Can the Geometry Tool do this - make a new object?

Griffin Avid

So, I can cut chunks off an object or delete/remove something in a set. (select then delete polygons)

But can I select a set of polygons and "copy to new"?
In other words, create a new object/mesh from a single thing?

Mattymanx

You could duplicate the item first and then eliminate what you dont need but you would need to save it as its own figure/prop in the end.  If you do not, when you load a new copy of the item it was made from into the scene, the new copy will look just like the edited one.

Griffin Avid

That's what I've been doing. When there's a lot of props in the glued-together-set, it's rather tedious.

felis

Have you considered using a modellign program instead? That would, I think be way easier.

FSMCDesigns

felis said:

Have you considered using a modellign program instead? That would, I think be way easier.

yes it would.

jjmainor

Hexagon will do what you want.

 

richardandtracy

To be honest, having used solid modellers like SolidWorks to earn my living since 2006, I feel Hexagon has a completely irrational and utterly mad way of working. I have found it easier to program my own translator to convert STL files to OBJ in C++, then adapt my own home written finite element modeller (which I started in 2004) to do the texture mapping, surface group allocation and group naming than to learn Hexagon.

But that's just me, and I speak for no-one else. But you may be able to tell, I am not a huge fan of Hexagon.

I really would have expected that experience with 3D finite element modellers (since 1988), 3D CAD (since 1996) and 3D solid modellers (since 2006) would have been helpful in understanding how Hexagon might work and reduce the steepness of the learning curve. Not a bit of it, and it's possible such knowledge actually gets in the way.

Regards,

Richard.

 

Griffin Avid

Have you considered using a modellign program instead? That would, I think be way easier.

Consider a new program over the possibility that it might be a button click away in Daz Studio?

It makes sense to ask first.

If it is not, then I am open to considering a new program. That's still a lot of learning curve to climb over for ONE EXACT FUNCTION.

I have Hexagon and trying to Reverse Normals was one of those "It's easier in a dedicated modeler!" wild goose chases that I was sent on. I still never figured it out.

And there does appear to be a reverse normals ability buried in the Geometry Tool Menus. Don't know if or how it would work since I never needed to try it after installing some other apps and getting it done there.

--------

That said I do want a dedicated 3D app and looking over theh choices I don't want to subscibe to an app I might not use that often.

I tried Blender and didn't like it.

Still trying to find a one-time-fee piece that does it.

So far, nothing has screamed "pick me!" so I haven't dived in.

The last dive was iClone and Substance Painter.

 

L'Adair

Griffin Avid said:

Have you considered using a modellign program instead? That would, I think be way easier.

Consider a new program over the possibility that it might be a button click away in Daz Studio?

It makes sense to ask first.

If it is not, then I am open to considering a new program. That's still a lot of learning curve to climb over for ONE EXACT FUNCTION.

I have Hexagon and trying to Reverse Normals was one of those "It's easier in a dedicated modeler!" wild goose chases that I was sent on. I still never figured it out.

And there does appear to be a reverse normals ability buried in the Geometry Tool Menus. Don't know if or how it would work since I never needed to try it after installing some other apps and getting it done there.

--------

That said I do want a dedicated 3D app and looking over theh choices I don't want to subscibe to an app I might not use that often.

I tried Blender and didn't like it.

Still trying to find a one-time-fee piece that does it.

So far, nothing has screamed "pick me!" so I haven't dived in.

The last dive was iClone and Substance Painter.

 

Have you looked into Silo? I haven't tried Silo, but it was recently recommended to me by one of our Daz PAs.

richardandtracy

I think the largest part of the problems with Hexagon and DS is the lack of adequate, task oriented, help files rather than the capability of the programs. Especially for those working on machines that can no-longer be connected to the web for reasons of age.

Hiro Protagonist

I use Geo Editor a lot (mostly on costumes). If I want a separate object extracted from a set I hide everything else (hiding surfaces in the editor's Tool Settings is usually very quick) then export the part remaining as obj and immediately import again. I export with surfaces but no maps as it's easy to copy the surfaces from the original model back onto the new object. This only takes a few minutes. I did this with some buckles on a bodice recently as I wanted to add more and move them around. It's easier, of course, with things that don't need to be conformed, as rigging is lost in the export/import process.

I've been using Blender for more than a decade, but when the above method is suitable for the job it's much more convenient to do it all in Studio. I also create a lot of new surfaces with GE. It's quite surprising how much can be done with it. By the way flip normals is under Geometry Editing in the right-click menu of GE.

One very big caveat with GE is that it often causes Studio to crash (especially after deleting polygons, but not only that) so save very often.

Griffin Avid

Have you looked into Silo? 

My Goodness L'Adair - that was it! I spent a part of tonight combing EVERY software app on steam looking for this.

I could have sworn it was called 3DO or Modo or Mondo. And the only one I found (that wasn't super low-poly) had an expensive license deal so I figured it was just my imagination.

My brain is locking up because I remember one around $200-$300 that did both the painting and modeling and chose Substance Painter over it.

Torquinox

Griffin Avid said:

Have you looked into Silo? 

My Goodness L'Adair - that was it! I spent a part of tonight combing EVERY software app on steam looking for this.

I could have sworn it was called 3DO or Modo or Mondo. And the only one I found (that wasn't super low-poly) had an expensive license deal so I figured it was just my imagination.

My brain is locking up because I remember one around $200-$300 that did both the painting and modeling and chose Substance Painter over it.

Sounds like you're thinking of 3D-Coat.

WendyLuvsCatz

Carrara 

Griffin Avid

I'm a loser.

I have notes from collected forum posts asking about all of this.

I've been down this path before.

And now I remember. I just wanted to paint models, but all my meshes had errors and problems- from not being symmetrical - from its origin point and problems with seams and polys.

I could really paint well and was doing some pretty cool stuff in Substance Painter and even dabbled in Subtance Designer.

But the problem was the meshes, and my horrible UV wrapping jobs.

I wanted a program that could FIX these issues and not really model new stuff.

That's how I got into this circle of concerns.
Sorry for dragging us back down this hole. lol

Torquinox

Blender? As long as we're just randomly naming programs.

XtraDimensional

I know you said you tried Blender, but have you tried since the 2.8 update? I'm so glad I put learning it off until now, because it's really pretty intuitive for the most part, although I am given to understand that it wasn't very much so before 2.8

WendyLuvsCatz

Torquinox said:

Blender? As long as we're just randomly naming programs.

I at least named another one owned by DAZ 

I have Hexagon too but find the Carrara vertex modeller more intuitive

FirstBastion

3D Coat has modelling and paint capabilities.  There's a STEAM version too. 

Torquinox

WendyLuvsCatz said:

Torquinox said:

Blender? As long as we're just randomly naming programs.

I at least named another one owned by DAZ 

I have Hexagon too but find the Carrara vertex modeller more intuitive

Yes, and Carrara remains an underrated gem! I enjoy modelling in Hexagon. I like the way it handles mesh - Until it loses track of things and goes sideways. That happens after a while. I mean to give Carrara more time, but I've been partying in Sculptris. That is an addictive program!

Torquinox

Griffin Avid said:

I'm a loser.

I have notes from collected forum posts asking about all of this.

I've been down this path before.

And now I remember. I just wanted to paint models, but all my meshes had errors and problems- from not being symmetrical - from its origin point and problems with seams and polys.

I could really paint well and was doing some pretty cool stuff in Substance Painter and even dabbled in Subtance Designer.

But the problem was the meshes, and my horrible UV wrapping jobs.

I wanted a program that could FIX these issues and not really model new stuff.

That's how I got into this circle of concerns.
Sorry for dragging us back down this hole. lol

What you're describing is a topology problem. It's something we must consider as 3D modelers.

3D Coat has extensive topology correction and uv mapping tools. They have a lot of video tutorials and a 30-day trial.

Blender also has built-in topology tools and more available as plug-ins. Also many tutorials available on Youtube, Blender Nation, and other places.

Hexagon has a fair number of modeling tools that can be used to correct the topology of a model. Also, people in the Hexagon forum may be able to help you.

You'll have to fix the issues, but those programs have tools to make the job a lot easier. I hope that helps!

I'm adding this on:

If you really enjoy the texture mapping part of the process, maybe you can find someone who will work with you on the mesh? It's a thought, anyway