New User needing general help

GuyGenesis

Hello all. I'm looking to use daz as a character builder, with sketchup as an accent to create my items, all for personal use.

a few questions, if you please

1. How do I position and save my new items for permanent use from within daz?
Ex. I create a wrist band in sketchup, next I want to click on it's pic in my daz library and have it load onto the genesis model's wrist

2. How do I add the auto-fit parameter to my new item, thus allowing it to auto scale with the genesis model?

3. What causes certain items to not fully import into daz?
Ex. I created a sword in sketchup and when importing into daz only the lower half of the hilt came in. (.dae)

4. (cont. from 3) If file type, can anyone recommend a good/free import/export plugin for sketchup, preferably without having to create a new account.

Thanks for your time and help, I'll be asking more questions on this same thread later, such as dynamic clothing, easy way to add materials to items, etc. as I find I need help.

Richard Haseltine

1. Save imported items as an asset - File>Save as>Support Asset>Figure prop Asset.

2. Scaling will be inherited by a parented prop, but if you want to inherit morphs you need to make it a figure - doing that with something like a bracelet, assuming it is made to line up with the zeroed figure, is trivial; Edit>Figure>Transfer Utility..., set the figure (Genesis or Genesis 2 Female, presumably) as the Source and the prop as the the Target, then click Accept. Items like a sword that project a long way out from the figure are apt to be a bit fiddlier as they will probably not get a uniform weight map - you will probably want to use the Polygon Group Editor, from the Tool menu, to combine all the finger and hand groups into one hand group and then give the whole item a uniform weight of 1 with the Weight Map Brush tool (just right-click to get to to (and you will probably want to right-click with the Polygon Group editor and select Polygon Assignment>Create Rigidity Group to stop the auto morphs from distorting the item).

3. and 4. Sorry, I don't use Sketchup.

GuyGenesis

Thanks that helped a lot. and thanks for being so prompt.

Another problem...
After using the transfer tool it's moving my bracer to the back of his foot, any suggestions on this? Geometry has replaced item name (I assume) and lists hip through left toes in breakdown. I've tried adjusting to the wrist and saving before using the transfer and also without translation, get the same result either way?

Richard Haseltine

Before you can use the Transfer utility the item must be correctly positioned in its and the figure's zero state. If you need to translate or scale it, do that so that it is correctly placed then hide everything in the scene except the bracer, export as OBJ making sure Ignore Invisible Nodes is checked, then import the OBJ (using the the same preset) and pick that as the target for the Transfer utility.

GuyGenesis

That done it, thank you again.

GuyGenesis

Ok new problem. Hampton Hair is not accessible through smart content(sc), but is via content library.

(in sc) Hampton hair shows name and box but has ! inside the yellow triangle. How can I fix this and make it accessible or how can I remove it from sc only?

fixmypcmike

GuyGenesis said:

Ok new problem. Hampton Hair is not accessible through smart content(sc), but is via content library.

(in sc) Hampton hair shows name and box but has ! inside the yellow triangle. How can I fix this and make it accessible or how can I remove it from sc only?

From the Content Library or Smart Content pane, choose the options menu (rectangle with horizontal lines in the upper corner) > Content DB maintenance, select both "Remove Orphaned Items" and "Remove Unmapped Base Paths and Orphans".

GuyGenesis

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately it doesn't seem to work. Any other suggestions?

Also I was wondering if there is any way to create variants of a single object?
ex. say I made an elbow pad, then I mad a copy with some alterations. Is there anyway to add the elbow pad as the main object, and the altered version as it's variant contained within the former? preferably without sldiers?

fixmypcmike

Do you mean just saving it as a separate item, rather than as a morph of the original?

fixmypcmike

Did removing the orphans not remove the bad icons, or did it remove them and you need to know how to get correct icons back?

GuyGenesis

1. I would like it to be a morph of the item, to not flood my library with too many similar items.

2. Didn't remove the bad icons

GuyGenesis

I had quit on this after finally figuring out how to fix the bad link by manually copying the file over to the library path.

Been almost a month now working at and learning the programs I plan to use a bit, still have a lot to learn.

What I am still wondering is say I create a pair of glasses with lenses, then an almost identical pair but solid(minor remodeling) instead of lenses with intent changing the opacity(in daz) to allow the wearer to see through them. Then save both as separate files in my modeling program(before export to daz). Once imported into daz can I make one a morph/option of the other? where I can have a single object in my content library but offered the option to change between the two after clicking on the first. If so how would I go about achieving this?

GuyGenesis

Any help for the above question? would be greatly appreciated.

basically(Is it possible to list multiple items under a single picture in my library?) I'm thinking I could import multiple items and then export them out and back in as one? but is there any other way, if not is it possible to have visibility on parent object on and children off on default?

ben98120000

GuyGenesis said:

I had quit on this after finally figuring out how to fix the bad link by manually copying the file over to the library path.

Been almost a month now working at and learning the programs I plan to use a bit, still have a lot to learn.

What I am still wondering is say I create a pair of glasses with lenses, then an almost identical pair but solid(minor remodeling) instead of lenses with intent changing the opacity(in daz) to allow the wearer to see through them. Then save both as separate files in my modeling program(before export to daz). Once imported into daz can I make one a morph/option of the other? where I can have a single object in my content library but offered the option to change between the two after clicking on the first. If so how would I go about achieving this?

Generally speaking, morphs are changes in shape of the item. But geometry (meaning amount/count of points and lines) must be the same for all different shapes, so DAZ Studio treats the item as the same item. You can not add or remove any points or lines because for DS that item will not only become different item but another/second item as well (amount of geometry wont match, wont be the same). You make a morph by changing the position of existing points or lines (without adding or removing any), thus making a different shape of the same item.

As for your question with glasses, what are you trying to accomplish? If only difference between glasses is opacity of the lenses, theres no need for 2 glasses. You can make lenses to be 1 surface/material and glasses frames to be another surface/material of the same glasses and than regulate opacity of the lenses in surface tab without influencing glasses frames.

GuyGenesis said:

basically(Is it possible to list multiple items under a single picture in my library?)

Yes and no. It depends on what type of save it is. For example you can have shoes, pants and t-shirt loaded on the figure and than save clothes as wearable preset so you have single wearable preset that loads 3 (shoes, pants, t-shirt) items. But wearable preset is simply put, information on what to load in the scene, not the items themselves. AFAIK, you can not have more than 1 item saved as prop/figure. Prop/figure is a item themselves save.
'm thinking I could import multiple items and then export them out and back in as one? but is there any other way, if not is it possible to have visibility on parent object on and children off on default?
Yes, you can have for example, a table and 4 chairs loaded in the scene and listed in the scene tab as table, chair 1, 2, 3, 4. (5 items). Than you can export them as object file and import back that same object file and that table and 4 chairs will be combined into single object (listed as 1 item in the scene tab). Your other question, yes its possible. You will have to save "parent" as figure/prop, "children" as figure/prop. Than load parent and children and save children as wearable preset of the parent. But if you have just 1 children, theres no need for wearable preset. When you save figure/prop you can save it with material/surface setting as well. Meaning, if you save figure/prop as semitransparent, it will load as semitransparent next time you load it.

GuyGenesis

I've already figured the transparency out with the lenses, and the separate sections, and had suspicion on the morph literally being a morph( ain't I smart) after playing with it a bit this morning.

The glasses are not just transparency vs non, one had lenses built into it modifying the frame, and the other was one solid piece where the frame would become transparent allowing the viewer to see through, so they would have to be two separate objects.

Ok, so the obj export is my best option for part of what I want to do, and multiple objects for others.

Thanks for your help friend.

GuyGenesis

Hello again, I'm trying to simplify my painting tactics here, I've got Blender set up with Gimp so I can paint uv in the latter and auto display on my 3d model in Blender in real time, it works great, cuts out all the save and load testing (doing it automatically) to see if textures line up, though probably because of me minor tweaking is still needed which lead's me to my problem.

So here's my question for anyone familiar with Blender

When unwrapping the Genesis model, specifically the Supersuit, in Blender the uvs overlap, is there anyway (using the uv side) to separate uvs onto their own layers with their own images attached, ex. head and back to layer 1 using image 1, chest and feet to layer 2 using image 2, arms and hands to layer 3 using image 3, and legs to layer 4 using image 4? and thus displaying the appropriate images within the appropriate areas on the 3d model at the same time in real time. Having to resize in blender to get the whole uv to fit is where my minor tweaking sprang from, and two problems arise from making certain parts invisible: some of the outlying on the visible uv becomes hidden as well and you don't get the complete view resulting again in the third problem of simply moving the unused uv out of image.

Once again any help would be greatly appreciated

jestmart

Split the work space screen in Blender, switch one side to UV/Image Editor. STEP 1: In the Properties section switch to Materials, select the materials that belong on the same map (you may need to use the Surface pane in Studio to figure that out). STEP 2: In the UV/Image Editor screen make a new texture image for these materials. Unselect all and repeat steps 1 and 2 until all materials are associated with a texture image. Now you can paint away.

GuyGenesis

Thanks friend.

Hopefully this is the last question for a bit, I've created a shoe sole to fit on the supersuit, but instead of using the base, I made it using the boot foot morph scaled to 100%. Now my problem occurring when I use the transfer utility, the sole wants to morph, even with the boot morph dialed in before transferring. SO basically I want to keep my model shape as base and transfer to boot foot dialed in. I tried attaching to genesis, and it worked, but whe posing it deformed the sole, was hoping by transferring to supersuit this would be fixed?

The community has been great and very friendly about helping and I really appreciate that. I'm this *_* close to having my first character finished, this sole, some slider morphing in program, a render, and some gimp touch up for added effect is all I need. There's a lot of work that goes into one of these, but it's undoubtedly worth it.

GuyGenesis

Still would like an answer as to how to transfer my default shoe sole shape to supersuit with boot morph dialed in, but for now I can attach it to the genesis model. Also I figured out that the deformation of my shoe during posing was because of bad modeling, so I downloaded and remeshed it with meshmixer.

Thanks again all.

GuyGenesis

Wondering about one of two options here.

I have created a 3D obj set of eyebrows, and using the transfer moves and adjusts them with the character, but when using facial expressions they stay static, anyway to get them to auto adjust?

or

I have also created a texture with eyebrows, which move as I need them, is there anyway to apply multiple textures to a single area? or do I have to add all the elements together in say paint then save as a new texture? (Example Eyebrow texture(1), as well as tattoo texture(2) apply to genesis "Face"

I prefer the second method, but am curious about the first.

For all the help, here is my first creation
http://guygenesis.deviantart.com/

Thanks again

ben98120000

GuyGenesis said:

Wondering about one of two options here.

I have created a 3D obj set of eyebrows, and using the transfer moves and adjusts them with the character, but when using facial expressions they stay static, anyway to get them to auto adjust?
In order for morphs (facial expressions are morphs) to automatically transfer from main figure (say G2F) to the fitted item (say brows) they must have Auto Follow option enabled/activated in morph parameters.

Select the main/base figure, go to parameters tab and click with right mouse button on it to get a menu. From menu select/activate Edit mode. Go to expressions for which you wish to enable auto follow and click with right mouse button on them to get a menu. From menu select AutoFollow - Enable AutoFollow on Selected Properties.

When in Edit mode you can select more than one morph by pressing and holding Ctrl key on the keyboard and and clicking on morphs. Or you can select first one, press and hold Shift key and click on last one. That will select first, last and all morphs in between. Than just click with right mouse button on one of them to get a menu and enable auto follow, which will enable auto follow for all selected morphs.

To get out of the Edit mode, click again with right mouse button on parameters tab and from the menu select Edit mode again to deactivate it.

Changes to the morph parameters will be saved with the scene but just for that figure. If you load another new G2F into the same scene or start a new scene and load G2F, it wont have auto follow enabled.
I have also created a texture with eyebrows, which move as I need them, is there anyway to apply multiple textures to a single area? or do I have to add all the elements together in say paint then save as a new texture? (Example Eyebrow texture(1), as well as tattoo texture(2) apply to genesis "Face"

I prefer the second method, but am curious about the first.

For all the help, here is my first creation
http://guygenesis.deviantart.com/

Thanks again

Select the figure, go to surface tab and select the surface to which you wish to apply additional textures (say Face). In the Diffuse Color click on the image (little cube with image next to color) and from menu select Layered Image Editor. In layered image editor window click on "+" button and from menu select Add Layer. Than in new layer under Resource click on "none" button and from the menu select Browse to browse to the image you wish to add. For additional images make additional layers.

And you will probably need to use images with alpha (transparent) channel so you add just, say brows, without any background color.

You can than save it as material preset or just save a scene.

GuyGenesis

Thank you for all the help.
After seeing the layered image editor I feel a little silly for overlooking that one.

GuyGenesis

Using the Supersuit, I'm adding new sections in sketchup, Is there anyway to keep the original mesh or at least get my new mesh to match up perfectly (using blender) also have Hexagon? So I can design my textures for use across the original suit and my added breaks?

An example would be say adding strips on the legs of the suit or a line down the middle to allow for two tone. Pure texturing across multiple sections can be a lot of trouble. Spent hours trying to line strips up across leg and hip

Thanks again.

fixmypcmike

It sounds like what you want is to split up the surfaces -- see the tutorial in my sig and see if that gets you what you need.

GuyGenesis

I'll check that out, thanks.

GuyGenesis

Checked it out and that is similar to what I need, but I wonder if the polies won't be squared and jagged without a guiding line say for example I wanted to make my supersuit have a set of briefs built into it. Would I not have to draw the outline for them to keep the editor smooth and precise?

GuyGenesis

Let's try this again.

Example say I want to add a set of briefs into the supersuit.

How would I go about doing that while retaining the basic mesh (of course with my new lines constrained within the original form) so that all previously created textures still work with my supersuit? I don't want to have to create two textures, or modify the settings everytime.

Any help would be appreciated

SimonJM

GuyGenesis said:

Let's try this again.

Example say I want to add a set of briefs into the supersuit.

How would I go about doing that while retaining the basic mesh (of course with my new lines constrained within the original form) so that all previously created textures still work with my supersuit? I don't want to have to create two textures, or modify the settings everytime.

Any help would be appreciated

It sounds like what you'd need to do is identify those material zones that would be affected and creating an opacity map to 'mask out' those sections where you don't want the material to be seen.

GuyGenesis

Thanks anyways, I'll just push this one to the back for now.

New question, I just downloaded the burlap doll and the slider doesn't have a pic. So I rendered a pic, go to parameter settings - card (browse to image file) - accept

everything looks fine, but after restarting it has reverted, so I'm assuming I have to save it somewhere/somehow?

any help would once again be muchly appreciated.

ben98120000

After you added the picture you can save your modified morph with File - Save As - Support Asset - Save Modified Assets... But be careful with that one because it will try to save everything that is modified (you will get a list).

GuyGenesis

Thank you, more than you know.

I was wondering something else, is there anyway to move/organize your morphs(sliders) into new categories? For example move the vascular set (bought) into their own newly created category(vascularity) like the age set (bought) freeing up the universal for general character types?