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Multi Map Exporter - Information, Installation and FAQ

PARENT-ZSCRIPTS CHILD-ZBrush ZScript Utilities Forum
#41

ok, I’m pretty sure I know what problem I’m having. However I have no clue how to fix it.

So, being the total n00b that I am. I loaded the poly tool and imported my model onto it. When prompted about 5 sided polys i chose the “quads and triangles” option (which i think is my problem). When I try to export a normal map, I get a blue page with no details on it anywhere. When I re-exported my obj from XSI and re-imported it, I checked “all triangles” instead. Zbrush prompted me that the mesh had changed and asked if i wished to remap the hi res data onto the new mesh (of course!). So I clicked yes and while the details seem to have mapped onto my mesh, some verts from the low res mesh are pulled in crazy directions. I have no clue why this happens, when I choose instead to delete the hi res divisions I am left with a perfectly fine low res mesh. (although it should be noted that the mesh appeared to jump a few units down even though the obj hasn’t changed…weird) I tried exporting normal maps on the busted mesh just to see what happened and they actually exported.(barring of course the horrendous artifacts from the mesh being messed up)

So, what should I do? It seems my problem is the geometry import method I used first doesn’t work with exporting maps. How can I get my hi res detail onto the correct mesh without it exploding?

I guess it’s kind of off topic, but any help would still be greatly appreciated.

-07-

#42

@unitizer07

Unfortunately, you cannot have zbrush bake from one mesh to another. Why this is so is beyond me as it’s pretty standard procedure and has been for years. In game meshes typically aren’t used as high rez models either before or after the fact, regardless of the ability of Zbrush to project sculpt data from mesh to another. The ingame mesh is typically full of tris and such which don’t play nice with the subdivision algorithms.

A workaround is to use a program called xNormal or use XSI’s ultimapper and take your low poly mesh and point it at the high for baking purposes. xNormal has become the unofficial industry standard for the most part but you can accomplish the same thing in max/maya/xsi/modo/etc…just not in zbrush :frowning:

Hopefully at some point Pixologic will address this missing feature which is vital to those of us in the games industry.

#43

Hello,

Relatively new to Zbrush and new to the forums, so I apologize if I’m not following correct protocol here.

My mesh has been divided into separate meshes in subTools.I’m trying to export a color map, normal map, and mesh via the Multi Map Exporter.

I click the appropriate buttons and it seems to chug along just fine for the first object in the subTool menu.

But then I get this pop-up menu with the message:
“Popup:TextureOff
in…
{IPress,Popup;TextureOff]”

And it just stops the process

Help!?

Thanks!

#44

lgwng,

I don’t know why you should be having this problem. Which version of ZBrush are you using, Mac or PC?

A couple of things you might try:

  1. Save the ZTL with a new name before trying MME again.
  2. Turn off the subtool so it is not included in case it is causing the issue.
#45

Yes, it does seem to be the subTool button that causes the tool to crash out.

But not being able to use that really diminishes the effectiveness of the plug-in for me. At that point, I’m exporting a dozen individual maps, which I then have to composite together in Photoshop.

I tried it again with a much smaller model (with subTool) and it stalled again, with the same error.

Any ideas at all?

Thanks!

#46

You didn’t tell me which version of ZBrush you are using.

Also a screenshot of the ZBrush UI with the error message might help.

#47

I get an error when I run the MME

The specified execute-routine could not be found in specified the execute-file

[FileExecute,[Var,DLLPath],getUVGroups,filename,]

The UV’s were rebuilt in Max and imported to the base mesh.

=magilla

#48

magilla,

Can you submit a ticket to Pixologic Support for this? Be sure to include your platform details.

Thanks,

#49

Hi
I recently uprgaded my computer and to Z-brush 4, I did some quick run throughs with the MME, and was quite impressed with ease and speed of the baking of maps, however there was one thing I was unable to figure out. How can you bake maps from one mesh to a different one, like from a head to a ball? The Capture Current Mesh option in the Z-Mapper was able to accomplish this, But the The Z-Mapper is no more in Z-brush4.
Also is there there a way to generate maps from mutiple sub tools on to one mesh?
If Z-brush4 is not capable of this, is there a possibility the the Z-mapper could return in plugin form as it was originally?

Thanx

#50

@Skardart

No, the ability to point one low poly at multiple subtools, or even point a low that isn’t the high rez version of that subtoll is no long an option in Zbrush. You will most probably need to change up your workflow/pipeline. Many people are now using Xnormal which is a separate freeware application for baking maps.

#51

It seems that I can’t put out correct Cavity -and Ambient Occlusion maps from Multi Map Exporter in ZBrush 4 R2. In ZBrush 4 it worked fine. Any ideas on how to fix it?

Cheers

#52

This is a known issue with ZBrush 4R2 which should be fixed in the update.

#53

Just installed R2B and tried baking an AO. Works fine, but how do I change the background/occluded color? I’ve been used to having it black for a while, but in R2B it’s white.

Just being nitpicky. :stuck_out_tongue:

#54

If you turn on The ‘Colors’ option in the MME>Ambient Occlusion options and set Main Color to Black, Secondary Color to White in the color picker you’ll get white on a black background. However note that this will create 8bit RGB maps. For 16bit you will have to invert in Photoshop.

#55

Hello, I already posted this in the trouble shooting forum an hour ago but thought it might be better placed here, so I’m sorry for “Double” posting OK.
I’m wondering if anyone can help.
Ive been at this for 24 hours now with no luck, and to say I am extremely frustrated is a bit of an understatement.
I purchased Zbrush 4R2 a month or two before Christmas, and have not updated to 4R2b yet.

Multimap Export, wether 1 map or all maps causes ZBrush to hang / crash.
Sometimes when a map does unexpectedly export Successfully, zbrush will crash upon completion, completely frozen with nothing other than to End Process via taskmanager. Or select Close program when its offered…Every time guaranteed.
And a reboot/restart is a must for ZB to start up again.
Midway through creating maps / a map, zbrush freezes, hang, crash, for a long time, again I must EndProcess, Reboot.
A few times MS.NetFramework box popped up saying, the pipe or pipeline has been broken (or something).
I Updated all .Net Framework 4 stuff since (not that .Net4 is needed…I think)
Once or twice it was Wacom pen .dll was not found. - (nonsence)

The first (Shark) model was a hefty 16 million polys, and all the above variations of errors/crashes occured, So I tried a simple 4 million poly (Cat) model. The same results maybe even worse crashing results.

I retopologised those sculpts in 3DCoat,Projected All in Zbrush, then UV’d them in 3DCoat later on, So i thought it might be my UV’s, So I applied Zbrushes AUV’s, to no avail, even worse in fact.
Theres the odd 1 or 2 tri’s here and there tucked out of the way but nothing drastic.

My pc is a Sony Vaio VPCF Core i7 Q740 with 4 gig Ram, Windows7 64bit,
its not a wimpy computer.
I expect another 4Gig of Ram would be nice, just to cater for other processes and windows etc, but surely this computer should be able to use MULTIMAP EXPORT without Zbrush freezing, hanging, crashing, and i know how computers can be making us all run out of fresh and expressive expletives from under the sun in no time. (Im not a programmer btw)
If anyone can shed a little light on the subject it would be much appreciated.
I love Zbrush, but not having the option of a fundamental feature such as Multimap Exporter which is supposed to be a one-click-solution is a bit of a kick in the teeth.
The only one button click solution I have found a neccesity thus far with Zbrush’s multimap function is the laptops power button, in order to even start Zbrush back up again so I can repeat the process all over again, and again.
Please help and save me from the dreaded AppHang.B1
I simply do not know what to do.

#56

markwhitcombe,

First of all, you should update to ZBrush 4R2b. There are a couple of bug fixes in the new version that affect the generation of AO and Cavity maps.

You don’t say what maps you are trying to export. It would be useful to know what sizes and types of map. Large map sizes (4096 and above) can take a lot of processing power.

Have you successfully exported maps from MME for any model? Are the problems only with the two models you mention? Have you tested the problem models for mesh integrity using Tool>Geometry>Check Mesh?

This may seem like a lot of questions but it is important to try and narrow down what is causing the problem.

Thanks,

#57

marcus_civis Thanks,

I am trying to create Displacement, Normal, Texture form polypaint…Basically all the maps available in the list, but I see in a post earlier the Ambient Occlusion and Cavity maps were a bit messed up in ZB4R2.

Map sizes 2048x2048. and Yes I mesh integrity check’d both mesh’s.
Only those 2 mesh’s been tried so far, but I have more in the queue to do.
The meshes are water tight and no UV distortions and plenty of room in the 0-1 UV space, I also scaled down the UVs , checked all UV vertices with no overlapping UVs.

I have successfully generated Displacement and Normal maps sometimes, but its always at the expense of Zbrush freezing and closing at completion… with an error I forgot to mention, which basically says:

INTERNAL ERROR.\List.cpp Line: 743, 155, and 165
Locked main mem in list-out
Object:
Please contact support2@pixologic.com
…
(Then ZBrush will not be able to run until the machine in re-booted)

OK I have not contacted support@pixo…etc, which I intend to do today, I will do as it says.
I should have emailed support straight away I suppose, but thought I’d try the forums first.
The line numbers in that error obviously mean something.

btw, Iv’e tried creating just one map at a time aswell as all maps in one go which also results in the same crash with an error.
Always 2048 in size, have not tried anything higher yet.

Thanks

#58

Many thanks markwhitcombe,

I think it would be useful if you could let me take a look at one of the models that you are using, if that is possible. Also, if you could let me have a settings file from MME so I can use all your settings in my tests. (To do this, press the Options button to expand the MME options, then press the Load/Save Presets button at the bottom. Choose ‘Save Preset’ and save out the ZME file. This will save your current settings to disk.)

I’ll send you a private message about how to get me a file.

#59

Thanks Marcus, I shall get on it now.

#60

Does MME take into accout any HD sculpting?
I’m most interest in the Cavity map. Will it include any sculpting done in HD?

Thanks in advance