Translfer UV Sets
 

Hello everybody,


I'm going crazy here

I'll explain my problem with one example:

Let's say I have a blinn material (or whatever) then I map a fractal texture on the color node and a bulge texture as a bump map. When I go to the UV map editor I can easily see the fractal image in the background. But then, how can I see the bulge image so I can manipulate the UVs for the bump map independently of the fractal texture? (I've tried with different UV sets for each texture but nothing happens, I only see the fractal texture)



after 3 days of headaches I've figured out a solution (althought it's not a very elegant one):

1- I duplicate the mesh once it's ready for texturing.
2- I map a texture into the color channel of the original mesh and create a UV set for it.
3- before mapping a second texture into the bump map channel (wich I never see on the UV texture editor) I map it into the color channel of the duplicated mesh an create a new UV set for it (now I can see the texture image on the UV editor and adjust the UVs)
4- Once I've finished adjusting the UVs on the duplicated mesh I use Polygons>Transfer UV sets to the original mesh.
5- Finally I go to the relationship editor, I select the original mesh and connect the trasferred set (from the duplicated mesh) to the bump map (or to any other I want).

So, if someone knows a better solution, I'd really appreciate any suggestions

Best

Eduardo

I'd have probably done the same.

Would this work? Use the alpha channel as your bump source. The UV editor allows switches from RGB to alpha image view.

Thanks for the help guys

I'll try what you suggest mhcannon,

regards


Eduardo

another solution
 

Hi again,

Reading "Maya Help" carefully I found this:

I quote:

"Choose a texture to display (if more than one texture is applied to the mesh).


In the texture editor, select the texture you want to work on from the Image > Selected Images sub-menu.

When you are in component selection mode, the Image > Selected Images sub-menu lists shading groups assigned to the selected components.

In object selection mode, the sub-menu lists all shading groups assigned to the entire mesh.


It seems that's the solution,


Now the newbie question

HOW DO I ASSIGN DIFFERENT SHADING GROUPS TO THE SAME MESH?? IS THIS A GOOD WAY TO PROCEED?

Maybe mtmckingley or mhcannon could help again

Best


Eduardo

I haven't tried it for the same purpose you are. I have assigned different shader/textures to different faces of a single mesh. I did this only so that I could have a greater level of detail in each set of faces. It seems to work okay, but I'm no pro.... yet.

Yes, I'd imagine that means assigning different materials to different faces and displaying the textures mapped to these different materials.

well...
 

thanks a lot

I first thought there was a problem with my computer or my card, but now I realize it's just something Maya can't do...

see ya

Eduardo

To amplify this... If the mess has different shaders different faces, the UV editor will display the shader for the face selected. If multiple faces are selected that have different faces, than the UV editor seems to defalt to the first face that was select in the set of faces. If the object as a whole is selectec the UV editor will display the first shader that was assigned to it. So, to change images in the UV editor with this method was just be a matter of select different faces. Why do I feel like I'm writing in an alien language? Does this make ANY sense?

Just to throw in another possible way that you can do this, while keeping a relatively simple node network in the hypershade, you can use ID maps. I've only done this whilst having 2 different materials on one object, but it means you have 1 object with 1 UV map (therefore 1 texture map), but by using and ID map you can assign different types of shaders to the same object.

e.g, say you have an object of a bottle with 1 UV map. You have made a texture map for the bottle, and you want the label to be a lambert, whilst the glass part of the bottle is a phong. You can simply make these 2 different materials with the same texture map applied, then using an ID map (a black and white mask, with black being where you want one material to show, and white being the other material) you can blend between the 2 materials using a blend utility node.

If anyones interested in this technique, let me know and I'll draw up a diagram of how it works. I find it a very neat way of doing this. Sometimes its easiest just to select faces, but for most of the time the different parts of your textures will not fit neatly onto where you can just select faces and apply them.

LisaG ;)

p.s, this is an especially useful way if you use mental ray, as MR can have problems with Maya's layered shaders.

Thanks Lisa!!, and, yes, a diagram would be really cool...

Bye :p

Ed.

Ok, here's my really quick explanation of how to use ID maps to blend between different materials on an object. You would create each different material (I've only done 2 so far on an object, I'm sure you could do it for more though), so say a lambert and a blinn, and attach the colour map to each one. Then, you would use an ID map to specify where you want the lambert material to show through, and where you want the blinn. You use a blend utility node to blend between the 2 materials, using the ID map as the blender, and then plug the result into a layered shader, which you apply to your object.

very clever Lisa!. Just one question, how do you attach the blendColors node to the layered shader (final material)?

sorry for posting twice in a row, but I've found a thread that could be useful:

http://forum.simplymaya.com/showthre...threadid=17422

Hi.

Yes, thats great, that thread shows the same thing, I just call my blending map an ID map.

To connect the blend utility to the layered shader, open up the attribute editor for the layered shader, and simply MMB drag the blend node onto where it says colour for the layered shader, and it will attach.

The problem with using layered shaders like you would normally for layering textures is that Mental Ray sometimes can have a hard time with them, but it seems to work fine if you use the mix map method.

LisaG:alien: