[Preview] UVTools 0.2

MALAISE · 14 Nov 2009, 17:02

I can't wait , go ahead Whaat

MALAISE

Whaat · 17 Nov 2009, 05:24

So, other than Blender, are there any other apps that you would like to see supported by this plugin? I am thinking more in terms of UV mapping apps than 3D modelling packages such as 3DS max, etc.

Ecuadorian · 17 Nov 2009, 05:32

Roadkill?

notareal · 17 Nov 2009, 06:55

@ecuadorian said:

Roadkill?

+1

dedmin · 17 Nov 2009, 07:47

@whaat said:

So, other than Blender, are there any other apps that you would like to see supported by this plugin? I am thinking more in terms of UV mapping apps than 3D modelling packages such as 3DS max, etc.

headus UVLayout – In Minutes – Not Hours

(www.uvlayout.com)

pilou · 17 Nov 2009, 09:31

UVMAPPER Classic (free)

richcat · 17 Nov 2009, 13:30

@whaat said:

So, other than Blender, are there any other apps that you would like to see supported by this plugin? I am thinking more in terms of UV mapping apps than 3D modelling packages such as 3DS max, etc.

Argile Please I know I mentioned it previously has uv mapping built in, uv map tweaking and you can paint the mesh with colors, textures, spays etc, would be fantastic companion to sketchup, it does have some sculpture tools and sub divide, but it is really a 3d paint program. (or they call it 3D retouching)
Link to video

solo · 17 Nov 2009, 13:37

I agree Argile certainly looks simple enough.

Here is a video of the UV mapping process: http://www.n-sided.com/3D/video.php?video=arg_automapper.flv

jeff hammond · 17 Nov 2009, 13:57

argile might be the best mac solution?

cheetah3d has some powerful UV tools but that's a full on 3D app
http://www.cheetah3d.com/about_2.php
(still, there's probably some cash in it for whoever makes a .skp importer/exporter that works with cheetah)

richcat · 17 Nov 2009, 14:16

@unknownuser said:

argile might be the best mac solution?

Sorry Jeff forget to say it also available on Mac

Pete have you come across the UV tweaking yet?

Jackson · 17 Nov 2009, 16:07

Whaat,

You mention that this ruby will re-import the UV mapped file back into SU via OBJ format. As SU has no obj import, does this mean that your plugin has it's own OBJ importer? I ask as the only OBJ importer ruby I've come across (objloader.rb) never seemed to work for me- verrrry buggy.

Or did I misunderstand- will your ruby convert to skp from Ultimate Unwrap 3D's native format?

Jackson

jeff hammond · 17 Nov 2009, 16:13

bummer that argile is $135.
personally, i only need some basic UV tools so i honestly don't see myself kicking down the cash for argile (well, unless whaat can come up with something too good to pass up on in terms of ease of use/accuracy)
thomas is working on something right now so that combined with UVtools 0.1 may just be all i need.

Ecuadorian · 17 Nov 2009, 16:41

Yeah, the old UVTools can go a long way if you rotate your object before applying the plug-in.

remus · 17 Nov 2009, 16:47

@jackson said:

Whaat,

You mention that this ruby will re-import the UV mapped file back into SU via OBJ format. As SU has no obj import, does this mean that your plugin has it's own OBJ importer? I ask as the only OBJ importer ruby I've come across (objloader.rb) never seemed to work for me- verrrry buggy.

Or did I misunderstand- will your ruby convert to skp from Ultimate Unwrap 3D's native format?

Jackson

TIGs got a script that can import .obj stuff while preserving the UV data so its certainly possible, perhaps even based on it (just a guess.)

Jackson · 17 Nov 2009, 18:06

Thanks Remus, I'll try TIG's obj importer.

Jackson

Whaat · 17 Nov 2009, 18:31

@jackson said:

Whaat,

You mention that this ruby will re-import the UV mapped file back into SU via OBJ format. As SU has no obj import, does this mean that your plugin has it's own OBJ importer? I ask as the only OBJ importer ruby I've come across (objloader.rb) never seemed to work for me- verrrry buggy.

Or did I misunderstand- will your ruby convert to skp from Ultimate Unwrap 3D's native format?

Jackson

Hi Jackson,

The plugin does import from the OBJ file but only imports the UV coordinates. It wouldn't take much to convert it to a full OBJ importer but I don't think that's necessary because TIG already has created a full featured OBJ importer which I believe works pretty well.

Whaat · 17 Nov 2009, 18:46

I have some good news and some bad news....

The good news is that I will be including support for other UV mapping apps. I did some testing with Blender yesterday and it worked very well. I think Roadkill already works and I will see if I can get compatibility with all the other apps that have been mentioned.

The bad news is that it will take longer to release than I had mentioned earlier. Also, I am reconsidering offering this plugin as commercial instead of free. I hate to go back on my word (and I sincerely apologize) but things have changed a bit behind the scenes.

Another reason that I will have to delay release a bit more is that I need to provide some sort of documentation and tutorial for the plugin (especially if will be commercial) so please be patient. This is only one of many projects I am involved with right now. However, I hope it won't take too long to release.

Thanks

Jackson · 17 Nov 2009, 19:04

Whaat,

Thanks for the quick answer. I meddled with a few UV unwrapping prog demos a few months ago, but got nowhere- most SU meshes just seem to unwrap 3-dimensionally (i.e. polys are exploded above and below each other when viewed in the UV editing view) making them impossible to export an editable UV map from. I did have some success exporting an apple mesh from SU, but haven't been able to work out what it was that made that mesh import properly into UV unwrapping software properly while most don't. I've specifically made closed convex hull meshes (which the apple obviously was) in SU to see if they would import properly in UV unwrapping programs, but it makes no difference.

I just did a quick trial with the demo of Ultimate Unwrap 3D and yet again, the apple mesh imports and unwraps correctly, but anything else (even single sided very low poly meshes) unwraps as a bunch of exploded overlapping triangles.

As a note for your anyone using UU3D you must always export obj meshes and texture bitmaps FROM UU3D using names WITHOUT SPACES. SU doesn't import the UV map otherwise.

richcat · 17 Nov 2009, 20:52

Another application to consider and just out of interest to do with uv mapping - has any one come across this Headus UV layout-UV flattening software.I tried it, a while back and it seemed very simple, but have not stumped up $200 for hobbyist version yet, and there is Mac version.

Whaat · 17 Nov 2009, 22:01

@jackson said:

As a note for your anyone using UU3D you must always export obj meshes and texture bitmaps FROM UU3D using names WITHOUT SPACES. SU doesn't import the UV map otherwise.
Does this tip apply for importing any 3DS mesh into SketchUp? Or are you using another format?