My Zbrush Plugin!
Most Up-To-Date Info on Page 4!Link!
I think I am ready to release my little plugin I have been working on. Most of them are pretty simple but I am trying to add some features that seem crazy to not have in the native program. Hopefully they can save you some time clicking stuff.
I am going to continue to add scripts as I make them. Feel free to let me know if you run into any issues or have any suggestions.
Mask Grow: this script will attempt to grow your mask similar to how you can grow a selection in Photoshop. Enter how many polygons you want it to grow by in the slider and click grow. This is best used at medium to low SubD levels. At higher SubD levels it takes forever and the effect is barley noticeable. Zbr3 does have a "Grow" and "Shrink" mask now but it works differently and blurs the mask.
All SubTools to SubD level: this script will put all your subtools at the SubD level indicated by the slider. This is similar to "All High" and "All Low" in the SubTool menu only with more customization.
PP to Mask: if you have any Polypaint this script will convert it into a mask based on color value with a single click. This is useful if you want a way to preserve complex masks. Note: this script will work with layers as long as the layer(s) are not active.
Colorize Toggle: this script sets colorize (Polypaint) on or off for all your SubTools at once. Toggling them individually if you have lots of Subtools can be super time consuming.
AutoMask PG: ordinarily the brush setting "AutoMask by Polygroup" is a slider. While this feature is awesome when you want it... it's irksome when you don't. This button toggles between 100 (on) and 0 (off) with a button press. Ideally this button should be pulled into your interface somewhere so it's handy.
To instal:
Place ZSC file in your *\ZStartup\ZPlugs directory.
Huge thanks to my friend Matt and Marcus on the ZBC scripting forums. Couldn't have done anything without their continual help.
I think I am ready to release my little plugin I have been working on. Most of them are pretty simple but I am trying to add some features that seem crazy to not have in the native program. Hopefully they can save you some time clicking stuff.
I am going to continue to add scripts as I make them. Feel free to let me know if you run into any issues or have any suggestions.
Mask Grow: this script will attempt to grow your mask similar to how you can grow a selection in Photoshop. Enter how many polygons you want it to grow by in the slider and click grow. This is best used at medium to low SubD levels. At higher SubD levels it takes forever and the effect is barley noticeable. Zbr3 does have a "Grow" and "Shrink" mask now but it works differently and blurs the mask.
All SubTools to SubD level: this script will put all your subtools at the SubD level indicated by the slider. This is similar to "All High" and "All Low" in the SubTool menu only with more customization.
PP to Mask: if you have any Polypaint this script will convert it into a mask based on color value with a single click. This is useful if you want a way to preserve complex masks. Note: this script will work with layers as long as the layer(s) are not active.
Colorize Toggle: this script sets colorize (Polypaint) on or off for all your SubTools at once. Toggling them individually if you have lots of Subtools can be super time consuming.
AutoMask PG: ordinarily the brush setting "AutoMask by Polygroup" is a slider. While this feature is awesome when you want it... it's irksome when you don't. This button toggles between 100 (on) and 0 (off) with a button press. Ideally this button should be pulled into your interface somewhere so it's handy.
To instal:
Place ZSC file in your *\ZStartup\ZPlugs directory.
Huge thanks to my friend Matt and Marcus on the ZBC scripting forums. Couldn't have done anything without their continual help.
Replies
Just a question, would it be possible to create and 'automatic' tool which is essentially a mask at 80-90* angle? Basically, the same as your AutoMaskPG, but something which (maybe cavity mask) does an auto angle mask?
Just curious.
Either way, still awesome and thanks!
So about your question. I am not 100% sure I know what you mean. Do you want a brush or a button?
You just don't want to be able to sculpt on geo that is at a 90 degree angle to a surface?
Thanks SpeCter for the link!!! Any idea why the download link didn't work in the first place? Is it because of the browser that I am using which is Firefox but not Chrome?
Ah interesting! Is this brush similar to what you were thinking about?
Ah, nice! Black updated his Brush set, cool. Thanks for the info and link, much appreciated!
I love you! I waste so much time turning polypaint on and off one by one for color-mask baking.
The rest looks great too, grow should come in handy, often wanted something like that, thanks!
Gah I know!!! This annoyance was the whole reason I started making Zscripts! Seriously... how is that not the default option when hit colorize?!
There are two main things these buttons do. Store and Load Ztools and Zprojects to be quickly loaded on your next Zbrush session. Ztools and Zprojects are handled a little different so listen up. As always feel free post any questions or suggestions.
-Open: This button will open the browser for you to select a project. This button also automatically stores the project you open. So after you "Open" a project once its forever stored until you open other with this button.
- Store Tool 1-3: These buttons will store the current tool you are on. You can have three different tools stored at once. Clicking it again will overwrite the previous save. If you CRTL-Click the button it will display the path of the tool saved so you know which Tool is assigned to which button.
- Load Tool 1-3: These buttons will load the Ztools assigned to the neighboring buttons.
Note: To get optimal use out of these scripts I HIGHLY recommend making a custom menu with these buttons and docking it above the "Tools" palette so that it will be close to your other Save/Load buttons. As seen in the GIF image.
If you don't know how to make a custom menu this is a great How To:[ame="
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DOWNLOAD!
You're right, thank you! I've been searching high and low for how to get rid of my custom menus. I can't believe it was this hard to find. Anyway, yes, renaming to a blank name does it, awesome!
That's why I share here cause I know a lot of people decided to scrap their entire config to get rid of their custom menus.
EDIT : Haha, just noticed that the title bar of the rename pop up tells you to leave it blank to delete the menu. I guess I just never saw that before ... but then, once I create the menu what are the odds I'll be renaming it and notice that? Bah!
Well I'll be dipped! Thanks so much for mentioning it. Like the others I had searched forever to find a way. I tried removing all the buttons from the menu but that just breaks it all to hell.
**IMPORTANT!**
I have also made the plugin look at a folder for some of the new data files the plugin generates to keep the clutter to a minimum. If you have used this plugin in the past, more specifically the Quick Load features, you will have to move the file "storedpath.zvr" into the "NicksToolsdata" folder to keep any stored Tool or Project paths. If you don't care or use those features then you can delete the .zvr files and Zbrush will make new ones in the right directory.
The script can be kind of slow with high SubD levels. If you want to speed the script up, select the top Subtool before running!
It is very important you do not add/delete or rearrange subtools after storing if you want to recall them again. It will give you an error and you will have to store the visibility again. The script looks at total subtool count so if you change it then it gets confused.
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DOWNLOAD!
i have a question ...when zbrush updates next time will they still working?
Thanks Spatz. They "should" be fine. The update from 4 to all the new versions didn't break anything. Most of the scripts reference interface paths so if they move buttons around all hell is going to break loose!
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I like your script but I tend to work on scene files not tool anymore.
It works differently than the Tool storing however. You have to open the project first with the special "Open" button within the plugin. It's automatically stored and you can load it again anytime with the "Load Stored ZPR" button.
It's shown in the video near the end and/or their is a written description on the previous page.
I've got an idea that would be very handy for some more advanced masking (kinda).
Lets say that you sculpting a damaged concrete surface, chipping away layers. To have a mask of what you just chipped away would be great, but it's a hustle to get that mask. What you can do is to use different colors on you brush when you sculpting and that way get a perfect mask in the polypaint. But the annoying thing is that you have a lot of annoying colors all over making it hard to see what you'r doing.
So, I thought that it could be a cool feature for your script to be able to paint with polypaint without seeing the actual paint. Like a hidden mask kinda thing. Just a toggle that hides it but doesn't turn it of more or less.
I will look into it but off the top of my head I am not sure that is possible. It isn't exactly what you are looking for but you can always turn "View Mask" off to hide the mask.
**IMPORTANT!**
If you have used this plugin in the past, please remove the old content first by deleting the "NicksToolsdata" folder.
If you want to keep the Quick Load project settings, you can copy the file "storedpath.zvr" into the new "NicksToolsdata" folder. If Zbrush fails to start you should just delete this file.
To use this script pick your desired material and then select a number to assign it to. Click "Set Mat" and the material will be assigned to that number. Whenever you scroll to that number or use the "<<Mat/Mat>>" buttons the material will be assigned to the mesh. Continue doing this for your other favorite materials. You can overwrite a material using the same process or clear it out altogether using the button. Note however that if a number is "blank" you will have to press the "<<Mat/Mat>>" again to move on to the next mat so I don't recommend leaving "blank" spots between numbers. The materials will stay assigned between ZB sessions as well.
For optimum use, you should assign the "<<Mat/Mat>>" buttons to hotkeys. I use the Left and Right Arrows. This script can also speed up your startup. Immediately after ZB loads I just tap the left arrow key and my sculpting gray blinn material is assigned and I am ready to rock!
Also note that the materials HAVE to be loaded first before they be cycled to. So ether use the materials in your Zstartup folder or load them before hand.
This script has to temporarily save the Subtool to rename it. This can make the script somewhat slow with multiple very dense meshes. I have renamed multiple 8-million polygon meshes with this with no problem. HOWEVER....PLEASE save your Tool before using this. You never know.
Thanks again to Marcus on the ZBC forums for constantly answering my nagging questions!
Your link to download seems to be broken :poly121:
are you talking with the guys from pixologic about implementing this stuff ...or are they talking to you?
The link is fixed.
Thank you shogunato for letting me know.
Spatz : Haha I know right? I wish they were talking to me! Some of these things seem so crazy that they are not apart of the software. If I can do it then I know they can do it probably better and faster
Bal : Thanks man. I am glad to hear that. I hope you like it. Shift + Numpad is a good idea tho. I hadn't thought of that before.
Funny - I was actually just thinking about harassing you about a new feature yesterday morning. I work mostly in ZPRs and tend to save out incremental versions manually (mimicking Maya's incremental save feature) until I'm done with the asset. I'd love a button that would automagically save my current ZPR file (as defined in your Load ZPR slot) without me having to open the Save As dialog, and at the same time save a numerically incremented copy with two or three digits of padding (ie "realFileName_001", "realFileName_002", etc).
Cool idea. I should be able to make that pretty quick.
To start the "Iterate Save", first chose or create a file with the "Set Save" button. In most cases you will be choosing the file you already have open however you can create a new name for the iterations if you wish. Then whenever "Iterate Save" is pressed a copy of your current tool will be saved. This can be hotkeyed.
If "S" button is enabled the original file will be overwritten too (on by default). This works for both Ztools and Zprojects.
Awesome mate! Much love
I must be doing something wrong because it keeps asking me to pick a file whenever I want to save the iteration. I'll do that, sculpt some more then hit my hot key I made for saving and it again asks to pick a file.....
Hmmm... is a Save/Open Windows dialog popping up or a note inside Zbrush that says "Please set a file first."?
There are a couple situations where it could be popping up this message.
If the "projectPath.zvr" is not loading correctly from "NicksToolsdata." This could be caused by not having a "NicksToolsdata" folder in your Zplugs folder or by having some wacky permissions on your Program Files folders.
If this isn't the case, I will PM you a different compile and we can try that.