ZBrushCentral

organizing brushes

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hello,
This is a section in the Z4 documentation about brush organization:

• Directory: ZBrush3.5/ZStartUp/BrushPresets will control brushes at startup being added to the pop-up menu from the main brush icon.
• Directory: ZBrush3.5/ZBrushes will control which brushes will be in LightBox.
• Directory: ZBrush3.5/ZData/BrushPresets are the default startup brushes that will launch at startup.

This is VERY confusing - and I have been using Zbrush for years.
The first and third descriptions are like the same sentence with the words juggled about.

I sat and stared at this for a while, and then said ‘whatever’. And I will customize my user interface now. I will move my loved brushes onto a new menu so I can get at them quickly. But I feel you (Pixologic) have created a way to organize brushes, but you have failed to explain it in a simple way. So I feel like I am missing out on something you have created to work for users.

#2

Not quite. :slight_smile:

There are two BrushPresets folders, one in the ZBrushOSX 4.0/ZStartup folder and the other in the ZBrushOSX 4.0/ZData folder.

The ZData folder is basically the factory installed stuff and is modified at your peril. :slight_smile: The BrushPresets has all the default brushes.

The ZStartup folder can be modified so that stuff you put in there is available at the beginning of a session, so if you put a custom brush in the ZStartup/BrushPresets it will appear in the Brush pop-up just like all the default brushes. For example, if you want the Dam_Standard brush available every time you start ZBrush copy (or move) it from the ZBrushOSX 4.0/ZBrushes folder to the ZStartup/BrushPresets folder.

Which brings me to the ZBrushOSX 4.0/ZBrushes folder. That is the Lightbox default folder for Brushes. In other words, if you click on the Brush option in Lightbox it’s the contents of this folder that you see.

HTH,

#3

And another thing. :slight_smile: When creating a custom menu start the name with a ~ (tilde). It won’t show on the interface but will mean that there are no display problems with the menus.

#4

Thanks.
Hm.

Here is how I think Zbrush should work (intuitively).
I click on the brush icon and see a hundred brushes (like it is now).
I use various brushes.
I figure out my ten favorite brushes.
Zbrush allows me to put them in the quick pick row.
Now my favorite brushes are always in that top row - and I don’t need a custom UI with extra menus.

All this information about zdata vs zstartup vs zbrushes is confusing and complicated.

Thanks, but I will just make my own brush menu and ignore the quick pick and the Z4 documentation on all this.

#5

I agree it’s confusing.