GradeSchool

Found it!? Auto Pick. Ahhhh.

When sculpting with multiple layers (all in voxel mode)- is it possible to disable the feature that automatically selects the layer that a sculpting stroke is started on? Example- I have a layer named "head"- and a layer named "nose". I select the "nose" layer and try to begin sculpting with the Grow brush. if my first click successfully touches the nose layer, then all is well. I am sculpting on the nose layer. But, if for some reason I accidentally click on the "head" layer (maybe because the layers are overlapping and I am trying to adjust the point where the two layers meet), I am now sculpting on the "head" layer. I DON'T like this behavior and I want to disable it! Further- If I successfully begin my sculpting on the "nose" layer, but during my sculpt I move over to the "head" layer, the head object flashes a white color briefly, and I am sculpting now on the "head" layer. I DO NOT want this behavior! More to the point- I want the ability to control this behavior, without "ghosting" the layer(s) I am trying to avoid (or converting it to Surface mode). I cannot find documentation or descriptions of this behavior anywhere! Can't figure out how to turn it on or off! Maddening! I'm not even sure of the terminology or wording used to reference this behavior, so I'm not finding anything on the forums or Google... Thanks very much!

OK, I did another test with a default file, and I believe it's my 3d scan that is causing the issue. VERY Strange. I load my file. I have a layer of my project I am working on. I try to curve stroke Pinch a section. It pinches the opposite side of the model (I believe through the normals, not screen space). Symmetry is off. I convert that layer to voxels and try again. Same problem. I've flipped the normals just to test, then flipped them back. Same problem. Same project- add a voxel sphere on a new layer- try a test, the curve stroke works properly. Again- the problem is only with curve strokes- not any of the brush e panel settings. Driving me bonkers!

I am using the pinch tool with the curve strokes setting. I use this setup often, and I'm seeing some strange behavior. I lay down a curve, press enter. The pinch happens on the back side of the model, not under the curve stroke. I have checked the e panel setting, turned off smooth back faces, turned on and off ignore back faces, still getting super odd results. Also turned on and off the Invert Tool checkbox... I am working with a 3d scan, multiple parts, in both voxel and surface mode. I thought this might have something to do with my issue, but if I use the pinch tool with any other "brush" e panel setting, it works fine. If I use the curve strokes in either voxel or surface- same problem... Seems like the curve strokes setting might be broken? Or maybe a setting I'm not familiar with? Thanks in advance! 4.5.28 (CUDA) (DX64) win 7 64

Opening the curves file format- from binary to ascii- would be a great way to start opening 3dCoat to more inter-operations with other software / techniques. One other feature I thought might be very useful is a hotkey that lets you save the current 3d point under the brush to a file/clipboard. You can keep adding points and create a list that can then be used as your curve chain. So for example, you want to create a very long and complex chain of points on a complex surface. Instead of creating the points one by one using the curves tool as it currently works, you could simply move your brush over the surface, hitting a hotkey where you would like to "store" a point or node. Then, when you are done, load the saved list of points and apply a curve to the list. It's just a subtle difference in workflow, but it can help you quickly make complex chains, because you aren't actually visualizing the chain as you create. I know that may not make much sense, but it's just a suggestion... Thanks!

I love the curves tool in sculpting. I know you can save and load curves, and you can also edit curve points manually by entering x,y,z values. What I'd like to see is an ascii .curves fie format (not binary), so that I can create curve points in other software. A format other than the native 3D Coat binary .curves format that we can use to import curve point sequences created elsewhere. Creating curves in 3d Coat is done by manually placing curve points and adjusting them in 3d space. It's difficult to achieve complex, geometrically precise curve shapes manually. This automated geometric curve generation is a process that other software excels at. I know I can enter curve points using the "Edit Points" feature, but this is also manual, and quite tedious. Very difficult to achieve for long curve point chains. Perhaps I could script this feature, but I am still struggling to find resources for scripting in 3d Coat. Any thoughts?

perfect. thanks so much!

Hello, this is my first post. I have been using 3d coat for years though. It's the best. I want to create a layer that is the "positive" of the void created by using the Extract Shell command. Select a voxel layer, use the Extract Shell: Make Shell Mesh Using Voxels command. This creates a perfect shell. You can inspect the results using the VoxRay tool. Now, I'd like to create a new mesh, on a separate layer, that is the filled void we just created. I can use the Fill Voids command, but that fills the void into the current layer. I want the final result to be two separate voxel layers. The first layer is the "shell", the second is the "core". I've tried using VoxHide with depth limit in the e-panel, but the results are not what I need. The Extract Shell command is beautiful because it uses the voxel normals to create a perfect shell. Any thoughts? Thanks!