ZBrushCentral

Group split and keeping the layers

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,

Is there a way to keep the layers on a subtool when doing a group split?

I am losing layers when doing a group split, so I was wondering if there was a workaround of some sort.

I have a subtool that consists of several objects, one of which has messed up geometry (nonmanifold faces). I tried isolating those faces and doing a “delete hidden”, which worked great, but it also got rid of the layers, and the detail got smoothed out.

So far group split resolves the problem in the best manner (maintains high resolution) - if only I could keep them layers…

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

#2

Layers rely on the number of vertices remaining unchanged which is why you lose them when doing a group split. The only way you could get back the layers is to:

  1. Create a Clone for each separate Layer (only that layer being switched on).
  2. Switch off all Layers and Group Split your original.
  3. Create new Layers at the same subdivision level as originally.
  4. For each Layer Clone, Group Split and then export each new SubTool as an OBJ.
  5. Import the OBJs created at (4) into a new Layer in the original model.
  6. Repeat (4) & (5) for all the SubTools for all the Layers.

Obviously you need to do this at the highest subdivision level and if you have a lot of Layers it’s going to take a while!

HTH,

#3

Ahh, thank you very much!

I didn’t know you could import into layers - that’s really good to know! I only have one object in that subtool with layers that I want to keep, so it should be pretty easy.