Zbrush: Topology tool

DrunkShaman · Jun 2011

Greetings guys;

I am having problem with Zbrush topology tool. I've been trying to work with it for 2 days. I make the Adaptive skins for the instances of the mesh successfully, things like top wear, back pack, belt, but as I save the entire mesh out for later editing purposes and try to open the project that I am working on. It crashes the Zbrush.

Does anyone have the same problem as mine and found the fix of it?
If so, please post.

Thanks.

EDIT: I am also having problems figuring out how to disable the transparency when you click the edit topology button. =\.

I'd really appreciate it if I get some guidance.

Thanks.

Scruples · Jun 2011

Are you Deactivating the Edit Topology Button before saving?.

DrunkShaman · Jun 2011

No, I am converting the mesh to Adaptive skin, exporting it as .obj than importing it back to the original project.

If you press A, it will deactivate the Edit Topology button and show it to you as an actual mesh. Infact it disables the entire tab. I'll try that though, not sure it'll make a difference.

Scruples · Jun 2011

Oh, I misunderstood. You are editing the .obj's you export in another program then importing it back into zbrush?. And only when you save out the .ztl file with the subtools and then try to load said ztool it crashes, correct?.

DrunkShaman · Jun 2011

No you are bringing them back in to the zbrush as objs since you cant just append them right after you create them within zbrush. If you export them in to some other program and bring them it will just invert the faces and you will have a hollow mesh.

In simple words. You are just creating the instances of the main object in zbrush by using topology tool, exporting them as obj files (just exporting them, not importing them in to some other program but importing them back to zbrush and append them).

And yes, only when I save it out as .ztl, it will just crash if I dont do that extra step but just make them as adaptive skin and append them to the original project and save it.

Have you run in to this problem before?

EDIT: Also the transparency issue; when you are creating the new topology in zbrush how do you turn off the transparency so you can just see one side of your mesh and concentrate on it?

Scruples · Jun 2011

There is a thread here dealing with the transparency issue.
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=95090&page=2&pp=15

I have no problem appending a mesh created with adaptive skin immediately after creating it.
I have to ask, are you exporting the mesh when it is set into preview or are you clicking the "make adaptive mesh" button in the adaptive skin submenu....bah it doesn't even matter I just tried that and no crash, hrmm.

DrunkShaman · Jun 2011

That tip worked for transparency, thanks!!

Now The main issue is still unresolved.

Thanks for the help though.

cryrid · Jun 2011

Once you're done editing the topology, use Tool:Adaptive Skin:Make Adaptive Skin. It'll throw the skin on the list of tools (probably named Skin_Zsphere_#), at which point you can switch back to your main tool and append the result as a new subtool. There should be no need to export :S

DrunkShaman · Jun 2011

cryrid wrote: »

Once you're done editing the topology, use Tool:Adaptive Skin:Make Adaptive Skin. It'll throw the skin on the list of tools (probably named Skin_Zsphere_#), at which point you can switch back to your main tool and append the result as a new subtool. There should be no need to export :S

....Seriously you guys never had any crashing issues after doing that?

I mean, I explained that I used to do this, than I started exporting since it started crashing the entire project.

Uhh..never mind, thanks for help though

cryrid · Jun 2011

Nope, works solid on my end, and I don't see it on the list of known issues. Are you getting any specific error message when it crashes?

Neavah · Jun 2011

I used to run into a lot of problems with re-topping in zbrush. Sometimes it would crash when saving, and sometimes it would crash when opening (the file size would be crazy ass big...)

I never new what caused it. My work around was saving 3 alternate files all the time (every 5 min), followed by loading the save. That way if one save is fucked you know right away, and only lose 5 min of work by reverting to the last one.

My problems probably are/were user created. After getting more comfortable with re-topping in zbrush, I no longer have to do this, and haven't had these problems for a long time. I assume I was unknowingly doing something that zbursh didn't like.

I don't know if that helps at all... but good luck

DrunkShaman · Jun 2011

Neavah wrote: »

I used to run into a lot of problems with re-topping in zbrush. Sometimes it would crash when saving, and sometimes it would crash when opening (the file size would be crazy ass big...)

I never new what caused it. My work around was saving 3 alternate files all the time (every 5 min), followed by loading the save. That way if one save is fucked you know right away, and only lose 5 min of work by reverting to the last one.

My problems probably are/were user created. After getting more comfortable with re-topping in zbrush, I no longer have to do this, and haven't had these problems for a long time. I assume I was unknowingly doing something that zbursh didn't like.

I don't know if that helps at all... but good luck

Right on. 11 alternative files here and when I delete the rest of the old to update to the most recent save I make damn sure it opens.

So there is no fix to this. I am also told that If you are working between Maya, and Zbrush, it is common for zbrush to crash, import inverted mesh, and so on.

thanks though.

DrunkShaman · Jun 2011

Strangely; Now I am not having those problems. Mesh created by Zbrush Re-Topology tool doesnt crash Zbrush. Mesh that is imported from Maya to Zbrush is not inverted, nor it crashes the Zbrush.

....funny!! o.o

Zbrush: Topology tool

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