Workflow question

[Andrew Shpagin]

Thanks for clarifying this, Andrew.

So, if depth cannot be painted on normal map layer, is there a way to convert a normal layer back to depth information?

There is no such way. It is not trivial thing. Mabe some day.

[ajz3d]

Perhaps that's why it's impossible to find a 3rd party tool that would do the conversion (I mean normal map to height map). Even xNormal won't do it.

Okay, I needed the conversion only for one particular case, but I can live without it. From now on, I'll remember to always export depth information to a file before deleting it from the scene.

[Carlosan]

If you have merged from the retopo room into the paint room for per-pixel mode, the normal map created "baked" upon merging can not be exported as a displacement map. That is from my experience as you always get a blank displacement map. I do not think it is a bug but just how 3DCoat works.

Now anything created with depth after you have merged into the paint room using Per-Pixel from the retopo room can be exported as a displacement map but remember you will only capture the details in the displacement map you added not the merged normal map details.

Merge for microverts from the retopo room if you want to export a displacement map of the voxel/surface mode details. You can still export a nomal map also.

Merging for microverts requires a good laid out uv map. You might get projecttion errors if it is not...

If you have imported your model directly into the paint room for per-pixel, then any depth details you add can be exported as a displacement map or nomal map.

I am only trying to guess your workflow as you did not state whether you merged or imported your model into the paint room for per-pixel.

source

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9839&st=0&p=75863&hl=+paint%20+surface%20+mode&fromsearch=1entry75863

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In another way I found this post too:

I'm talking about a function to convert the color information of a paint layer to depth information.

When you are projecting an Image by loading it under 'Materials' and you have switched Depth painting on you are converting the color information

of that projection to depth information.

I want to do the exact same thing with an already existing color layer, basically a function which would be called 'Convert Color to Depth', just

like you can convert the color to specularity.

Layers->Copy channels

It is relatively recent additions, it should be helpful.