ZBrushCentral

QuickSave Plugin Button Set for ZB3 (replaces PSnap)

Shared ZScripts & Macros
#1

QuickSave splash.jpg

QuickSave plugin for ZBrush3 replaces the old PSnap button set. Unzip and install QuickSave.zsc in the ZStartup\ZPlugs folder. Next time you startup ZBrush3 you will find seven buttons in the ZPlugins menu under the Svengali subgroup.

Image and I+ buttons
:large_orange_diamond:First, the Image button lets you save the canvas image as a .psd or .bmp file.
:large_orange_diamond:After that, the I+ button will save new versions of canvas image incrementing the original filename. Tree002.psd, Tree003.psd and so on.

Model and M+ buttons
:large_orange_diamond:First, the Model button lets you save the current model (tool) in the directory of your choosing. Models are automatically saved at the lowest SubD level. If more than one SubTool is present, the top SubTool is selected and given the fileā€™s name, after which the original SubTool is reselected.
:large_orange_diamond:Any subsequent saves with the M+ button will increment the root filename, assigning that new filename to the top SubTool.

Docum and D+ buttons
:large_orange_diamond:Here, you save the current Document (.zbr) to the directory of your choosing. Note that if a model is active, it WILL NOT appear in the document file, but will be restored afterwards, same location and size, in edit mode.
:large_orange_diamond:The D+ button will incrementally save subsequent document files.

The Seventh button, QS-Help?, elaborates on this info about each button and how it works.

To use QuickSave, I drag all buttons (except for QS-Help?) to my User Interface (as shown).

*** A CAUTION! ***
I strongly recommend that you TEST THESE BUTTON-SAVE OPERATIONS WITH NON-CRITICAL FILES UNTIL YOU ARE CONFIDENT THEY WORK AS EXPECTED. And please, if you find any problems report them here.

Thanks to Marcus Civis and Aminuts for extensive testing and various feedbackā€¦ appreciate it guys!

Sven :slight_smile:

#2

Yes!! 2 down about ummm 4 or 5 more of my favorites to go! :smiley:

#3

Halleluyah, BABYā€¦

Been waiting for this one

#4

:+1: :smiley:

#5

Yeeehaaa! Another one! Many thanks!:smiley:

#6

I knew this was coming!!
Thanks man!! :smiley:

#7

Great work Sven, very useful. Itā€™s worth using this plugin for the subtool saving method alone. :+1:

#8

Neat plugin,thanks.
But Iā€™m wondering if itā€™s spossible to make some shortcuts for it? Would be really nice to simply press a button on the keyboard instead of moving your mouse around.Or maybe Iā€™m just lazyā€¦

#9

Really nice! Love the functionality!

#10

Thanks for the handy tool. I like new buttons!:+1:

#11

Great job sven, very useful plugin. Thanks for sharingā€¦

#12

great plug-in! thanks svengali!

#13

Thanks for the update svengali!

#14

Hey, the new oneā€™s out! I wouldnā€™t have found this if I didnā€™t look for updates in aminutā€™s Z3 plugin site.

Thanks a bunch, Svengali. This plug's a lifesaver.

Addendum: And it works with my hotkey configuration from Z2 with the old psnap too! Thanks again, dude!

Addendum2:
Btw, how do I make it autosave to the folder where I have the ztool that I got open? It seems to keep saving to my ZStartup\ZPlugs folder.

Enclosed is a zscript I use to bind the M+ to J key. (among other things) Use it as a template if you like to bind other keys to other functionality to this plugin. It should work as a temporary solution until marcusā€™ hotkey editor is out.

#15

Svengali you rule.

Psnap is a corrnerstone of my daily workflow and I am so happ to see this available for Z3 now.

Cheers!

Scott

#16

Save using the Model button first to establish a ā€œsaveā€ folder and path. Incremented filenames should then save to that same folder.

Iā€™ve noticed that ZB3 will occasionally override the current modelā€™s directory path when other types of files from other directory paths have been loaded.

Frankly, after two hair-tearing days trying, Iā€™m not sure how to counteract thatā€¦ hope it will be fixed in the ZB3 update.

In case this override happens, you can reestablish the intended path again by saving with the Model button. Hope that helps.

Sven

[edit: fereau, In light of what Marcus suggests below, you might try turning on ā€œUse ZFoldersā€ in the PREFERENCES:Misc submenuā€¦ :smiley:

#17

Sven,
Iā€™m not sure that it will solve this problem but I have found that temporarily switching on ā€˜UseZFoldersā€™ will maintain a file path in [FileNameAsk. It can be switched back to whatever the user setting is afterwards.

#18

That I have not tried but Iā€™ll give it a shot. What frustrates most is the intermittent nature of the problem. Off hand, I wonder if most users turn ā€œUseZFoldersā€ on? I havenā€™t, have you?

Reading the detailed popup help for the ā€œUseZFoldersā€ button I can see your thinkingā€¦ I will definitely test it out. :stuck_out_tongue:

Sven

[edit: Checking my ZB2 installation I did NOT have the ā€œUse Zfoldersā€ selected there eitherā€¦ but I donā€™t recall ever having had a similar problem all the time I used PSnap with models in ZB2, so who can sayā€¦

For users of QuickSave, itā€™s good to know about the potential problem, AND, Iā€™ll test further this week to see if your suggestion resolves it forZB3. Again, thanks for your suggestion Marcus.

#19

It may be to do with the persistent nature of some paths between ZBrush sessions. Importing a texture or OBJ will mean the same folder is opened next session, next time import is used. Iā€™ve not tested exactly how this works but when wanting to use a particular path for file saving with [FileNameAsk I found UseZFolders had to be on.

No idea whether people turn on ā€˜UseZFoldersā€™ or not. I think itā€™s off by default now though(?).

#20

Yeah, itā€™s off by default.

Thanks you guys. Iā€™ll try uzing zfolders termporarily for a few days and see how it goes.

Thanks again for this life saving plugin, Svengali! :wink: