ZBrushCentral

Subtool missing functions and options

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

One of my subtools has lots of functions missing in the tool palette, in particular the Mirror and Weld in Modify Topology, also Merge in SubTool.

I am a relatively new ZBrush user have a few subtools in a sculpt I am doing. I’m trying to mirror the subtool over in x, but I can’t get it to work, because the buttons are missing. Under Geometry > Modify Topology, many of the options are gone and it only shows Micro Mesh, so I can’t do a mirror and weld.

So, I duplicated the subtool and then mirrored it under Deformation. That worked, but now I can’t merge the subtools. The subtool on top in the palette has no Merge tab. The bottom one does, but if I move it up the stack in order to Merge Down, then the Merge tab disappears.

I also tried SubTool Master, but the subtool blinked and then the program crashed.

Halp.

#2

Screen grab clearly showing ALL of your subtools would be helpful. Sounds like your subtool is not the correct type for the operation you’re trying to perform.

#3

Here is a screenshot of the subtool palette. Is this what you mean? Could you explain what you mean by different types of subtools? I’m trying to get a handle on how ZBrush functions, which is understandably a challenge.

You can see that Antenna-right doesn’t have a Merge section.
Subtools_Antenna.JPG
I did make a mistake in my original post. I can move the Antenna-left up and merge that down; I was hitting the wrong button and just selecting up instead of moving up. So I’ve moved past this issue, but I’d still like to understand why the subtool was unable to perform various functions.

Thanks!

#4

ZBrush is complex to the beginner and even trips up users that know some of the quirks.
Without knowing how the various parts were made (Zspheres or DynaMesh) it might take time.
Take some time to read a bit more, please, it will but help you.

#5

It probably doesn’t have a Merge tab because you havn’t made it a PolyMesh3D yet. Select the antenna and click “Make PolyMesh3D” button.

#6

I believe I started with ZSpheres and then used dynamesh on that. Thinking back, it’s possible I didn’t actually hit “Make Adaptive Skin”, so maybe that’s where it went wrong. If I click on Make Polymesh3D zber2 suggests, it creates a new tool, but then it does have the merge function, so I can then append as a subtool and delete the original. Thanks for your help.

#7

No problem! :+1:

ZBrush is context sensitive which has a tendency to throw off new users I noticed. A little practice and you will be a master in no time.