Save Out UVs

[t_smith5]

Hi

I think I may have asked this question some time ago, but is it possible to save out created UVs in Maya like you can in 3ds Max? Max gives you an option of saving your UVWs so you can load them back onto an object. Very useful. Is there anything like that in Maya? Or perhaps a plugin?

I'm currently having an issue where, when I modify the topology of Marvelous Designer clothing in Maya, and take the mesh into ZBrush, once I bring it back into Maya, the UVs are broken. Fragmented. It does it if I use the Reconstruct Subdivision and even if I import/export the mesh straight into ZBrush and back into Maya. And I've tried doing it with FBX and OBJ files. It would save some time if I could save the UV once it's done and that way I could restore it if it gets broken.

Thanks

[hamsterHamster]

One of the options would be to Mesh>TransferAttributes from your mapped source mesh to a broken one, possibly with Topology option, if the topology is really identical.

Alternatively, you could also create a blendshape with the broken-uv mesh as a target (you can even delete its uvs entirely to save scene size).

Not sure if it is possible with meshes with different topos.

[t_smith5]

Of course... The Attribute Editor. I'll give that a try. Can't believe I didn't think of that. The mesh *should* be identical, although, once I've reconstructed the subdivisions in ZBrush, and exported out the lowest, it probably won't be considered identical. I'll give it a try and report back. Thanks.

[t_smith5]

Sadly, that hasn't helped in this case. 😞 Once I reconstruct the subdivisions in ZBrush to make the low, take it back into Maya, and then transfer the UVs to it, it just gives me a broken shell.

[hamsterHamster]

can you post both samples here, zipped MA? would be hard to recreate the case otherwise

[t_smith5]

Sure. Though I think it's an issue on ZBrush's side. I've zipped up the files to test.

[hamsterHamster]

Perhaps, I need more comments on what's inside each file and where the problem is, as to me all look intact and with similar uvs - the only difference is that in scarf_zbrush_import.ma uvs are cut. Once I apply the TransferAttributes:Topology, the uvs get transferred from scarf_subdivided to scarf_zbrush_import. Deleting the later one's construction history makes it "identical" to the former one.

[t_smith5]

Right, sorry. Okay, so scarf_subdivided is the file prepped in Maya and given 3 Smooth iterations. That's to be loaded into ZBrush. All the UVs are there and perfect. Though I was informed on the official ZBrush forum that ZBrush doesn't like overlapping UVs, so those should have been moved away from each other.

The scarf_zbrush_import, I believe, is what happens to the UVs after it's been taken into ZBrush and then exported and loaded back up in Maya. For me, each face of the UV has been broken up - I'm able to move each quad/square of the UV. Though again, it could be due to them overlapping.

And scarf_low is what happens after I've reconstructed the subdivision levels in ZBrush and exported the lowest one out. For me, all the quads are broken up and can be moved individually.

EDIT: Nope. Even if I move the UVs from each other, just importing/exporting them in/out of ZBrush and back into Maya, the quads are all broken up.

[hamsterHamster]

I still see no problem there, and don't get what you are after too, sorry.

Broken seams on UVs - not a big deal, if the UVs remain in the same position. And nothing stops you from sewing those back together even without transferring attributes, tested works.

You'd not be able to transfer UVs from highres to lowres mesh, if that's what you were asking.

Can't comment on what are Zbrush's tastes, however, overlapping UVs would not allow you to make any texture baking, e.g. normal map baking from highres model to lowres. If that is your case, work with either unwrapped UVs or single sided surface (no thickness). Idk.

[t_smith5]

Odd. So, you don't see any broken UVs at all? I'll try using Screencast and record the issue I get.

[t_smith5]

Hopefully this works...

<iframe width="640" height="620" src="https://screencast.autodesk.com/Embed/Timeline/27dc6b75-80d0-4...

[hamsterHamster]

Define: "broken". Define: what are you trying to achieve.

To me all looks good, as, at rendertimes, there is ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE if there are seams or not. Just 10 seconds of sewing on lowres scarf and I get the similar UV-shells as in the highres model.

[t_smith5]

Well, from the video I shared, I hovered my mouse over the UV and the parts that had become detatched from the overall shell were highlighted. It fragments into pieces, which it shouldn't be doing, nor do I want it to. It happens more if they're overlapping. But a bit like in that screenshot of yours, the outer boarder breaks off, but there are weird cuts around the outer edge as shown in my video: