headus 3D tools

[Xena]

Wow!

Now this is why I tell everyone to come buy UVLayout .... the program rocks and the service is awesome

[headus]

Actually, I've been a bit slack on UVLayout development recently ... been doing a spring clean of my whole development setup (switched from old linux workstation and sgi server to brand spanking new linux workstation and server).

I didnt quite get that other thing finished, so expect a proper v1.14.2 release next week. But I did promise something for today, so go to www.uvlayout.com/try for an "unstable" v1.14.2 installer. I called it that on the download page to discourage people from installing it because I havent had a chance to properly test it ... it may be perfect stable, so don't let that stop you guys from trying it :-) If it is broken, just uninstall it and reload v1.14.1 to get back to where you were.

Anyway, if you do install v1.14.2, the "Snap/Stack" panel has change slightly. To achieve the thing you want, arrange the two shells side by side, flip one of them with the left or right arrow key, 's' tag the pair of symmetry points (no change there from before), but instead of clicking on "Avg" for average, click the "1st" button; that'll change the shape of the right shell(s) boundary to match the boundary of the first/left shell.

With single shells and symmetry, you now also have the choice of "Avg" for the old method, or "L" or "R" to mirror the left or right boundary shape over to the other side.

Hope you can work it out from those directions ... I'll do a video showing how its used when I do the proper v1.14.2 release next week.

Phil

[Littlefox]

Oh cool ! Thanks much!!!!!!

[Xena]

What she said

[moochie]

That certainly will be useful.

Don't know if others would find the following useful (if not, please ignore), but I've found with denser meshes, it can be difficult to find corresponding verts/edges when they're away from the boundary. I realise there are work-arounds, but I was wondering if it might be possible to have a key which just colours an edge, and has no other function. 'H' for hi-light, maybe? I've found myself drawing little poly diagrams on a piece of paper so I can find corresponding parts when moving from UV view to 3D view.

Quick question about test textures in 3D view .. I can only get 2 textures to show using the G key, plus the coloured 'stress' polygon view. You cycle through several textures in your videos. How do I do that, please? I added a texture of my own (had to restart UVL to make it apply), but it over-wrote one of the default textures, instead of adding an extra texture to the G cycle. I'm sure it's me being stoopid.

Finally .. slight niggle .. I find Shift+P a really difficult keystroke. I'm right handed, which means I'm hiding the target keys with my left hand (it's bloomin' awkward, too), or I have to let go of my mouse and do it right handed (or use the Shift key on the left side of the keyboard and hit the P with my right hand). Maybe you're planning editable hot-keys?

On denser sections of mesh, if I decide to Shift+F, the mesh doesn't always totally relax all the way to the centre, before starting to sort itself out. Usually results in nasty bits of twisted uv's. I've found that using Shift+F several times in a row often sorts this out .. but I wondered if it might be possible to hold down, say, Shift+F until the mesh has totally expanded and relaxed, then releasing the keys would start the normal compression routine?

Another thing that would be handy (and hopefully easy to impliment) would be the ability to select an odd shape which is part of a larger connected map, and then rotate it (without having to cut it away, rotate, then stitch it back into place). I've found arms and stuff that sticks out can have a blue stretched area on one side and red compressed on the other, and UVL does eventually straighten things out. But if I could just 'paint' (or lasso) the sticky-out bit, rotate just the selected part, then continue flattening, it would speed things up dramatically.

Anyway, still totally loving this program. Dongle order to follow when I get paid at the end of the month.

[headus]

[moochie]

[headus]

[moochie]

Scale, eh? That looks like the fellah. I'm glad we had this little chat. Now, stop messing about on the internet and get back to work.

[lemo]

Due to the fact that this is a wish list.... I'd like to wish the Headus UV Team a Happy Holiday and a smashing 2007!!!
Lemo

[moochie]

Yeh, me too. And can you please ensure this is implemented by the 25th. Happy hols.

[headus]

And thank you all for the feedback and beta testing over this last year! I look back and wonder how come the year has gone by and UVLayout still isn't released, but its a much better product now than it was 12 months ago, so I must have done some work right :-)

Officially I'm on holidays for the next couple of weeks, but I'll be checking email if anyone needs beta licenses over that time.

Cheers,

Phil

[moochie]

A small request (if you're still making a list) .. can saving a uvl include any graphic loaded as a b/g stencil, please? With previously selected transparency settings too, if poss? It would only save a few seconds, and I appreciate flattened pieces stay in the correct location relative to the b/g. It would be helpful, though.

Incidentally, were you aware that tif's load as negative images? It's actually quite a cool effect, but I assume it isn't deliberate. Update on this: I saved the tif in Paintshop Pro. When opening the tif in PS Elements, I get a message saying it was saved in an 'unsupported colour mode' and asks if I want to convert to RGB etc. Never seen that before .. so problem probably lies with Paintshop Pro rather than Layout. I'll investigate further when I get a chance.

[KIP]

In "Auto Layout", is the performances as better as the next plug-ins?
I end without buying LightWave if it is so.

http://homepage2.nifty.com/nif-hp/lw_plugin/align_chart_dir_abs_english.htm
http://homepage2.nifty.com/nif-hp/lw_plugin/pack_uv_chart_abs_english.htm

[headus]

In "Auto Layout", is the performances as better as the next plug-ins?
Don't know because I haven't written it yet. Stay tuned!

Phil