ZBrushCentral

How To: Use Zapplink on Mac's Without Crashing

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,
I am sure this has been covered before, but I could not find a thread that definitively solves the problem of Zbrush crashing when Zapplink is invoked on the Mac platform.

I have recently switched my Zbrushing to my Mac, after using Zapplink successfully on my Win. Unfortunately, from what I gather, Zbrush does not run on xp64 with more than 2gb of ram.

  1. I have installed the plugin correctly, in the zstartup>zplugs folder, and launched Zbrush.
  2. Before invoking Zapplink, I manually associate the program Photoshop with Zapplink by pressing Ctrl-Shift-S, and selecting Photoshop from the browser popup.
  3. Enter Projecion Master, Invoke Zapplink, Press OK to transfer the selection of the default, Unshaded Layer.
  4. Experience Crash.

Please, is there anyone with a fix? A new download perhaps?

Best,
Jacques

#2

It sounds like you need to download and install the specific Mac version of ZAppLink. In the ZAppLink thread you’ll see that there are two separate downloads. The first is for the PC version. The second is strictly for Mac.

#3

Hi,
I definitely downlaoded the mac version. Rev2. That is why I am quite frustrated.

I dowloaded it directly from the download center on the pixologic site. Clicking the Mac link:
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/Plugins/ZAppLinkRev2-Mac.zip

Is there an update to this plugin, because I have seen this as an issue since its release.

Do I need to do anything proactive beyond a regular install to get it to work? I checked out the path assignment in the text document, and this is what I get;
/Applications/Adobe%20Photoshop%20CS2/Adobe%20Photoshop%20CS2.app/

Best,
Jacques

#4

Does this help you out… :wink:

Attachments

Picture 2.jpg

#5

Hi,
Thanks for uploading that screenshot. Often times, a screenshot goes a long way towards troubleshooting. As you can see though, I have setup the plugin the same way you have. Havve you gotten Zapplink to work with you Mac setup?
Best,
Jacques

Picture1.jpg

#6

Hi,
Anyone who has encountered this same problem, and is willing to share their solution, I encourage you to chime in. It should serve as a good reference for others as well. Much appreciated.
Best,
Jacques

#7

Hello,
I encounter the same problem as you by using ZApplink for a few weeks.
The access path to a drawing package (here Photoshop CS, but the problem is the same with Painter or…) is solved by removing all the special characters. OK !
All is held normally in PM until the moment of pressing G to drop the work. At this time precise, Zbrush application leaves without warning…

There is really a bug in this Zscript! Why does its creator not react! : (

In waiting of a real solution…

Better greetings

Victor
(PowerMac G5 Dual 2 GHz, 2Mo of RAM, Mac OS X 10.4.8, swissfrench… ZApplink rev. 2 for mac)

#8

I’ve never had Zapplink work on the mac either. After trouble shooting for a long time…with the locations of apps, folder names and structures… perhaps a year ago… i came to the conclusion it was a bug.

The furest I would ever get would be to setup the connection with PS and ZB but have zbrush immediatley close upon picking up my painted object from projection master.

I think at the time I expected pixologic to release another fix like they quickly did after the first version of zapplink for mac had problems.

#9

Works for me, always has on G4, G5 and now Intel.

In your paths, spaces in names of drives, folders, etc.?

Sometimes initially you have to help it know which files to open, such as PSD in PS or Gimp, whatever you use. That is done in the info palette for a file, otherwwise a silly temp file is created.

These are not Zbrush issues, but the way your OS is setup.

If it’s something else, you people will have to provide more step by step information for me or anyone else to be of help. :wink:

#10

Well, im at work currently but i remember jumping through a lot of hoops to try and get this working… no spaces… checking permissions etc… emailing crash logs… i kinda lumped in the fact that the is still no mac version of zmapper that pixologic was having osx issues and this was one of them.

The fact that zbrush finds and sends data to photoshop means stuff is in the right locations… it also gets it back… it crashes when projection master is exited.

Again i havent tried any of this stuff since the first couple weeks that the mac version was released so this is all just what i recall from a year ago.

It would be great to try and troubleshoot the differences in our set ups though jason.

#11

Hi,

  1. Renamed both my Hard Drive & the files in my applications folders to not have any spaces. Fig1.
  2. Deleted my ZAppExternalEditorPath.TXT Fig2.
  3. Launched Zbrush, Load Tool, Press T, New Texture, ProjectionMaster, Document>Zapplink, Assign Program to Reference>Click OK
  4. Crash Fig3.

It’s troubling to believe that as a user, I must go to theses lengths to get this to work. Or in this case, not work. I am increasingly intrigued by anyone who can get this to work at all.

Best,
Jacques

Fig1.jpg

Attachments

Fig2.jpg

Fig3.jpg

#12

Well i get further then that… zapplink launches PS… my object is there to paint in PS… i can send it back to zbrush with the edited texture… Zbrush unexpectedly quit as soon as i hit the g key or hit the pick up mesh btn exiting projection master… pretty instantly as i recall… this made me think it was a permissions issue… that data zbrush was expecting could not be found…

#13

Ok in an effort to help you guys, I’ll try it on a few other systems.

As for jumping through hoops, well I’ve yet to see an app yet that it isn’t required at some point and I’ve been doing this a really, really long time.

As for zmapper, well it was just the thing, something always gets lost when companies try to handle multiple platforms until they set up to do that efficiently. Zbrush is amazing for the Mac, all things considered, we are lucky they even bother.

I was told Zbrush wouldn’t run under Intel either, and I have gone to great lengths to get that running smoothly for people, so everything is possible. :wink:

#14

OK, tried it on 2 other systems, using the demo and several tests on my MacBookPro, no issues at all, so how about a few of you posting your steps in detail. Perhaps I can help. :wink:

#15

Hi Jason,
Thanks for helping out, much appreciated. I posted previously, the steps I use to recreate. Do you need any other specific information? Also, are there any other people that can help out with this from Pixologic, or the forum base?
Best,
Jacques

#16

Try this for me, so we can talk aples to apples. :wink:

  1. Open Zbrush
  2. Select a plane, convert to polymesh, select polymesh
  3. draw on canvas, goto edit mode
  4. set a texture/colour/resolution
  5. under Tool>Texture, choose GUV
  6. Jump into Projection Master
  7. Select ZappLink
  8. Ensure you have the proper layer selected to paint on in PS/Gimp/whathaveyou
  9. do something funky
  10. save
  11. return to Zbrush
  12. accept update
  13. jump out of Projection Master
  14. rotate your object around in 3d space
    Let me know when and if it dies… :wink:
#17

Hi Jason,
Great thinking, apple to apples it is then. I crash after Step 7-8. I assume you are still selecting the mode in Zbrush in Step 8. And in Step 9, one is in Photoshop? If that is the case, hitting The OK button in Step 8 crashes Zbrush.
Best,
Jacques

step8.jpg

#18

OK, actually step 8 is in Photoshop or whatever app.

So this tells me, you either have an issue with the plugin or on issue with the OS.

OK, try deleting the preferences for Zbrush and for PS. Also try deleting the ZappLink plugin and make sure to download the latest version, go through the thread to be sure as I think an update or two were introduced at some point.

One of the things that may be the problem if you are on an Intel machine is that you are running out of RAM. As Zbrush/PS/Rosetta are using it all up under emulation. If your on a PowerPC machine, give me the vital stats will you… :wink:

#19

Hello,
Thank you for you help. For me, it crash always after step 13…

#20

mbrunsteig, following my test routine, you get the issue after step 13, ok, can you give me some system specs as well.

Then we’ll see if another test will be of help.

Hopefully I can figure something out for you guys today, as tomorrow I’m off for some relaxation for 2 weeks. :wink: