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Author Topic: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?  (Read 19878 times)

JunkerKun

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Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« on: January 24, 2014, 09:28:37 am »

I mean, I know there is a built-in tool to edit UV map but I need to use UV Mapper. What if I need to change it after I already rigged the mesh? Is there a way to save the rig and reload the model?
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kreator

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2014, 11:33:33 am »

a New UV Map (With UVmapper) should not affect your rig, so long as you do not alter the geometry of the mesh.  If you alter the mesh you will need to redo the bone Weights, and any morphs you might have attached to that rig.
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JunkerKun

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2014, 02:53:08 pm »

a New UV Map (With UVmapper) should not affect your rig, so long as you do not alter the geometry of the mesh.  If you alter the mesh you will need to redo the bone Weights, and any morphs you might have attached to that rig.

Well then, how do I reload the model? I don't know any other way of doing so besides importing the model and copying it.
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CrashDrive

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2014, 07:13:41 pm »

Make sure it hasn't been modified as per 'Kreator' post.

Don't alter the models XYZ location or size from this point and backup your file.
- Export your model as an obj. file.
- Import it into your favorite UV mapper. Re-map it, texture it, whatever.
- Export from the UV mapper as obj. file.
- Import it back into Animator and copy and paste it to the location of the original model.
- Delete the original and the newly mapped model should be working fine in the sequence editor.
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JunkerKun

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2014, 07:29:20 am »

Make sure it hasn't been modified as per 'Kreator' post.

Don't alter the models XYZ location or size from this point and backup your file.
- Export your model as an obj. file.
- Import it into your favorite UV mapper. Re-map it, texture it, whatever.
- Export from the UV mapper as obj. file.
- Import it back into Animator and copy and paste it to the location of the original model.
- Delete the original and the newly mapped model should be working fine in the sequence editor.

Nope, doesn't work. The rig is gone as soon as I delete the rigged model. Maybe it's because I have reference images in the object... but I doubt it. It can't be the reason, right? Right?
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kreator

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2014, 07:36:28 am »

When you go to figure mode and apply bones you will import the model from the object modeller, you want to go to the object modeller and export that model as a .obj file then apply your Uvmap etc , dont forget to save the model in UVmapper as it will hold all the co-ordinates for the UVs . You delete just the model in the figure editor, without affecting its bones

Might help you if you go to my Anim8orworld.com notes on rigging at http://www.anim8orworld.com/Forum/index.php?topic=178.0
and http://www.anim8orworld.com/Forum/index.php?topic=82.0
« Last Edit: January 25, 2014, 07:38:40 am by kreator »
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JunkerKun

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2014, 07:52:14 am »

I'm npt sure I follow how to do that anymore :V

As I understand it, I need to import the model and then add it to the bone again. But it still doesn't preserve the rigging :V
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Raxx

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2014, 08:07:28 am »

I'm not sure if the vertex indices will always remain the same when exporting and importing between different programs. Even if it did, there is no way to preserve the skinned mesh information in Anim8or anyway. Anim8or treats it as if you added an entirely new mesh, and so you must re-skin it.

A feature request could be to enable export/import of vertex weights, or just a more in-depth UV tool.

[Edit] Assuming I'm right about the above statements, there is a trick you can do. Import the newly unwrapped model into a new file, save it, and then open both files in notepad. Copy the mesh block of the new model into the old one, replacing the old mesh's block of data. This will only work if the vertex indices were preserved when exporting/importing.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2014, 03:00:54 pm by Raxx »
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JunkerKun

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2014, 08:35:05 am »

I'm not sure if the vertex indices will always remain the same when exporting and importing between different programs. Even if it did, there is no way to preserve the skinned mesh information in Anim8or anyway. Anim8or treats it as if you added an entirely new mesh, and so you must re-skin it.

A feature request could be to enable export/import of vertex weights, or just a more in-depth UV tool.

[Edit] Assuming I'm right about the above statements, there is a trick you can do. Import the newly unwrapped model into a new file, save it, and then open both files in notepad. Copy the mesh block of the new model into the old one, replacing the old mesh's block of data. This will only work if the vertex indices were preserved when exporting/importing.
I see. I was considering using this method. If it will work, I may have to write a tool for that after all...
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CrashDrive

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2014, 07:12:15 pm »

Not sure how your rig can be gone by deleting the original object (model).
Don't delete your rig (figure).
I've done this plenty of times without issue. I use Blender for Mapping
and importing and exporting obj. files. Never had vertices issues.

For me, I only work with the object file.
I replace (select and cut) the original object with the newly mapped object.

I never have to touch the rig (figure).
That way it keeps it's original position on the rig.

Anyway best of luck.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2014, 08:02:34 pm by CrashDrive »
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Raxx

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2014, 09:49:27 am »

First, I apologize since I sent my last response from my phone and couldn't verify those statements 100%. CrashDrive is correct, Anim8or's figures still point to the mesh in the object, so long as the name of the mesh is the same as the original.

I finally got on my computer and tested it to see about the vertex indices bit. I exported a shape to .obj, and loaded and saved it using Blender, UVMapper Classic, DeepUV, and 3DCoat. All of the programs seemed to retain the same vertex indices except for DeepUV, which was my primary unwrapper for many years...it explains why Kreator and CrashDrive had no issues with it when using Blender and UVMapper, versus my experience with DeepUV.

So in a nutshell, most programs will be ok with you importing their version of your mesh and swapping it with the original -- you don't have to do the notepad trick.
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JunkerKun

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2014, 07:39:29 am »

First, I apologize since I sent my last response from my phone and couldn't verify those statements 100%. CrashDrive is correct, Anim8or's figures still point to the mesh in the object, so long as the name of the mesh is the same as the original.

I finally got on my computer and tested it to see about the vertex indices bit. I exported a shape to .obj, and loaded and saved it using Blender, UVMapper Classic, DeepUV, and 3DCoat. All of the programs seemed to retain the same vertex indices except for DeepUV, which was my primary unwrapper for many years...it explains why Kreator and CrashDrive had no issues with it when using Blender and UVMapper, versus my experience with DeepUV.

So in a nutshell, most programs will be ok with you importing their version of your mesh and swapping it with the original -- you don't have to do the notepad trick.

Well the fun thing is - I didn't even unwrapped the mesh, I just exported it and imported again and it didn' quie work :V
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Raxx

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2014, 10:05:32 am »

After importing it into Anim8or, did you copy the mesh from the newly imported object, switch to the original object, delete the old mesh from the original object, and paste the new mesh in?
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JunkerKun

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2014, 11:01:24 am »

Yes I did. I managed to make it through the notepad trick, but no success using your method.
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Raxx

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Re: Changing the UV map without rigging the mesh again?
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2014, 02:14:40 pm »

Sorry, I forgot to ask also, did you rename the new mesh to exactly whatever the old mesh was named as?
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