / Selected Z Depth” a try & I had the same results as you. :wink:

I drew a “Sphere 3D” on the canvas / opened the “Picker” window / used the “Selected Z Depth” by dragging to the surface of the object on the canvas & BINGO, “ZBrush has performed an illegal operation”! :rolleyes:

I repeatedly tried the same operation numerous times & it was the same crash each time, so it’s not your system. :wink:

My system is: PIII 500 / 512 Mgs Ram / TNT2 Ultra Card with 32 Mgs Video Ram / Windows 98SE / DirectX 8 / 18 Gig hard drive, 2/3d’s empty. :smiley:

Have a good one . . . :cool: Mark.

#6

I just want to jump in here real quick as a Mac user and say that the same thing happened to me, but in a weird way. I made an image out of several primitives and then dragged the z-picker to the rearmost object. I proceeded to paint on the objects with no problems, but then when I tried to use the shading enhancer brush it would work only on the back object(duh). So then I tried to reposition the z-picker position to the front object and that’s when everything shuts down. My question here is, what’s the purpose of selecting a custom z-depth with the picker? If this is a stupid question, believe me, it’s not the first one for me :stuck_out_tongue:

#7

Hi Zoid . . . :slight_smile:

I’m sorry I can’t answer your question, but I’ve never figured out the function for the “ZDepth Picker” either. :confused:

Actually, I’ve never seen any explainations for that feature before or any questions. :rolleyes:

Hopefully, when ver. 1.23 comes out, there’ll be some kind of documentation for a lot of different areas in ZBrush, that haven’t been available in the past? :qu:

You guys have a good one . . . :cool: Mark.

#8

Is this the same problem?

Anytime I open the sys palette that is located under color and click on anything my pc will freeze up. The only thing that I can do at that point is restart my computer.

I can go in the modifiers and have no problem, but anytime that I have GONE in the sys palette the system locks up.

PIII 1GHZ 512MB RAM VOODOO 5 5500AGP 98SE :confused:

#9

Chris D. As stated above, I’m not sure why you are using the ZDepth picker. It’s an area I’ve never delved into personally. There are a couple of tutorials that spring to mind … Alpha Depth Masking, and Felt collage effect. Are you using the ZPicker in regards to these tutorials?? (still fishing for answers here!

William.
No this is not the same proplem. This bugged me as well, until I figured it out. If you open the colour SYS palette (by default as a pop-up window) and accidently click off the pop-up window - the ZBrush “window” comes to the front and the sys-color window goes to the back (or behind ZBrush). ZBrush will not be able to do anything because it is waiting for the sys-palette window to close. It appears to have frozen!! – What you have to do is hold down CTRL & TAB on the keyboard and a wee pop-up window will appear that shows icons of the “windows” you have open. One should be ZBrush and the other a “windows” icon (sorry Mac users, I’m not sure if this works for you guys) Select the windows icon (use the arrow keys on keyboard) and your SYS palette will appear again. Make sure you click OK or cancel to get rid of it this time!!!
Upham. :slight_smile:

#10

Hi William,
Sorry to hear about your problems with your colors>sys pallette. I think it’s just a bug among many that we have with 1.13, and probably explains the delay in releasing ver.1.23. so many bugs, so little time.
Those poor people at Pixologic must be delirious by now. When I open this pallette on my computer it links up with the native OS’s color pallette. Probably good for coordinating colors with other projects that your using specific colors with.

#11

Many Thanks !!! :slight_smile:

#12

Thanks all for the confirmation that this problem is not unique to me.

I have discovered a temporary work around. Choosing the ONCE option, below the Z depth box allows me get the Z depth from the image as soon as I click down to start painting. This solves my immediate need; however, in the future, I will still require the ability to select or input the Z depth before I start to paint on an area.

Upham, I need to be able to paint on specific depth levels for my purpose. I am generating masks of areas of images by painting over the image, which I then grab with the MRGBZ grabber tool.

ZuZu, I tried setting the compact mem setting to zero, as you suggested. However, the smallest value it will take is 32. Using 32 still produces the crashes. Please clarify the compact mem setting for me.

I thought that it was the amount of system memory in Mb that ZBrush is forced to use before creating its own vmem space. Therefore, setting to this to zero would use NO system memory, and ZBrush would be forced to create vmem space on the HD regardless of the installed RAM.

Thanks,
Chris Dordoni

#13

Hi Chris,

Here is some info about the compact mem slider:

Compact Mem info

How ZBrush uses Virtual Memory

-ZuZu :slight_smile:

#14

Thanks ZuZu, Hopefully v 1.23 will solve Z depth problem. Looking forward to ZScripts!

ChrisD

#15

Hi Chrisd,

I have verified that this function works without a snag in the latest version that I have. :slight_smile:

-ZuZu :slight_smile: