Problems 3d pianter in maya

Makkon

I feel like an Idiot asking this, because it's probably the most obvious thing in existance.
I have a model with several textures assigned to individual pieces on the same mesh. I've heard people used 3d painter to fix seams on thier textures, and I searched for a tutorial on how to use it. But there seems to be a small problem: I have been working on the texture long enough to keep it for certain, and seeing as how it would be be impossible have the uvs mapped entirely on one texture (it's a rather complex model) the 3d painter brush refuses to do ANYthing to it. There is no X displayed, so I'm certain it thinks it's working. It just.... does nothing.... like it's laughing at my pitiful attempts to work effectively.

Any suggestions to get the damn thing to work so I can move on to other stuff?

malcolm

Yes this is a common problem that I go through when I use the tool, but it is just a step you are missing in the process. To be clear are you opening the 3d paint tool options box? The tool will not work without that open, there is a nother problem too where cursor appears but you try painting and nothing happens, I don't remember why this happens but I'll take a look and get back to you.

Makkon

Yes, I make it a habit to have that window tool options open. However, it still does nothing. I've messed around with the options all I can stand, and I've read the Maya Help docs to a near anurism. Is there some kindof plugin I have to purchse? Or a third party plugin for this specific problem....
Thanks for your help so far, though.

malcolm

Sorry man, I can't recreate your problem now, although I have definately had that same problem before, what does the little pink error message say in the bottom right of the screen when you select the model you want to paint and open the paint tool?

Makkon

Checked that just now. It doesn't say anything. Just a blank grey bar, as usual. Aparantly it thinks that it's working when it's really not.
However I did try some trouble shooting of my own. I combined all of the textures into one and reassigned the texture for a fresh start. Unfortunalty.... this did nothing as well. Do I need to update Maya or something?

malcolm

Nope, I've been using the 3d paint to clone stamp out seams since Maya 5.0

Jeff Parrott

This may be too simple for your problem, but did you click on Assign/Edit button in the 3d Paint Tool Options box? It's at the bottom. The tool will not work unless you click that option. That tells it what size to save the map out at. Also you should click Save when you are all finished. It will make a 3dPaintTextures folder where your project is set. Good luck with whatever issues it's having.

Makkon

[ QUOTE ]
This may be too simple for your problem, but did you click on Assign/Edit button in the 3d Paint Tool Options box?

[/ QUOTE ]

yes, I have, and I have tried it before. It still doesn't seem to work. When I do that, though, it lowers the quality of the texture when I try to stroke. I want to keep the quality of my tex, but if I assign a texture any bigger that 512 it slows down my machine exponentialy.

I probably should have mentiond this in the first place, but I have Maya 6.0. I also have a number of plugins for various reasons that I havn't figured out yet. These plugins are usualy random free stuff that my uncle uses at work and has liberated me thier usage. My guess is that one of the plugins I have is/are interfering with 3d painter...somehow. I've been told that this is possible, and that it happens often. I should try shutting them all off for my sanity's sake.

Another possible solution: Seeing as how Maya6 has been acting up from the day I got it, maybe I should reinstall? or would that really not help? I've had to reinstall before many times, but those were for different reasons than my current concern. My guess is that by some coincidence Maya has decided that THIS TIME it will dissembowl my abilities of Texturing. Damn alias. Only ver6.0 has been giving me crap like this.

Thank you all for your help so far, and thank you for showing your concern. More suggestions are welcome, and I will keep an open mind.

Jeff Parrott

I would try a reinstall. I guess 6.5 was just announced today and it's supposed way faster with the artisan tool. I think it's just a slow process. I just use it to fix seams when I'm finishing a texture.

Makkon

Meh, I'll reinstall then... see if that works.