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Scale Doesn't Match - ZTL to OBJ Import/Export, ZBrush to ZBrush (solution provided!)

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#48

Dryn,

I can’t reproduce your problem. Zbrush 3.5 R3, 3DSMAX 2008. Steps I’m following:

  1. 3DSMax => Create Cube => Export Selected to OBJ (Vertex Scale set to 1.0)
  2. Zbrush => Import => Export OBJ (leaving Scale and Offset values to default set at import of object)
  3. 3DSMax => Import OBJ (Vertex Scale 1.0)

This, on my system, results in a editable mesh, plopped right down 1:1 on top of the original. I also made a couple duplicates (read that “subtools”), smoothed them and exported them and then imported them into ZBrush. Appending them to each other resulted in the expected position and relationships. Each exported, root subtool or the others, and imported back into 3DSMax in the expected positions. The only way I could get the tiny tiny objects that you describe is if I mess with the export settings that Zbrush puts on the objects when it brings them in. If I do that, reducing them to 1.0, then the resulting export is a very tiny copy of the original.

Could you detail the version of software you’re using and very specifically each step you’re taking? Or do you have a file you can share so I can take a look and see what we might be doing differently?

#49

ok… I finally resolved it.

What I had to do was pretty bizarre

I found a previous WIP ZTool where the top subtool was exporting correctly at the right scale. I checked the export options, and it was set to 1000.

So I then went back to my most recent Ztool, and set each subtool to 1000 scale and then cloned them.

I then went back and reappended each one onto the older tool and they were all correct in the right position. I double checked each one by exporting it out to max, and it was fine and working!

Long story short… Before you append a new subtool, check the scale under exports is the same as the one on the top of your stack!

#50

I wanted to add what I had to do to fix a scale issue today.

I sculpted two Zsphere models. The second zsphere model is subtool of first zsphere model. I then wanted to model a base platform in XSI and append it. So I converted my two zsphere models to Unified Mesh and exported them to XSI. Modeled my base platform in XSI using my two objects from ZBrush as scale reference, and exported it as OBJ. When appending it to my Zsphere model back in ZBrush the scale and placement was off. So I:

  1. Append new obj in Zbrush
  2. Set the export options for that obj to Scale=1, Offsett=0,0,0
  3. Import the obj a second time over the top of the first. -OBJ will snap to correct scale and placement.

Now when I export from zbrush to XSI or vice versa, everything is in correct scale and placement.

#51

Looks like you people need to change to lightwave … never had a single problem (at least problems that i didn’t create myself) when it comes to im/exporting obj’s from and to lightwave :slight_smile: but it looks like i am going to have to wait a loooooooong time for GoZ for lightwave … oh well you can’t have everything :slight_smile:

#52

This week I appear to have had the same problem as everyone else. I imported some 3ds max obj files and they were offset. Then I exported a test ZSphere 2 sketch that was sculpted around them. Inside 3ds max, the sketch mesh was tiny. I found this thread, but none of the answers here helped.

Here’s my simple solution:

  1. I use PolyMesh3D as the loaded tool when importing new meshes.
  2. Before importing, unfold the Export menu for PolyMesh3D. In version 3.1, the default scale was 1, but in version 3.5, it’s 0. Set it to 1.
  3. Import your model.
  4. Repeat steps 1 - 3 each time ZBrush restarts as PolyMesh3D’s scale will reset back to 0. (Pixologic please fix this. No mesh should ever start off with a default scale other than 100%.)

I don’t know if this will solve everyone’s problems, but it appears to have solved all of mine. The models import and export at the appropriate scale and pivot points just like they did in 3.1.

#53

Still having the same issue with Zbrush obj export to 3DS Max, I loaded original ztl, append my retopologized model(as adaptive skin), export, and the scale in max is still tiny. This manual hand scaling thing is really a pain. Is there a fix coming soon?

#54

I have two solution to the problem!

  1. manual project high level subdivision.
    when you finish retopo or change some edge else, you must import the obj mesh twice. first when you import the object you will find original object smaller. then you to tool<export, set scale 1, XYZ offset 0, import the object again , you will find it change back. next you maybe manual reproject high level subdivision

2.auto
first you export the subtool which you want retopo without change any export setting. then retopo or change the export mesh, import you will find it reproject high level automatically. what the most import thing to do is that you must export the subtool mesh first because the next import or export depend on the first setting

I am a beginner and hope this method can help for you. my English are not well. [email protected]

Attachments

ZBrush Document.jpg

ZBrush Document1.jpg

#55

Okay, So I’m going to add a new level of complexity to this mess. Listen to these odd results… I have two old ztools worked on completely in zbrush 3.0 using the maya bash mesh to zbrush workflow.
One is the posed character and the other is the A-pose of the same character ready to be rigged. I had some extra details that I added in to the A-pose of the character that I never got to add in to the final pose and do a render of.
So I decided today to make new displacements from the A-pose and then apply them to the posed character base mesh and do a new render. Little did I know that 3.5r was going to make me spend hours trying to make this work.

I generated a new displacement and went to set it up in maya only to find that I have no detail, only a smoothed low res model without any of my displacement detail. I realized that since my displacement map is 32 bit it has scale baked into it so chances are it ties into the same root problem. Now here is where things get really strange. I did a test, exporting a new low rez of the a pose out of zbrush of the subtool for the hands, it came into maya at exactly the correct size in relation to the posed model. However if I open the exported a pose .ma file from zbrush first and then choose to import the entire scene file of the posed character my newly exported hand from zbrush was TINY. But now here's the kicker... on the tiny hands my displacement map rendered the full detail of the displacement map. Does anyone have any clue what in the world is going on here?

I have the correct scale base mesh in maya, has anyone had any luck with re-importing the lowest rez bash mesh at the proper size to fix the ztool scale problems? A messy work around is that if I up my alpha gain and offset values to 100.0 and -50.0 I can get my displaced details to render. Problem is it kind of defeats the purpose of using a 32 bit displacement map if you don’t know what scale you’re generating from in zbrush since you’ll end up playing with the alpha gain and offset values to get it to look right instead of just inputting the normal 1.0 and -0.5 and being done with it.

#56

I think the import and the export base on the setting you first import or export,
If you export mesh first from zbrush the mess scale will base on the zbrush coordinate, and when you tr
If you export mesh first from maya , then import into zbrush ,it will base on maya.
so you must decide which mess scale you want base on. or you can import mesh into zbrush when you find the mesh scale change and the export setting is also change. then make it to default setting , and you just import again, it will better

#57

Classic.

So I’ve been working on a character for a couple of weeks. During that time I’ve been merrily exporting and importing obj files to and from both Max and Maya without any trouble at all. Then suddenly I find that when I import any of my previous obj files I have an offset that wasn’t there before. I tried every combination of appending subtools to each other and manually copying the scale values between Export rollouts with the usual results, so I started going through previous iterations of my ztool file, and lo and behold the offset suddenly disappears between 5 and 6 versions back. The kicker is that the broken one was saved only 5 minutes after the last unbroken one, and the only difference between the two files is some minor detailing on the highest subdiv level, on the knuckles.

I tell you this, if this nonsense isn’t fixed in v4 I’ll be switching to Mudbox.

#58

So I’ve tried these solutions and I still can’t seem to get anything working properly. The latest problem I’ve got is I have a base mesh in zbrush that I exported to maya. Next I built some armor pieces and a belt for him. Then when I bring in the belt and armor it’s not in the right position and it’s too big. However within zbrush my base mesh is correctly scaled with relation to the other subtools already in zbrush. It’s just the new meshes that wont import properly. I’ve tried all the solutions in this thread but nothing seems to be working. I’ve never had so many problems with importing/exporting before. I really hope that zbrush 4 doesn’t have this problem. Can anyone confirm that this is no longer a problem in ZB4?

#59

Would be great if there was an ‘import to maya/max/etc’ option, so that the world space could be converted :confused:

#60

Trybal’s solution works here with z4. Scale to 1 gives a consistent object center in and out of Z4, as well as correct scaling. It does not appear to be the default for new zsphere models at least. Scaling on those lists as zero. Moral of the story, before you export check that little setting.

As a secondary note though, I did discover on a recent project that scale value ties directly to 'world space' or what I would call system unit's in other applications. For example, if I wanted a person I was going to export to be 2m tall in Max's units, I would export them at 1 in zbrush, check the size imported in Max, then do a little math to get the proper scale (i.e. .5m tall on first export, so 4 scale needed in Z4). Then return to Zbrush, set scale to the calculated number and viola, 2m tall person. That way no scaling in Max needs to be accounted for and the import back into the Ztool is seamless. All the different applications deal with units a little differently, so I don't expect Zbrush to accommodate all of them. Though I would expect GoZ to do so (I'm on max 2008, as that I decided to stop throwing money down that hole, and so am not supported.) In any event, this way is working for me at the moment, knock on wood.
#61

Trybal’s works. Sweet baby Jesus thank you for figuring out that headache.

Was just freaking out because I couldn’t export something right back to my ztl without it being all out of whack.

Zbrush just amazes me sometimes. Scales not even remotely matching? Try loading a different tool and adjusting the scale on the EXPORT to import it properly.

The program is like a savant, it can do the most miraculous ****, but can’t tie it’s own damn shoelaces.
/rant

Anyways, time to go tediously reimport several subtools. :+1:

#62

Hi to All!
I came to this forum to find the solution of this problem. I didnt. Bud i found it my self by testing Zbrush and this is the solution:

  1. open Zbrush (it need to be a clean scene)
  2. import your OBJ
  3. load your ZbrushTool
  4. go to subtool: click main layer to select it
  5. append your OBJ object

Job Done!

conclusion: you have to import OBJ first, before you load your Zbrush Tool.

#63

I might have lost months of work because of this.

  • made a dinosaur in zbrush
  • made props for the dinosaur,
  • everything was the right scale,
  • added detail to dinosaur
  • somewhere along the way, zbrush decided to resize my dinosaur to a tiny scale and offset it.
  • now the props do not fit.

I have saved the dinosaur many many times and cannot go that far back.
I tried to resize it with xyz but cannot get it just right to fit with the props.
none of the above solutions work for me unless I’m not doing something right.

Does anyone have any ideas to save me from redoing all my work?

#64

Working in a specific .zpr file helps. Save on a reasonable time schedule(auto save may not always decide to work at an optimal time). If you have subtools you can merge them down and still be able to separate them later. Save as another version of the file now and again so you have a starting point should something unforeseen happen.

#65

ok… I finally resolved it.

What I had to do was pretty bizarre

I found a previous WIP ZTool where the top subtool was exporting correctly at the right scale. I checked the export options, and it was set to 1000.

So I then went back to my most recent Ztool, and set each subtool to 1000 scale and then cloned them.

I then went back and reappended each one onto the older tool and they were all correct in the right position. I double checked each one by exporting it out to max, and it was fine and working!

Long story short… Before you append a new subtool, check the scale under exports is the same as the one on the top of your stack!

Dryn, thank you! I was able to solve my model scale problem with your method. I don’t know why or how it happened, I have a WIP, say, version 011 that exports at the right scale, and then the 012 exported extremely small. But following your steps it’s all good and matching again :smiley:

Thanks!

#66

Thank you for setting these morons straight. I come here looking for an answer about scale and OBJ file formats and have to read about Obama liberalism blah blah blah, I feel their accounts should be deactivated for bringing this BS into a thread. I am personally insulted by their comments and have a debilitating disease that forces me to live overseas due to healthcare restrictions from so much political fodder. Disgusting!

#67

I started to have this issue today using 3DS Max and Zbrush when exporting a sculpted subtool at lowest division to Max and then importing back into ZBrush. My solution was as follows:

Upon exporting an OBJ from Max, look to the OPTIMIZE section of the OBJ Export Options and ensure that vertex, normals and texture-coord boxes are NOT checked. This can also be accomplished by switching the Preset to ZBrush. I now get a point mismatch error (I never got this before though), which ZBrush informs me it corrects. When I switch the subtool to the highest division, all the original details are retained and everything is working as intended.

One note: even though NOTHING was changed on the OBJ going from ZBrush to Max to ZBrush (I literally exported, imported, exported again), the point order error remains and gets resolved. Hopefully this can help some people experiencing the same issues.