Correction, this happens after resizing a document with a live tool on it.
Once you clear the doc and redraw the tool on the newly resized doc, no shaders function.
definitely not - I’m on xp32 and I had the same issue
Ok I downloaded the trial of photoshop cs4 and that doesnt seem to crash zbrush when i use zapplink. Not sure what the link is but having cs3 or cs2 open makes r3 crash everytime.
I tried with CS4 trial on mine and it still crashed 
really hard to say what is going on heheh I did a test - made the startup doc again and yeah it started to crash so this must be connected
Hiho, I´m very new to Zbrush and just discovered ZAppLink yesterday and had the same error message. The very first time I tried it, it worked. Then I wanted to do a more serious test of that feature and restarted ZBrush for that. Then this second time it did not work and gave me that error.
After a lot of trying things out I got it working again by using the buttons in “ZAppLink Properties” (in the same Menu/palette). I think with those you say what layers are to be sent to PS (I guess I hit them the first time to while I was exploreing the program).
Make also sure you really set your photoshop.exe as the external editor again.
I´m not entirely certain, but I think you have to be in edit mode too.
this sucks, i tried reinstalling again just now.
i can’t have a custom StartupDocument.ZBR and it only with photoshop cs4 32-bit not 64-bit. i installed my old copy of PS CS3 and that just instantly crashes. is it just an xp problem? i talked to a friend this morning and at work he is on vista 32-bit with PS CS2 and have no problems, weak
I’m with Win 7 x64 + CS4 x64, no problems at all, XP 32 + CS4 x32 ok, XP32 + Gimp ok
But if I use a custom document, I have the same error.
No, not XP Only. I’m on Vista 64-bit and using Photoshop CS4 64-bit. Without a StartupDocument.ZBR everything works smoothly with this setup, but as soon as I save a StartupDocument.ZBR ZAppLink stops working.
CS4 64 bit works fine for me, granted I don’t have a custom document.
Just another bit of info…
Even if you open an external document… like instead of having a startup document, I made “aDocument.zbr” a saved it outside of the zbrush directory,… zapplink works fine, but when I open that document, just to not have to set the canvas size each time… zapplink fails again.
Seems like it needs the default document, you can resize it, but if the document existed before zbrush was started, zapplink fails. Regardless of whether or not it is “startupDocument.zbr”.
I don´t think it is related to the custom startup document nor XP. I work with XP and a custom startup document and it works for me. Are you guys in Edit mode when trying and have you set up the ZAppLink properties?
What is crashing? ZBrush or Photoshop?
You are always in edit mode with Zapplink, and zapplink takes you out to grab the screen, save the file and wake up photoshop.
Nothing “crashes” but Zbrush spits an error and does not connect to photoshop.
I have tested this on various machines, it is related to external documents, be it the startupDocument.zbr that we save in the ZStartup folder, or .zbr files saved elsewhere.
It doesn’t appear to matter.
Works fine if you resize the default document, but anything external and the connection fails.
What is your startup document called? Where do you have it saved? Are you running 3.5r3?
I’m also having problems w/ Zapplink. Using it either fails (error returning to zbrush), or crashes zbrush entirely. Then again, sometimes it works.
Doing some testing, I’ve determined that, i can zapplink so long as i do not save my file. Once I save my file, zapplink no longer works. (Either crashes or will has error returning to zbrush.)
Image size does not seem to matter. Having Photoshop CS4 (extended) open or not does not seem to matter.
Hi all,
Zapplink work good, bud you cant use Startup Doc. If you save it, youve got a problem with bitmap allocate or if your doc large, you`ve got a Error encountered while attempting to launch external editor.
I rocommend you:
-
Dont save Startup Doc [If you saved it, remove Startup Doc.ZBR from C:\Program Files (x86)\Pixologic\ZBrush 3.5 R3\ZStartup] After removing Zapplink work good.
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If you need large document, use the Double button in document pallete.
[important thing is rate of side]
Happy ZBrushing with Zapplink. 
Hmm… I don’t have “Startup Doc.ZBR” in the 3.5r3 directories. For that matter, there are no .ZBR files under \Program Files\Pixologic\ZBrush 3.5 R3\ZStartup ,whatsoever
So, are you recommending that, instead of using the default startup file, that we make a new document, and then save that?
I just tried that; starting up Zbrush 3.5 r3, creating a new document. Testing that zapplink works. (it does) Then, doing a save-as. Then trying zapplink, which does not now work.
Have now tried this several times, and it fails 100% of the time. The specific error is: “Error encountered while attempting to launch external editor.”
Also: have tried using an old document, made in z3.
a) all my custom materials are collapsed to ‘flat color’ material. (this utterly sucks,btw)
b) cannot do zapplink from the the old document. Even having just opened it. This file is all pixols.
Yes, If you save the document and than load this. Zapplin not work. No discusion, this is a bug, but If I sculpting, I save only tool, no document.
This is my funkcion workflow: I start up ZBrush, resize document (I use double button) and load my tool. If i need image reference, usualy use Image plane and second layer in doc. It is not confortabe, but it si solution to this situation.
p.s. I have got change my Interface for quick work. (double button is situated on the top bar)
I hope, that will be a way for many ZBrushers. But you can try, try, try and find better way
@vorteP naJ:
thanks for your workaround! it’s really one more click to do and i don’t care for that bug anymore…
btw, i setup my document size for the size i like best, than save as startup doc and go with that. whenever i fell like painting in ps i clear the canvas, press double and after that switch to halfsize view and position my model for painting. works great here and makes me think why i never thought of this before… gives me twice the resolution for painting in ps and no worries 'till now!
sunshine! yeah!!!
chem!
I’m having the same problem, ZApplink stops working as soon as I save a StartupDocument.zbr, and as soon as I remove the document (from Pixologic/ZBrush35R3/ZStartup/) it works again, no more error.
Maybe this might help, first make sure PS is closed otherwise you’ll get the error,uninstall/reinstall zapplink, follow what Totyo suggested (right click on the zapplink folder in the prog folder, properties, sharing) copy the zplugs you want to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents. Restart zbrush, and it may work. I’m on xp32bit. Hope this helps.
i reformatted my PC today. zapplink now works with PS Cs3 so must of been a ghost in the machine before. but theres still the problem with the startup document, just won’t work with a start up document