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Combining like Props to use single Surface

3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,471
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

Easier to explain as an example:  Let's say I have a sphere prop which has materials, and I load it into DS (or Hex, I guess)...then I load another one.  Is there a way to save them out as a single OBJ, to create a singel prop with a singel surface?

I can get the prop, but I get two surfaces...

My end goal is a scene where I have basically 45 identical props, positioned properly and want them to use a single surface.  If I export as an OBJ with surfaces, I get a single OBJ with 45 surfaces...

If I export without surfaces...I lose the simple surface map that they all have.

Hope this is making sense !? 

Comments

  • Lissa_xyzLissa_xyz Posts: 6,116

    I can only think of altering it in whatever 3D modeler you use and resaving, but wouldn't instancing be easier? Whatever you do to the original, the copies update as well.

  • 3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,471
    Apparently modo has a unify surfaces option. I dont have that, but i have Blender...it should be able to do it I hope. I suppose hair modelers would probably know best...since hair strands often share the same surface.
  • JimbowJimbow Posts: 557

    Here's a Blender python script by MCasual that may do what you're after:

    https://sites.google.com/site/mcasualsdazscripts4/mcjmergeselectedobjectsmats

     

    And another for DS:

    https://sites.google.com/site/mcasualsdazscripts5/mcjsharethemtl

     

    More very useful stuff at Jacques' site:

    https://sites.google.com/site/mcasualsdazscripts/Home

  • 3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,471
    Wow...I know his site well i just never thought he would have something like this. I will never doubt him again! Thanks for the direct links, will try them tonight.
  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,202
    edited September 2016

    export as obj and reimport, then using the geometry editor open tools window and delete the extra surfaces and regions

    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • Thomas WindarThomas Windar Posts: 272

    Here's a workflow that should work with DAZ and Hexagon:

    1. Export all objects from scene into Hexagon.
    2. In Hexagon, select all objects and use "Weld" from Vertex Modelling.
    3. Remove all materials from the Material tab.
    4. Export it back to DAZ.
    5. Open the "Tool Settings" pane. Access the Geometry Editor in it.
    6. Find "Surfaces" and you should see "def_surf_mat". Click the + icon on it.
    7. Right-Click on surfaces and choose "Assign selected to Surface..."
    8. Create a new surface group that you can call whatever.
    9. Delete the now empty "def_surf_mat".

    Your unified mesh should now have only one surface. Although this will break UVs - so be aware of that. If you are planning on keeping the original textures on each of the objects - well, you will have to UV the new welded item. Just saying.

  • 3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,471

    Is there a way to preserve the UV...?  If not then the new UV will be much more complex.

    (I tried Casuals script, but it just points OBJ's to one material, and after which they come in with multiple if imported, as well)

    I tried to make my goal more clear below, as I feel I did a poor job explaining it.  Sorry!

    Lets say I have a fence made from a cylinder OBJ that I have already defined a nice UV layout (see example1.jpg and UV1.jpg)  All of the cylinders have the same UV and Surface, but they are seperate objects at the moment...so each with an individual surface.

    Now if I export all as an OBJ and then re-import it comes back in like Example2.jpg.  A single prop with multiple material zones.  If I wanted to change the top color of all of the fence posts, I have to go to each fence post surface and change it.  (yes, it does give more felxibility, but not what I am after)

    I am hoping to get to Example3.jpg, which I just created in Paint...which is a single material/UV/surface, so that if I change the colors, it affects all of the respective parts of the fence.

    I know this is possible, as I have often edited Hair UV maps, and if I change the color of one section of the UV, it results in changes to multiple strands of the hair model.

     

    uv.jpg
    484 x 505 - 43K
    Example1.jpg
    1259 x 811 - 161K
    Example2.jpg
    1260 x 810 - 147K
    Example3.jpg
    1260 x 810 - 140K
  • 3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,471

    Well...looks like ToeJam (and Regina) was right, though it took me a while to figure out the process...as I missed the assign surfaces to the main surface step.

    Load the total OBJ back in like Example2, open the Geometry editor, and all surfaces are listed in tool settings.  Now you can select everything in the main windows, and assign it to the default surface and then remove all of the other surfaces.

    Thanks everyone for the tips and methods and assists!

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