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Loading WIP Ztool Crashes ZBrush, no indication why?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Here’s my specs:
-Mac Pro/Bootcamp
-Intel Xeon, 2.66 GHz
-2 GB RAM
-30 GB Hard Drive Partition, 15.9 GB free space
-ZBrush 3.1

Here’s the problem. I’ve been working on a portrait bust started from the demo head. I’ve saved multiple steps/versions along the way to prevent problems. The first day of work, I only saved one version - I can open it fine. The next day, I saved four more versions over the course of hours of work. I cannot open or load any of these four without ZBrush immediately crashing!?! I did not restart ZBrush each time I saved a new version, which I guess was a mistake, but I’ve never had any problems with corrupted files either. Corel Painter is the only app I’ve ever heard of where files can become “magically corrupted”! Since I mainly Photoshop it, I guess I’m spoiled with file management that actually works! My theory is that there is something in the second saved version that is somehow corrupted, and it has carried over into all of the other versions after that. I can open other projects just fine.

Take note that the second version is the exact point at which I created clothes as subtools using the topology tools. Everything went fine, and all sculpting after wards was smooth as always. This is the first “saved” project where I used topology to create subtools, I’ve experimented with it before though. Tonight when I went to put in more work, ZBrush is crashing and burning! Help!

Also take note that there was ZERO indication of anything being wrong during the sculpting AND saving processes through all of the versions. Everything seemed completely fine and was actually running great.

I’ve emailed Pixologic support, but I would love to hear any input on this. Has any one else ever experienced such disaster?? Could it be related to the topology subtools?? Should I just take a vacation until ZBrush for the Mac is released?? Oh how I wish I could afford to! For now, I need to know what the deal is…

#2

I recommend using SubTool Master (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=057154) when working with any model that has subtools. It has its own Save button, which you should use in place of Tool>Save As. There are routines built into that plugin that are designed to avoid the sorts of issues that you describe.

#3

Unfortunately for that theory, I did use the subtool master’s save function. I do every single time, as instructed from my research on the best ZBrush workflows. I did indicate that fact in the email, but failed to here, sorry bout that.

Any other ideas??? In this case, should I just kiss the work bye bye, or is there any fixing of a messed up file???

#4

What is your Preferences>Mem>Compact Mem setting?

As for saving the damaged files, it’s theoretically possible – but the people who are capable of doing it also happen to be the same people who are spending all their time on the Mac version of Z3. Until that is done, they aren’t able to take on the task of trying to salvage files. So the best that we can do right now is try to figure out why it might have happened to you in order to prevent it from happening again.

#5

Well, believe me, those are the last people I want to interrupt! By all means, screw my model! Gotta have your priorities…once it’s out, I might bug you about trying to revive it, though. However, it was only about 5 1/2 hours of work, nothing that can’t be redone today. I’m just hesitant to now…

I had to reboot to check. The Compact Mem is set at 1989 upon launching ZBrush. This is where I’ve saved it, I don’t adjust it during work.

???

#6

I had a hunch you might see it that way. :wink:

Regarding your Compact Mem setting, it’s kind of high. Your system has 2 GB of RAM. That’s 2048. Setting CompactMem to 1989 leaves 59 MB of RAM for your operating system and any background apps you might be running. That’s cough not really enough. Try dropping the setting to 1500. You’ll probably get much better results.

#7

Right on, thanks. Could this have been involved in saving a corrupted file, though? Obviously, something went wrong, so the fact that I was giving ZB too much memory could’ve caused it maybe. It still doesn’t make much sense to me though, because I’ve created much more complex models with no problems under these settings.

This was a portrait bust from the demo head. I created subtool clothes with topology for the first time in a saved project. Could that have pushed the memory too far?

Fortunately, upon release of the Mac version, I will be upgrading to 8 gigs. So, hopefully, there won’t be such issues…