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Importing props into DS 4

Doodle DesignsDoodle Designs Posts: 34
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

I'm having a problem with importing props to DS 4. I have tried it with both versions 4.6 and 4.9 and the same thing happens.

When I import my prop, which I creatated in Hexagon and passed thru UVMapper to set the materials, the prop loads with the "center point" at the bottom of the prop, rather than at the actual center. I can do the same thing in DS 3.0 and it puts the center point where it belongs.

Is this a bug with DS 4?

The only way I've been able to get the center point placed corectly in DS 4 is to import into DS 3, export from DS 3, import into Poser 7, save as a Poser prop (pp2), and then load the pp2 into DS 4.

There's gotta be an easier way! sad

Comments

  • Thomas WindarThomas Windar Posts: 272
    edited September 2016

    1. Select the Prop you sent from Hexagon in the Scene tab.
    2. Select the Joint Editor. You will see two dots there, a red one and a green one.
    3. The green one is the Center Point. Move it to the right place you want it to rotate from.
    4. Red one is the end point. Make sure it is right above the green point. Otherwise you can choose to make it move anywhere else but do note the "node" of the figure will rotate as if there was a line between these two points.
    5. After you are done, right click and choose "Memorize -> Memorize Selected Node(s) Rigging".

    Did this answer your question?
     

    Post edited by Thomas Windar on
  • Doodle DesignsDoodle Designs Posts: 34
    edited September 2016
    Thomas Windar said:

    1. Select the Prop you sent from Hexagon in the Scene tab.
    2. Select the Joint Editor. You will see two dots there, a red one and a green one.
    3. The green one is the Center Point. Move it to the right place you want it to rotate from.
    4. Red one is the end point. Make sure it is right above the green point. Otherwise you can choose to make it move anywhere else but do note the "node" of the figure will rotate as if there was a line between these two points.
    5. After you are done, right click and choose "Memorize -> Memorize Selected Node(s) Rigging".

    Did this answer your question?
     

    Yes indeed it did! Thank you! Knowing this I can now skip the DS 3 and Poser steps! smiley

    This will save me a lot of time in product development!

    In order to move the green manipulation point to the exact prop center, I used the following process:

    ===============================================================================

    Make sure the prop is exported from your modelling software as an OBJ with the x/y/z positions set to 0/0/0.

    Create UV maps and templates in an application such as UVMapper. Export as a new OBJ file.

    In Daz Studio 4:
        - Select File > Import then choose the OBJ that you saved from UVMapper. Choose the Hexagon option if exported from Hexagon, or the appropriate option for your modellin software. Leave the default values and click Accept.
        - Select the prop in either the View or the Scene tab.
        - The green manipulation point will be at the bottom of the figure and must be moved to the object center to make rotating the prop easier. Or, for certain props such as a sword or other hand-held props, you may want to put the manipulation point at the spot where a figure would hold the prop in their hand (such as the pommel of a sword or the handle of a hairbrush), to make posing easier for these types of items.
        - To move the manipulation point to the exact center of the prop, choose Tools > Joint Editor or ALT+ SHIFT+ J. Select the FRONT View. Select the vertical green arrow (up/down - Y) and move it to line it up with the floor line running through your prop (horizontal gray line). DO NOT move the horizontal green arrow (right/left - X) or the red point.
        - From the camera tools located in the upper right of the Veiw, click the Frame tool (second from the bottom - looks lise a plus sign in the center of a box - similar to this:: [+] ). This will center the prop in the veiw.
        - Now select the Dolly Zoom camera tool (magnifying glass) and zoom in until the green horizontal line no longer lines up with the gray line. Use the green vertical line to adjust it again to line up with the gray line. Repeat zooming and re-adjusting until zooming no longer causes the green line to show it's misaligned with the gray line. You have now put the green manipulation point at the exact prop center. Zoom back out or click the Frame tool.Press CTRL + D to drop the prop to the view floor.

     

    Post edited by Doodle Designs on
  • Thomas WindarThomas Windar Posts: 272

    If you want to input a specific position for the Center Point (green dot) or End point (red dot), you can go to Windows -> Panes (tabs) -> Tool Settings.

    In there, you can select Joint Editor. You will notice that there are sliders and values for the Center and End points there in XYZ. You can just input a specific number into them and it will move the point precisley where you need it.

    Well, glad I could help you.

  • Doodle DesignsDoodle Designs Posts: 34
    edited September 2016
    Thomas Windar said:

    If you want to input a specific position for the Center Point (green dot) or End point (red dot), you can go to Windows -> Panes (tabs) -> Tool Settings.

    In there, you can select Joint Editor. You will notice that there are sliders and values for the Center and End points there in XYZ. You can just input a specific number into them and it will move the point precisley where you need it.

    Doh!

    I've never used that tab before! So all I had to do was go there and input zero into the Y position parameter,

    Easy-peasy! Just the way I like things!

    Thanks again! :-)

    Post edited by Doodle Designs on
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