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Old ZTL support in Z4.

ZBrush Usage Questions
#6

I did a slightly different workaround. I exported the effected subtools as .obj files with high res displacement maps. I then imported the low res .obj files in version 4 re-subdivided them to the same SubD level as the ztool in 3.5 then apply the displacement maps.

It works well. Once I got a workflow established it goes quickly as well. IN fact, I find that I can slightly optimize the models even, by only dividing them to a Sub D level or two below the 3.5 sculpted version before applying the displacement maps.

Not ideal, or as easy as simply opening the 3.5 ztl files, but at least it works, and I can continue work on the projects now in V4.

Still not sure what triggers the problem. It seems pretty random. At first I thought it was Sub D level related, but some of my tools, of even higher subdivisions, import perfectly fine.

#7

Allright…
Not to sound aggressive or anything but I do not want a workaround, I would want a patch ! When you got an important list of files to transfer and when this problem happens it is not a workable solution.
That plus the fact that when you import a obj with polypaint baked in, the polypaint is not imported in Z4.

Really annoying…

#8

Bump
Cheers !

#9

After waiting so long for the Mac version, you could be dead by the time a patch came out.

I’d assign some uvs to the mesh, convert the polypaint to texture, export the texture and then re-import it and convert the texture to polypaint. Quicker than waiting for a patch.

#10

in 3.5 hide all the other layers but mantain the one that have the object you like to save or export to ZB4.

#11

Any update on this issue? I seem to be having even more difficulty - ZBrush 4 crashes and vanishes when I try to load any previous version ZTool. I tried loading them back in ZB 3.2 (I’m on a Mac), but that’s crashing every time as well now. So I assume there’s a common link between both now behaving like this?

I tried placing one of them in the ZBrush 4 ZTools folder and it shows fine as a Lightbox preview, but again as soon as I click to load it - poof no more ZB4.

These are ZSphere models, so any obj workaround isn’t going to do the trick for me (even if I could load them into ZB 3.2).

EDIT - I’ve realized it’s only happening with old ZTools saved from ZB2/2.5. Those saved out of 3/3.2 seem to be fine, so my problem appears to be different to the ones mentioned by the others above. I can’t open these in ZB3 any more either… I guess I could always try reinstalling ZB2 again to see if that works…

#12

I am having the same issue. I get the shadow box error when I open 3.5 tools in 4. Its very unfortunate. I hope this is resolved quickly. Its also going to be difficult to convince my studio to upgrade to 4 with such an issue.

#13

Just to voice out, same here too, im having to leave ZB4 alone till this, and other issues get sorted out, as im spending more time trying to work around problems than actualy getting on with my job at hand. Il continue to report new issues that are not covered in the manual in my spare time, but while working, havent got time to beta test ZB4.

#14

You’d have thought these issues would have become apparent early on in the development of ZB4, I am sure the testers would have flagged it up.

Backwards compatibilty is essential for any gfx software…it’s baffling.

#15

Here the problem is not backward compatibility, but rather the forward kind…

#16

Z4-loadztl-error.jpg

Can’t load 3.5 ztl.

#17

I would have thought so yes. They had a deadline to meet, and must have had a list of bugs prior to its release for fixing the first patch. We have to give them time, and keep using what works for now.

Personaly I think a public beta would be better next time. There are pros and cons in having a public beta, but in a way its happining now, only in a un-organized way with threads dotted all over the place.

When im working, if recall a feature being advatised for any software that I own, I check the manual quckly because I intend to use it right off the bat.

If it fails, the next stage is to look on forums which can take a while at times. Often it finnishes with it being a bug, and odd wacky methology, a workaround which takes 3 times longer than the method I was to use before giving a new feature a go. This has happend so many times in the past that I just dont bother once it dont work as advatised.

Its good to add, or contribute to posts with the same problem your having, so as to give more weight that its a bug.

#18

Nope, backwards compatibilty is correct for this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backwards_compatibility

#19

My bad, thanks for educating me :slight_smile: (makes sens in fact !).
Still not fix the issue.:confused:

#20

Bumping this thread. This is an important issue that I would like to get an answer on.

#21

What I would like to know is the workflow for using the new layer system!! I am having the same issue as the initial poster. It seems every time zb is released I jump in only to hokey pokey a bit and jump right back out :frowning:

#22

I have got my issue resolved after reinstall, load 3.5ztl.

Another issue is that you can’t resize the brush via keypad before you draw any thing on the canvas otherwise it will not work and must restart Z4.

#23

The development team is looking into this and will try to resolve it if possible.

For now, if you still have 3.5 installed you can export from that version as an OBJ and bring it into ZBrush that way. To preserve multiple subdivision levels you would need to export both level 1 and the highest level. Import level 1 into Z4, divide to have the correct number of levels, then import the highest level. This will give you all levels with all sculpted details. If the model also has polypaint you will need to have UV mapping and export a texture map as well. You can then apply that map to your Z4 model and convert back to polypaint.

Almost all of this could be automated through a couple ZScripts – on for version 3.5 and on for Z4.

#24

Bump

This issue has become quite a hassle on our team. We can’t all have both version of 3.5 and 4 on our machines. As we go through and iterate on our files ~20% have this import issue. If a script is easily created can we please get an official one?

Thanks

#25

i second ChaleySOE…can we have an official script?
not nice to have to go through all teh process of export etc…when you got 30 ish subtools per tool :frowning:
thansk for any help!
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