Unwrap UV Packing Selected UVs only

[Milosava]

Is there a way to only pack the UVs you have selected? Every time I select specific UVs and click pack, it packs every single UV.

Thanks in advance,

Milos

[10DSpace]

@Milosava 

 I guess you must be using Pack Normalize  which does pack all UV islands regardless of which UV islands are selected.   However  Pack: CUSTOM or Pack Together only will pack the selected UV islands.  Switch to one of these options if you only want the selected UV islands to be packed. 

[Milosava]

thanks for the reply but both pack custom and pack together both do the same thing. I swear yesterday it was working fine. I was not using park normalize. 

Cheers,

Milos Pack Together/ Custom

[10DSpace]

@Milosava 

Did you try rebooting Max?  Since you think it was working Ok yesterday, maybe max needs a reboot and will reset itself and start behaving properly.    Also, I am using Max 2022 but I think this behavior of Pack Custom only packing selected UV islands goes back as far as I remember.  If the reboot doesn't do it, which version of max are you using? 

[Milosava]

I have tried re-booting and still nothing. I am using Max 2023. 

Milos

[Milosava]

@10DSpace 

I figured it out

I opened the Packing Custom Tool Options and changed the mode or whatever from Unfold 3D to Recursive packing. 

Not sure what this means or what else it changes but I am now able to pack selected UVs rather than everything no matter the selection.

Thanks for the replies,

Milos

[10DSpace]

@Milosava 

"I opened the Packing Custom Tool Options and changed the mode or whatever from Unfold 3D to Recursive packing."

I am glad its working for you now, but for Max 2022 and Max 2020,  changing this option to Recursive Packing did not affect Pack:Custom  packing only the selected UV islands for me.   Maybe this behavior has changed in Max 2023 and I don't know whether it is intentional or a bug but the docs only say that Recursive Packing "Packs the clusters efficiently, but is slower than the Linear method."   Maybe someone from Autodesk can provide insight on this.  

[Milosava · Accepted solution]

@10DSpace 

I installed 3ds Max 2022 and it has non-convex packing set as its default packing method. In 2023, its default packing method is called Unfold 3D which seems to be an entirely new feature for 2023. 

I will just set it back to non-convex or leave it to recursive packing. 

Thanks,

Milos

[pilot69]

Big THX for this solution. I was just tearing my hair out cursing someone who came up with the "brilliant" idea to change this feature.
As far as I'm concerned, this is an obvious bug. Autodesk fix it please!

[info]

Thanks for the workaround, but the new method should do the same.

[gugabaraldi]

Hey bro, I was going crazy with the same issue. You saved my life. 😅
Thank you so much!

[Polygonfabrik]

Thanks for this thread! 
I just switched from 2014 to 2024 ( yes indeed ) and was getting frustrated.

[kyawzayabcastu]

3Ds Max Unwarp is already good enough, they coming up with "Unfold 3D" Not only which cant even fullfill decad old TexTool Features, somehow mange to f* up original features. Whoever decided to add that feature should be fired. I'm so f*king mad.

[kyawzayabcastu]

We all agreed nobody asked "Unfold3D" which can't even fullfill decade old "TexTools" and somehow manage to f*k up original features. what a waste of human resource.

[robertgapper]

I'm using Max 2024 and I've selected my mesh and gone to unwrap UVs. I've opened up the UV editor and selected a material ID. I then 'Arrange Elements' using Pack custom and select 'Recursive Packing' for my selected material ID and leave the other settings to their default. I have the same results with ALL of the dropdown packaging options, as in, they not only pack my selected ID they effect all the other, unselected IDs.. Please, how do I only pack the selected IDs and not shift ALL other unselected material IDs as well. The other Material IDs are located where I want them... How can I get this to work.. can't seem to find any solution to this that works..