UV Mapping Questions

[Paint Guy]

Great application and you will make me a believer if I can do what I need to. I have created an object that I have unwrapped in 3DCoat, but I find interesting results!

I tried two methods and got the same results for both.

First, I used the "Auto UV" and then I manually "Marked the Seams" hoping for a better result.

In both cases the UV map placed some of the UV's at an angle.

Q. Is there a way to move UV's after they are created?

Q. How come when i marked the Seams the UV map is still rotated. Can I not Unwrap the model (which is symmetrical) so the UV planes are horizontal?

Thanks

[Andrew Shpagin]

Excuse, but clusters can't be moved or rotated.

But I want to improve it. It is not hard. In this case 3DC will be much better uv-mapper.

So, I think it will be done in close perspective.

[Paint Guy]

Here's the object I have unwrapped.

Here it is in 3DCoat

And here is an screenshot of the UV map created in 3D Coat. I usually use Bodypaint. When unwrapping in Bodypaint the shapes of the unwrapped objects remain "Horizontal" in the UV map. I noticed in 3DCoat it angled one side of the platform in the UV map. Did I do something wrong to get the angled UV or is this the way 3DCoat unwraps symmetrical objects? I will try it with a cube and check my results.

If the object to be unwrapped is a planar or symmetrical object is it possible to have 3DCoat keep the UV map's lines "horizontal"? This makes it easier to add textures to it in Photoshop for example.

Also when I saved my UV map it created a .mtll file and a .uv file. I triedopening both in Photoshop with no success. Can you explain what the correct process is? Otherwise, Very Impressed with the unwrap features of 3D Coat.

Thanks

[Paint Guy]

Here's I tried quick unwrap of a cube to test if 3DCoat keeps the UV map horizontal or if it angles it.

Looks like 3DCoat angles the UV map regardless of the object. Anyone else notice 3DCoat angles the UV maps or is it just me. Am I doing something wrong or do others get this result too?

Thanks

1. Moving UV's after UV is Created

Andrew, not to add more work to your list, but a suggestion. As an example, in Bodypaint, if you import a model with 3 separate parts, you can still unwrap all of them at once for 1 UV map, but after the UV is created you can use a "Rectangular Selection Tool" or an "Arrow Selection Tool" to drag over the UV's and move the UV's around or rotate and scale them.

2. "Snap To Points to Join UV's" (Very Important in my opinion)

Another really cool feature in Bodypaint is the ability to snap the points of the UV's from one UV to another UV, so you can join them

3. "Snap To" (Very Important in my opinion)

One thing I think is a requirement though is to have as a "Default" the "Snap To" "On" So when moving the object snap to the grid so walls etc. can stay horizontally aligned when moving or rotating. For example if you rotate a wall you are likely going to want it to "Snap at a 90° angle when you rotate it. I have just found the "Snap To" to be something very valuable.

Thanks

[philnolan3d]

The angle is to fit it in the square UV space in the best way possible. The reason is simply that in 3DC it normally doesn't matter what direction they're facing and the larger it is in UV space the better resolution you get. The PLG plugins for LightWave do this too, though PLG has a tool to straighten them out if you want.

[ldzywsj]

I think Andrew will improve uv mapping,but he is so busy now.......

[Paint Guy]

The angle is to fit it in the square UV space in the best way possible. The reason is simply that in 3DC it normally doesn't matter what direction they're facing and the larger it is in UV space the better resolution you get. The PLG plugins for LightWave do this too, though PLG has a tool to straighten them out if you want.

OK, that makes sense. I hope there is time to implement some of these features into 3DCoat ASAP as I will need them if I am going to use 3DCoat, but I understand there is a lot to do.

Hey do any of you know how I can take the UV map I have created after unwrapping it and save it to open it in Photoshop? I saved the file as .uv and tried to open it in Photoshop but it didn't work. They don't explain in manual either. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks

[lc8b105]

Hey do any of you know how I can take the UV map I have created after unwrapping it and save it to open it in Photoshop? I saved the file as .uv and tried to open it in Photoshop but it didn't work. They don't explain in manual either. Any help is appreciated!

Did you see page 90 ?

"Edit"-"Edit all layers in external editor"

[Paint Guy]

Did you see page 90 ?

"Edit"-"Edit all layers in external editor"

Hi, Page 90? My manual only goes to page 86. Did you mean "d" on pages 77, 78, 79?

So if I want to create a useable UV map in Photoshop with the UV lines etc. would I be better off selecting:

"Sync layer with external editor" or

"Edit all layers in external editor"

Q. So the process if I understand it is create a UV map then select (Layers > Edit > And select one of the following:

"Sync layer with external editor" or "Edit all layers in external editor"

Please tell me if this is the "correct" method and if I am missing a step?

Thanks

[philnolan3d]

Yes though you would use Edit first I believe, because you can't Sync if there's nothing in the external editor to sync with.