Selecting Vertices In Hexagon

Am I the only one who finds it really difficult to select vertices in Hexagon?

Comments

  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838
    edited March 2020

    Yes. Especially when leaving such a non-specific complaint.

    Post edited by Ascania on
  •  

    Ascania said:

    Yes. Especially when leaving such a non-specific complaint.

     

    How specitic must I be? I set Hexagon to select vertices. I left-click on a vertex. Nothing happens.

  • Was the object selected on the scene tree?

  • Was the object selected on the scene tree?

    Yes, it was. In blue.

  • Catherine3678abCatherine3678ab Posts: 8,015
    edited April 2020

    Was the object selected on the scene tree?

    Yes, it was. In blue.

    Okay, 2 images so we're on the same page ;-)

    Resetting to defaults, then readjusting a couple of matters, solves some issues that pop up from time to time with Hexagon.

    3rd image: on the mesh pane one needs the right tool selected, lines selected ...

    reset preferences then go back and uncheck check for news.png
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    Post edited by Catherine3678ab on
  • jpetersen1jpetersen1 Posts: 148
    edited April 2020

    I've been using graphics software for years. Many different tools (Lightwave, Carrara, Maya, Shade, etc., etc., in addition to video apps). I rarely have to look at the documentation. I can usually find my way around, and I can do most things quickly.

    Not with Hexagon. Yes, I'm new to it, but I was new to those other apps and they didn't frustrate me the way Hexagon frustrates me. I find it to be awkward, buggy (it gets stuck in certain modes and the only way to get the internal flags to reset is to click around on a bunch of other functions or to use Esc). If you are simply playing with features and making random things... fine. It can do that. Any software can. The true test of software, and especially an interface, is if you can do something SPECIFIC, something goal-oriented that YOU need, and do it quickly. That's when you discover whether it's well-designed (or in this case... not).

     

    Yes, I have difficulty selecting and pulling things and stretching things in PREDICTABLE ways in Hexagon (a problem I don't have with the other programs). I find myself using the Ring and Grow selection tools very frequently but Ring isn't very useful for naturalistic shapes (like animals), or for grabbing a specific part (like a block of polygons you might want to turn into a nose) and it doesn't give you easy ways to select the insides of imported objects (which are not always constructed of two sections so you that you can hide one while working on the other).

     

    Also the Daz-Hexagon bridging can be problematic...

    As far as I can tell, the DS-to-Hexagon export process merges groups that are subgroups in DS (I'm still trying to figure out a way around this because it's essential to keep subgroups separate and if anyone knows how to do it please post). For example, if you have a hat with a hatband and you want to get rid of the hatband in Hexagon (permanently, without using the DS opacity setting or the DS Geometry Editor), it brings the two groups into Hexagon as one group in the Scene Tree. Normally it would take 5 seconds to delete the hatband and re-export to DAZ, but if the groups are merged in Hexagon so they don't show up as separate groups in the Scene Tree, then it can take 15 or 20 minutes to manually select the right polygons to delete them.

     

    I would like a DS to Carrara Bridge so I don't have to deal with Hexagon. I've used Carrara for years (although I'm not familiar with the last couple of versions). Having to lean YAAP (yet another annoying program) is time-wasting.

    Post edited by jpetersen1 on
  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838
     

    Also the Daz-Hexagon bridging can be problematic...

    As far as I can tell, the DS-to-Hexagon export process merges groups that are subgroups in DS (I'm still trying to figure out a way around this because it's essential to keep subgroups separate and if anyone knows how to do it please post). For example, if you have a hat with a hatband and you want to get rid of the hatband in Hexagon (permanently, without using the DS opacity setting or the DS Geometry Editor), it brings the two groups into Hexagon as one group in the Scene Tree. Normally it would take 5 seconds to delete the hatband and re-export to DAZ, but if the groups are merged in Hexagon so they don't show up as separate groups in the Scene Tree, then it can take 15 or 20 minutes to manually select the right polygons to delete them.

    For that you do NOT use the Bridge. The Bridge is solely for creating morphs and and thus mesh groups are merged so it doesn't break the morphing system.

     

    If you want to delete geometry, export from D|S and import into Hexagon the conventional way.

  • Resetting to defaults, then readjusting a couple of matters, solves some issues that pop up from time to time with Hexagon
    Thanks for your suggestions. I have set my preferences accoding to your advice but I'm afraid it did not solve the problem.
  • mrpeterdsmithmrpeterdsmith Posts: 16
    edited April 2020

    Catherine3678ab said:

    Was the object selected on the scene tree?

    Yes, it was. In blue.

    Okay, 2 images so we're on the same page ;-)

    Resetting to defaults, then readjusting a couple of matters, solves some issues that pop up from time to time with Hexagon.

    3rd image: on the mesh pane one needs the right tool selected, lines selected ...

    Thanks for your suggestions. I have set my preferences according to your advice but I'm afraid it did not solve the problem.

    Post edited by mrpeterdsmith on
  • Well then maybe you need a new mouse.

  • I had the problem years ago. I don't remember what the fix was. Probably a new keyboard. A stuck button was interfering with Hexagon's GUI.

  • Catherine3678abCatherine3678ab Posts: 8,015
    edited April 2020

    Just the other day came across an .obj made in another program {I do not know which one} and for some reason Hexagon could NOT select any of its vertices either. Couldn't work with it at all in Hexagon so good thing the .obj was free, it was tossed.

    Post edited by Catherine3678ab on
  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838

    Just the other day came across an .obj made in another program {I do not know which one} and for some reason Hexagon could NOT select any of its vertices either. Couldn't work with it at all in Hexagon so good thing the .obj was free, it was tossed.

    Did you think about retaining a link to it so somebody else could take a look and maybe figure out what's going on?

  • Ascania said:

    Just the other day came across an .obj made in another program {I do not know which one} and for some reason Hexagon could NOT select any of its vertices either. Couldn't work with it at all in Hexagon so good thing the .obj was free, it was tossed.

    Did you think about retaining a link to it so somebody else could take a look and maybe figure out what's going on?

    Confessions of a down load aholic ... I know it was a legally free .obj but it came with no readme and nothing in the name to indicate from whence it came ... and I have a lot of .obj files. So no, not this time.

  • I was just trying to figure out the "how to make a window" tutorial. Window [Documentation Center] (daz3d.com) I can create the grid, but that is it. I select the tesseiate tool, choose 4 and nothing happens. I have to select Unassigned faces then I can create the lines as shown. But then cannot sleect them at all. For a program that states it's aimed toward beginers, kind of hard to understand how when even "Simple" tutorials are missing steps or simple "how to select". 

    I uninstalled the program, installed again, 

    AMD Quad Core Phenom, 2GB NIvida GT740, 8GB of Ram, Windows 10 updated. 

     

  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838

    lutherdan_f779727b4f said:

    I was just trying to figure out the "how to make a window" tutorial. Window [Documentation Center] (daz3d.com) I can create the grid, but that is it.

    I select the tesseiate tool, choose 4 and nothing happens.

    That's because you did not read the tutorial carefully enough. You select the edges shown in blue in the screenshot (Yes, the tutorial says vertices. It is wrong there. You select the edges.) and copy-paste them. This will create two new curves as seen in the scene tab.

    Now you do what the tutorial tells you, select the Thickness tool and set the number of points to 4. That will get you back on track.

     

    I have to select Unassigned faces then I can create the lines as shown. But then cannot sleect them at all.

    Or you <SHIFT>-click them to select. Standard key combo.

    For a program that states it's aimed toward beginers, kind of hard to understand how when even "Simple" tutorials are missing steps or simple "how to select". 

    This is explained in the manual. The tutorials show you how to use the program's tools to create things, they don't re-tread what is already explained in the manual

    I uninstalled the program, installed again, 

    AMD Quad Core Phenom, 2GB NIvida GT740, 8GB of Ram, Windows 10 updated. 

    And now open the manual and have a look at that.

     

  • edited April 2021

    The tone of your response is why I don't often ask anything in this forum. Explaination is helpful. Chastisement is not.. Plus the steps provided still do not work. The "common" steps fail to priovide the desired result. 

    Post edited by lutherdan_f779727b4f on
  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838
    edited April 2021

    Without you sharing what you are actually doing and where exactly you are hanging nobody can help you. The previous response was a best guess based on your provided description. If you are hanging on a different step tell us. Playing secrets is not helpful when it is help you want.

    Post edited by Ascania on
  • Create single poygon grid.

    Select the grid. 

    Click on the Vertex Modeling Tab

    Select the Quad Tesselation tool from the Tesselate dropdown menu

    Next should be a cross on the grid. There is no cross. Nothing happens. 

    Double click on the grid and I notice "Unassigned Faces" under Shading Domains will highlight. 

    At this point I can slect the Quad Tellelation tool. Here the lines do show up. Cannot select the lines. I have tried using various selecction tools such as object, faces, edges, points, and auto. 

    I can see the edges turn blue when doing a mouse over. Not the intersecting lines. This is where I am "stuck". There is no informaiton on how to make that selection. 

    I reviewed the tools and how to create grid from the documentation. I have done that now several times. So far I have not found what I am doing wrong, if anything. 

    The steps make it seem easy, There needs to be a bit more detail on the steps. 

     

  • As you can see in the screenshots. When selecting the tool mentioned, nothing happens. No lines appear. 

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  • As you can see in the screenshots. When selecting the tool mentioned, nothing happens. No lines appear. 

  • What happens if you select the face then choose quad tesselation ?

  • Same resullt. I cannot mouse over the intersecting lines and select any. I can mouse over the edges and each will turn blue. 

  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838

    lutherdan_f779727b4f said:

    Same resullt. I cannot mouse over the intersecting lines and select any. I can mouse over the edges and each will turn blue. 

    Switch to face selection mode, select the face, THEN tesselate.

  • That does work to create the lines. The next step states to select those lines (should turn blue when moused over). 

    This is the part that does not work. I can select the edges after clicking on the "Select Edges" tool. I can choose Select Auto and still select the edges. Only the lines created, I cannot sellect Won't turn blue on mouseover. 

     

  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838

    lutherdan_f779727b4f said:

    That does work to create the lines. The next step states to select those lines (should turn blue when moused over). 

    This is the part that does not work. I can select the edges after clicking on the "Select Edges" tool. I can choose Select Auto and still select the edges. Only the lines created, I cannot sellect Won't turn blue on mouseover. 

    One moment you say you can select the edges, next you say you can't. Which is it?

  • lutherdan_f779727b4f said:

    That does work to create the lines. The next step states to select those lines (should turn blue when moused over). 

    This is the part that does not work. I can select the edges after clicking on the "Select Edges" tool. I can choose Select Auto and still select the edges. Only the lines created, I cannot sellect Won't turn blue on mouseover. 

     

    Have you solved this yet?

    If you have the options for "lines" selected, the object selected [highlighted on the scene tree], hold down the Ctrl key [W] and click on the "a" key, all the lines in the object will be selected.

    If the face with the new x of lines still does not have the lines selected - there is the possibility that somehow it is not part of the object but rather a duplicated face and its own object. [if so there would be at least 2 objects in the scene tree]. Screenshots would be rather helpful ;-)

    It is also possible, as it happens from time to time, that Hexagon may be acting goofy. Edit preferences and reset to default, relaunch the program [adjust a few of those preferences, i.e. there is no need for it to be calling home for news, undo options best set a good higher than 10, etc.]

    Now and then it can be beneficial to click on that "Accept" button in Hexagon, that "finishes" a tool enabling the program to continue working. It is essential to click on that if returning to Hexagon after having sent anything over the bridge to D/S.

    Underneath the Tools, Utilities, there is an option to weld points that are near each other. When tessellating, it is a very good utility to make use of. If/when making a number of tessellation lines for reasons of its own, Hexagon will "unweld" various lines/dots/faces from the object. When this happens, then clicking on a face will crash the program - everytime. Just touching the face option can then also crash the program. Be sure the dots are welded ;-) There is as far as I can tell, no rhyme nor reason as to which lines, dots, faces get selected by Hexagon to be unwelded.

    All 3D modeling programs take time to learn. And the forums here normally had been/were/and are expected by some of us, to be a user friendly place to ask questions. Any questions. Indeed it had been remarked on in the past in another thread [said forum page no longer in existence of course] that these forums are one of few on the 'Net where the counsel of 'read the manual' was NEVER thrown at the customers. I for one do not sit here with the manual in front of me so if/when you are having issues with something in the manual, screenshots of what you're doing would be helpful.

     

     

     

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