Transfer Textures Between Different UV's ( e.g. Genesis )
dave_a4a3e10bba
Posts: 0
Hey Everybody,
I rarely post in this forum, but I really need to know who's interested in being able to do this...
Say you have a model ( e.g. a DAZ Genesis character ) with textures designed for one UV mapping. Then you have the same model with a different UV mapping. Would you like to be able to easily transfer the textures from one to another? Would this be useful to you?
I personally have not used the Genesis characters, but I do understand that one of the key features is the ability to use different UV sets. Do you already transfer textures from one UV mapping to another? Issues?
Dave
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Comments
You can already do that with genesis just goto the surfaces tab and select the UV mapping you want to use Gen 4 Upwards.
I think from reading it was what you wanted..lol
Steve.
Does it create textures ( e.g. jpg images) stretched to fit the new UV mapping, or is that just to change the UV set from one to another?
Dave
Genesis uses multiple different UV sets which you can swap between. The mesh remains the same, but how it displays textures can be altered to suit the textures you're using on the figure. By default, Genesis supports Gen4 textures including Victoria 4, Michael 4 and the Kids 4. It also includes a 'Genesis' UV set which as far as I'm aware isn't used.
Additional UV sets include Victoria 5, Aiko 5, David 5, Michael 5, Hiro 5 and Stephanie 5. Unfortunately, these UV sets are only available with the relevant products bought from the store, and textures purchased for any of these figures cannot be easily converted to use the default UV sets.
Individual surfaces can use their own UV sets, but obviously you get best results using the same UV across the entire figure because of seams. With this in mind, it's not very feasible to use multiple textures across different types of UV without some form of texture conversion. I own a copy of Texture Converter 2 by 3D Universe, but it's quite old and only supports the Gen4 series. However, it does come in handy for converting certain maps where there are no equivalents.
As had been said: using only Genesis there's no reason to adjust the textures itself, switching the UV set to the mapping the textures were made for is simple. (edit: this is only correct if someone has all possible Genesis characters with different UV sets; time will tell if there are so much A5 or D5 textures or if these mappings will be used moreoften after DAZ made a great sale deal on the characters)
For using Genesis-only textures (with V5- or D5- or A5- or M5- mapping) on Gen4 characters some conversion would be nice but I don't think this is really important now. Most female textures for Genesis use the V4 mapping and can be used on V4 out of the box.
If your question is: should my program have the option to translate one texture-mapping to another, I would say it isn't worth your development time. If someone needs a complete different mapping because of stretching issues they would create a complete new uv-mapping and build the textures on this new uv's. I guess realityPaint uses the existent uv map of a model, so there wouldn't be any problem for the creator to a) submit a new mapping with his product and b) the properly adjusted textures.
Hey Frank,
Thanks for the reply. The genesis models are one consideration ( albeit a very significant one for the DAZ community ). As it turns out, I completed the feature this evening and it will be in tomorrow's update. I am pleasantly pleased that it went so smoothly ( often rare in software dev ). Essentially, this is what it'll do...
1) Given two identical models ( polygons and vertices ), you can "paint" the textures from one to the other
2) The UV mapping can be the same, or different ( you may just want to 'grab' a part of the texture on another character, spanning multiple maps, UV seams, etc. )
3) The material layout may be the same or different ( one model may have a simplified material structure, like a single material for example )
4) The number of maps on each is model is completely variable.
As long as the two models have the same polygon and vertex structure, you can transfer textures between the two.
There will be a video demonstrating this new feature available by tomorrow as well.
This will be the first update containing this feature, and I will evolve it based on the needs of the community, so everyone's input would be appreciated :D.
Dave
Ok, the update is out, and I made a video to demonstrate the new feature. Methinks that this new feature is going to open up a whole world of possibilities. It turned out way better than I was anticipating...
Here's a link with the video and a description...
http://www.realitypaint.com/main/?p=1360
Time for some sleep. I worked a 17 hour day today :S . Time for some sleep.
Dave:
I signed up, and downloaded your new app version (compared to original Blacksmith3D) based on your video for this new UV Texture Transfer update. Very good job on the video presentation. This was exactly what I expected you were talking about from your opening post.
Sadly though, I can not even try it out due to your software insisting that I do not have administrator rights, and refuses to download the update.
I keep going round in circles trying to retrieve the update in both my main log-in (full admin rights/run as administer), and even trying as full system admin via Safe Mode with networking using master system admin (which completely fails to accomplish anything).
Is there an offline version I can download to install (and for my Win7 x64 box, which has no online capabilities), or is there an estimated future date when you will fully incorporate it into the demo to try out?
I have been on the fence regarding the purchase of your software for years waiting for it to mature into something usable with better documentation. I've been holding off demoing it since your first (realityPaint) release, and you sent me a link to download (am on your mailing list) until now. This UV implementation just might be the thing to tip my purchasing decision.
Any help you can give is appreciated. If I can't take it for a test drive now, I will just have to wait and revisit again in a year or so. Nevertheless, great job on the implementation. It's something I think every 3D painting app should be able to do.
Hey DaremoK3,
Is the machine you are installing on Windows XP? If so, you should get a windows prompt to ask for permission. In a very un-intuitive way, there is a checkbox that you have to uncheck to allow it to install.
If not, could you please send me any relevant screen captures? If you have permission for full installer, you should be able to use the updater as well.
Please let me know...
Dave
Thank you for getting back to me, Dave.
Yes, It is my crappy online laptop, and is running Windows XP SP3. It is giving me the prompt window to select which user I would like to use for the update. It defaults to what I am logged in to (Admin), and the box is selected.
I'll go, and try again. This time I will make sure to uncheck the windows prompt user box, and see if it will retrieve the update.
Other than that, the new version seems to work great. My crappy on-board video card was throwing a slight issue with the Menu command window (flickering/invisible until I click somewhere on the window). This was remedied by unchecking the partially transparent menu window box.
Also, took a little while to find all the attributes, and how this version works. After spending some time, and clicking on every single button, it became easy and self evident. I like this new design. Very intuitive.
I would still like to install on my offline work machine (W7 x64, QuadCore, 6G RAM) to really give it a thorough workout in an appropriate 3D environment. Any chance of an offline version in the future?
Indeed, the flicker problem has been fixed in later updates.
Once you install it on one system, you can copy the whole folder onto another system with no problems. You will have to re-enter the registration key of course.
I'll will be updating the installer with the latest pretty soon, but the updates come quite frequently, so if you are using an off-line computer, best to keep it current on your on-line computer and copy it over whenever there is a new update.
Dave
Success!
That worked. Yeah, the check-box relates to possibly letting in viruses, and unknown entities gain control of my system with admin rights. No wonder my paranoid ass did not deselect it first go around.
Well, that is what is apparently needed for Windows XP to allow for the update to complete, so if anyone else is still running XP, and runs into this issue, this will solve it.
I noticed it also updated the x64 EXE, so I will transfer realityPaint to my x64 box tomorrow, and have a play.
This way of updating is fine. Download/update on the online laptop, and then transfer over to the offline box. I can work with that.
Thanks again for all your help, Dave. I hope more people take notice of this great update, and consider a purchase. It really is a marvel function.
Glad to be of help... I have to look into making that easier, as you are not the first person to become confused by it.
Dave
Transferred to my x64 box, and tested it out.
It works perfectly.
Bonus... Brush settings affect the transfer brush, so this opens up further possibilities. I used the brush at 25%, 75%, and 100% opacity.
Here are some screen-shots of my testing. My original UV mapping is on the left, and RP Auto-mapping is on the right. In the last image, the middle pair shows transferring using different opacity settings, and the last pair shows transfer at 100%.
Back to the original question at the start of the thread.
Bit late now, but for your information:
Many people don't realise this, but DS already contains a tool to convert textures between different UV sets that the same figure has.
For example, let's say you have an M4 texture set you want converting to the M5 UVs, In DS, if you have Genesis with the M4 and M5 UVs (of course you get the Genesis M4 UVs with the basic content, but get the M5 UVs by buying M5) you simply use the 'Map transfer' command in the surfaces menu, and DS will convert the M4 textures to the M5 mapping (that is, DS generates new jpegs of the textures, with the textures transformed, like with Textyre Converter 2 etc).
DS has actually had this function since DS3 and pre Genesis. If, in DS3, you were to load V4, say, then select the M4 obj as an alternate UV set for the V4, DS would convert V4 textures to M4 UV mapping and vice versa. The simple requirement for DS to convert textures from one UV mapping to another is that one figure (or prop) must have both the UVs to convert from and to available for it. With Genesis, of course, that means textures can be converted by DS between the V4, M4, V5, M5, A5, S5, H5, F5 UVs, plus those for the various Genesis custom creatures that come with separate custom UV mapping. But Genesis is not itself a requirement, just that a single figure or prop has both UV sets available for it.
Hello all
Can someone do a video showing transfer of M4-V4 skin textures to Genesis ?
I have tried following whats advised in the threads but with no joy.
Many thanks in advance.
Do you really need, or want, to? By default the Genesis figure, in Daz Studio, will accept skin textures that use the M4 and V4 UV maps. The only thing you really need to do is double-check that the target figure 'knows' to use the rigth UV map after you have applied the texture. Go to tthe surfaces tab, select the overall figure (to select all it's surfaces) and scroll down the property list until you find the UV map drop-down. Check it is set to the right thing (it might well be blank) and if not (including if it is blank) select either the V4 or M4 UV map fom the list.