Maya unwrapping problems

[jake.rozewicz.876]

1) I am trying to unwrap a UV of a simple cylinder with no caps, and I cannot get it to unfold into a rectangle, it always turns into a circle which would be terrible for texturing. 

2 ) I have a complicated shape I am trying to unfold, and unfolding simply does nothing. I can do other things after I unfold, so I know it isn't simply taking a long time to unfold.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Kahylan]

Hi!

Usually when unfold doesn't really change anything it means that you dont have enough cuts in your UV. You can use the Cut tool in the "cut/sew" menu of your UV Editor to make cuts in areas where you have overlaps. For best results make sure that you make your cuts in places where they are least seen (bottom of the Arm, innerside of a leg, for example).

I hope this helps!

[hamsterHamster]

in addition to what @Kahylan said,

1) it looks like you don't have any seams at cyl side, and like you wouldn't be able to unwrap glued paper from a cola can, Unfold is having hard time your cyl too, as for it the only possible way to do it without causing the overlaps is stretching uvs into ring shape.

2) if unfold is doing really NOTHING, then your UVs must have been pinned; uvEd > Edit > UnpinSelection to edit. Whereas, if Unfold is doing it's job, just not the way you'd like, then the essential seams are missing. And, if the "other things" are modeling related, then do them firsthand, as those will influence UVs.