ZBrush Custom UI Showcase

felipefrango

So I've been tinkering with my ZBrush UI, never really bothered to customize it but I finally did and it's awesome, I love how flexible everything is. Anyone else uses a custom UI? I'd love to see how workflow changed the UI for you guys.

cryrid

I change mine around a lot. Even now I'm thinking of making a few more changes. Here's two I've stuck with more often.

Zipfinator

I've been thinking of messing around with my UI lately... Does anyone have any small tutorials or guides on it? I don't really know where to start.

cryrid

http://pointpusher.blogspot.com/2010/08/mini-tutorial-zbrush-40-custom-ui.html

It might be very slightly different in R2. Basically go to Preferences: Config: Enable Customize.

From there, hold ctrl+alt and you can drag anything around (buttons, sliders, etc). Drag things from the palettes onto the UI to place them, and if you want to remove them, drag them onto the document instead. Once you're done, toggle off enable customize and then save it (preferences: config: save ui). Save it in your ZStartup\UserInterfaceLayouts folder. To switch UIs, there are arrows in the top-right of the screen

felipefrango

cryrid wrote: »

I change mine around a lot. Even now I'm thinking of making a few more changes. Here's two I've stuck with more often.

Wow, this one is particularly awesome! How do you make those small swatches? And the rainbow strip, what is that? :O

cryrid

Custom buttons that use .psd images as a background.

[VarDef,buttonPath,""]

[ISubPalette,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI"]

[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Swatches","Color Swatch",
	[VarSet,buttonPath,"Color:Main Color"]
	[If,[IExists,buttonPath],
		[IPress,buttonPath]
	]
	,,78 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\swatches.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button

[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Strokes","Brush Strokes",
	,,78 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\strokes.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button

[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Options","Brush Options",
	,,105 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\options.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button


[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Brushes","Brushes",
	,,534 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\brushes.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button

[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Alpha","Alpha and Texture",
	,,155 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\alpha.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button

[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Masking","Masking Brushes",
	,,78 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\masking.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button

[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Selection","Selection Brushes",
	,,78 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\selection.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button

[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:Clipping Brushes","Clipping Brushes",
	,,122 /*width*/,, "CryridUI\clipping.psd"/*image*/, /*height*/]
//end button


[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:QuickColor","Quick Colors",
	,,1575 /*width*/,,  "CryridUI\color1575_12.psd"/*image*/, 12 /*height*/]
//end button


[IButton,"ZPlugin:Cryrid UI:SkinColor","Skin Colors",
	,,76 /*width*/,,  "CryridUI\skin.psd"/*image*/, 38 /*height*/]
//end button

I don't have them set to do anything, they're just for show (though the I can use the color picker to grab the colors from the swatches).

felipefrango

Oh, cool, gotta try something with that sometime. I assume you could map action to these custom buttons through scripting as well?

Zipfinator

Hmm. Thanks for the info Cryid. I set up a basic custom UI a week or so ago with the brushes I use most on the bottom but I'm having a problem. When I re-open ZBrush the brushes that I had to load through Lightbox aren't on my UI. I have to re-load them and place them back onto my UI which is annoying. How can I have it so those brushes are always there when I open it?

felipefrango

Zipfinator wrote: »

Hmm. Thanks for the info Cryid. I set up a basic custom UI a week or so ago with the brushes I use most on the bottom but I'm having a problem. When I re-open ZBrush the brushes that I had to load through Lightbox aren't on my UI. I have to re-load them and place them back onto my UI which is annoying. How can I have it so those brushes are always there when I open it?

Yeah, same thing happened to me, it's annoying as hell. You have to copy the brush files you want available at startup from the ZBrush 4R2\ZBrushes folder to the ZBrush 4R2\ZData\BrushPresets folder.

Zipfinator

Okay thanks Felipe!

cryrid

I just make sure everything you want to load during startup is in the zstartup/ directory (so ZBrush 4R2\ZStartup\BrushPresets for brushes)

Cathodeus

felipefrango i love your UI would you share it ?

[HP]

I've been using cryrid's for a while
http://www.moddb.com/downloads/zbrush-4-custom-ui/#2392346

almighty_gir

if you guys could upload your custom UI's for other people to share, that would be awesome.

if you have nowhere to host the files please let me know and i'll be more than happy to provide.

felipefrango

Sure, I'll be glad to help, I'll upload it when I get home. But as it's been said, it uses some non default brushes and materials and it'll look broken if they're not in the right folders, but from that image you can tell where stuff is supposed to be or just fill in the gaps with other stuff.

almighty_gir

so include the brushes in the upload. make a zip file that contains the proper directories and those files, unzipping them properly will put them in the correct places.

felipefrango

Hmm, that's smart. It does use 3rd party brushes like the Selwy Cloth Brushes, Orb's crack brush and the Mahcut Hard Surface brushes, as well as materials that I found around the web and don't even know if they're free anymore. Would that be a problem?

cryrid

Just copy your zstartup folder (probably minus the plugins, unless you have ones that don't ship with R2)

felipefrango

Well, my concern is actually the redistribution of 3rd party brushes and materials without consent, I'll see what I can do when I'm out of work.

cryrid

Everything I have I was given for free:

http://cryrid.com/3d/temp/zbrush/resources/Cryrid_UI_Z4R2.rar

felipefrango

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5691557/ZStartup.zip

As cryrid suggested, just extract this zip file into the ZBrush instalation folder and merge/overwrite as wanted. It includes materials and brushes, the UI file (felipefrango.cfg) and hotkeys (which will probably overwrite the hotkeys there, so beware).

The only changes to the default hotkey system that I can remember is numbers 1 through 8 select brushes I use the most (which are then not present in the bottom shelf) and 9/0 select preview/flat render, I find it useful to quickly check on the silhouette of the model ad then switch back.

Danielmn

love the idea for making this a thread,
give me some great ideas next time i get back into zbrush

jocose

great thread idea

Arkadius

Nice Cryrid!

I have a quick question is it possible to edit a cfg. file saved out of Zbrush? I've tried openning the file in a couple of editors but they all seem to have encoding issues .

felipefrango

I have no idea, never tried to do it, but what is it that wou wanna change? Can't you just load the UI and move things around?

Arkadius

I'm trying to get the Subtool menu in a custom menu and I think the only way to get it to work is to mess with the config file. The problem is when you drag the subtool menus over you get "unsed 01 - unused 07" and one tool that references a mesh for a total of 8. It works fine until you restart Zbrush...

felipefrango

Hmm, yeah, you can only add things that are readily available, if you try to add something that only shows up after you enter a specific mode, it won't work for future sessions. I've tried adding the subdivision slider to the UI so I could see in what subdivision level I was working, and it works, but since it's only available when you enter Edit mode for a polymesh 3D, it disappears when you restart ZBrush.

Now, I didn't quite understand what you need, but maybe building a custom palette could work?

http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Changing_the_Interface_Layout#Building_User_Menus

NordicNinja

Cool thread!

Here's what I'm using currently, I tend to make tweaks here and there as I need them. Nothing custom so it should work as is.



Download Link

Joshua Stubbles

I want to customize it more, but this is a start. It's already sped up my work a lot.

Tokusei

Cryrid UI with some adjustments 8]

Del

~ Am I the only one who still uses zbrush 3.5? -___-

Joshua Stubbles

Didn't tweak a hell of a lot, since the base was good. Some UI changes (especially in the side panels), some additional brushes, palette swaps, etc. Excellent base to work from Cyrid, thanks for sharing!



If anyone feels like downloading it:
www.ivassago.com/temp/ZStartup.7z

dpaynter26

Can anyone who has there Icolors buttons set to blue give a d/l to their UI colors? i always want the blue but i always mess it all up when i play with it

@ joshua i really like you're ui do you have a link to d/l it?

Joshua Stubbles

@Dpaynter26 - it's in my post, at the bottom

pasha_sevez

Joshua Stubbles wrote: »

Didn't tweak a hell of a lot, since the base was good. Some UI changes (especially in the side panels), some additional brushes, palette swaps, etc. Excellent base to work from Cyrid, thanks for sharing!



If anyone feels like downloading it:
www.ivassago.com/temp/ZStartup.7z

Thanks! :thumbup:

dpaynter26

Joshua Stubbles wrote: »

I want to customize it more, but this is a start. It's already sped up my work a lot.

thanks i downloaded it but i was hoping for this one ^^ lol who knows though the one i downloaded might work greatly for me

WarrenM

Thanks for that download! Love the blue interface...

Joshua Stubbles

Ah! @DPaynter, I can upload that one as well if you like, but it's for R3.5 I believe. Loading it up in 4/4R2 results in some stuff not displaying correctly.

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dpaynter26

@joshua no problem im actually working with your 4.2 upload and i like it a lot the only thing im not used to is the brushes being on the left but it's ok i really like it thanks! i have one question though, where is the polycount? lol i dont even know where to find it to have it shown

tacit math

TeriyakiStyle wrote: »

Great thread, been working on getting my custom UI just the way I like it.

However - Is it a known issue to try to add certain buttons and then have them not save to your UI? Ex; I try to place an "Activate Symmetry" button in a custom window or anywhere in the main UI and save the config normally. Then when restarting zbrush those buttons are always gone.

It's the same for morph target buttons for me.

in true pixologic fashion. . . check the last entry in the FAQ dude :

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?160733-ZBrush-4R2-Troubleshooting-FAQ

Joshua Stubbles

dpaynter26 wrote: »

where is the polycount?

I didn't add that in yet, but it's located under Preferences > Misc if you want to add it yourself.

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Andreas

felipefrango wrote: »

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5691557/ZStartup.zip

As cryrid suggested, just extract this zip file into the ZBrush instalation folder and merge/overwrite as wanted. It includes materials and brushes, the UI file (felipefrango.cfg) and hotkeys (which will probably overwrite the hotkeys there, so beware).

The only changes to the default hotkey system that I can remember is numbers 1 through 8 select brushes I use the most (which are then not present in the bottom shelf) and 9/0 select preview/flat render, I find it useful to quickly check on the silhouette of the model ad then switch back.

It doesnt look like the one you originally posted when I boot up, no grid, buttons a little different, why is that?

dpaynter26

yeah i found it and i cant get it to actually move into place, im holding control+alt but it's not doing what i want, and when i go to make sure to click the customize ui button its greyed out and cant be clicked

felipefrango

@Andreas, can ya post a picture? The grid shouldn't be there, actually, my mistake. I don't even know how to actually save grid settings but I'm assuming it's part of the startup document, and mine doesn't have it enabled.

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dpaynter26

How can i add the polycount to my UI from preferences>misc?

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felipefrango

Wow, TeryakiStyle, that is super nice! I usually don't deviate from the default grey/orange color scheme but that green looks so cozy haha.