Combining UV Maps

[DaveW]

Use copy map from the map/general tab.

[leigh]

All that does is copy it, it doesn't merge them. I want to merge 2 seperate maps into one.

[EDIT]
Oh wait, that does work! Awesome, thanks a lot :thumbsup:

[Chewey]

Good question. I don't believe that the Copy Map will do anything more than create a duplicate of an existing UV map. Combining two seperate UV maps is something I've yet to find a solution for.

I usually create a single UV map to start off with that contains all the geometry's UV mapped out. After that I use the Copy Map to make duplicates and remove portions of UV's that I don't need within the single UV mappings. I then resize the UV layouts within these newly created single UV's.
Sounds a bit convoluted but that's me.



:shrug:

[EDIT} Yes, it does work. Oh, the pain!!!
This was indeed a good question Leigh. Thanks for asking as I would have just gone on spending a lot more time doing it the hard way.

[leigh]

Chewey, the Copy Map does combine them.

Just copy the first one that you want to combine, and name it to whatever you want the combined one to be.

Then, select the second map that you want to combine it with, hit Copy Map again, and type in the name that you gave to the one you just made.

It combines them :D

[DaveW]

Also, if there are any shared points on the two UV maps then you should unweld before combining them or it'll screw up your mapping.

[Raul3d]

Thanks a lot for the tip Dave!!!!!!!! this is a question I´ve been asking me for a while. Thanks again:thumbsup: :wavey:

[Eugeny]

I found that copy UV map is tricky to work ...
But for combining UV u need only create first map , then select the region u that want be affected by other UV and hit Make UV - here pick the first UV map name (if u have more then one ) and change the projection method ...
About unwelded points - i found that UV really like unwelded points - so make UV with unwelded model. Before i jump to making UV i make some polygon selection sets - its really help to hide other geometry (the surface selection is not suitable here because i use only one surface for all model). Also cut and paste to another layer help to prevent UV connection on unnecessary places after merging points .
So the work around (hope the image will be displayed - i post him on geocities :( - sorry for the image size) :

1. Assign some surface to your model and make selection sets. Unweld .
2. Build some rectangle that cover all model parts ( it's will be used to prevent UV stretching).
3. Select some body part and that rectangle and make new UV map with suitable projection.
4. Clear UV from rectangle and position / scale the newly created UV. Now select another part of model.
5. Go to Map tub and hit "Make UV" - here choose the UV created in step 3 and change the projection method (if needed). Don't forget about rectangle !
6. Clear UV from rectangle and position / scale newly created UV's.
7. Make UV for all body parts (in my case side of the model and tile). Some note here u mast make UV for all shared points otherwise u will get some unnecessary UV connection - my advice - cover all model with UV's.
8. Merge points - here u can see that after merging points some UV points are disappeared, so make all UV changes before merging .


http://www.geocities.com/chuchae2002/UV_combine.txt



Hope this little work around will help for someone.
I'm posting this on LW Tricks and Tips too.

[Eugeny]

And here is the complete UV for this F-16. Used planar and cylindrical mapping.
I made all UV for half and then mirrored him .


http://www.geocities.com/chuchae2002/F-16_UV.txt

[wgreenlee1]

This should be in the Lightwave tips thread which should be a sticky.

Leigh,if I am gathering what youre saying then it would be feasible to make several seperate maps of the same object such as a number of surfaces then copy them to to one main mapping to paint on.
Is this correct?
Like for instance you could map a head with smaller seperate maps of say like the face,ears,nose,scalp,eye areas, then copy and paste them to a main map of all these combined.
Would that work like you guys are talking?

Thanks.

[leigh]

Wgreenlee1 - yeah, that is pretty much what we are saying :)

As I mentioned in the beginning, I was working on a character, and the arms and legs were in seperate UV maps. Looking at the maps, I realised that they would easily all fit onto a single UV template, which just makes things far simpler in the long run, because you can paint them all in one go, instead of in seperate Photoshop files. It also saves on memory, because it means less images will be loaded onto the model in the end.

[ninjaman]

But the big problem is still that the differing UV projections must be merged using alphas and or gradients. There should be some sort of ability to "paint" between them without having to use alphas. Both Bodypaint and Deep Paint has this ability - to treat different UV projections as one.

Johan

[leigh]

Yeah but Ninjaman, that isn't really a problem that LW can deal with. The fact is that programs like Deep Paint and Body Paint can work like that solely because they allow you to paint directly onto the model. The moment you are making your maps in 2D, you have to deal with seams, whether you like it or not. Combining your maps is not going to solve that either, because you are still working in 2D.

The way that these plugins/progs work is that because you are painting directly onto the model, the program can automatically apply the painting information from one UV map to the next, as you paint over the seams.

Think of it like this:

Painting UV maps the normal way is like taking a piece of paper that you want to wrap around a bottle, and painting patterns onto it, ensuring that the area where the ends of the paper are going to be meet will meet seamlessly.

Using DP3D or Bodypaint is like wrapping the piece of paper around the bottle, and then painting onto it.

So it isn't really NewTeks responsibility to deal with that, because it's just a fact of life.

[wgreenlee1]

Yes but if they ever get 7.5b and aura2.5b done so LW and Aura can communicate these problems will be solved...well most of them.
How about it Proton?:bounce:

[Eugeny]

Originally posted by Leigh
Chewey, the Copy Map does combine them.

Just copy the first one that you want to combine, and name it to whatever you want the combined one to be.

Then, select the second map that you want to combine it with, hit Copy Map again, and type in the name that you gave to the one you just made.

It combines them :D

Just posted here (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=384574#post384574) bit different copy /paste UV method ...

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