Merge multiple surfaces into a single surface

[yavaBBL49]

Hello, I have to apply UV texture decals to the stems of a fork, so I extracted the cylinder surfaces, but my decal gets applied as many time as the actual surfaces number, while I need it to be applied only once. How can I solve this?

https://i.imgur.com/VrWCk4P.png

https://i.imgur.com/FLE3CV1.png

[Marco.Takx]

Hi @yavaBBL49,

If you want to merge those surfaces into one you can select the surfaces and use the Merge Geometry.

If my post answers your question Please use  .Accept as Solution & Kudos This helps everyone find answers more quickly!

[guillaume_juif]

Hi @yavaBBL49 ,

In you case merging geometry will not solve your problem.

If you still want to use your decal in UV you have to create a proper UVset.

But for this kind of sticker, you can just use your decal in planar projection in the material editor and adjust the position as needed.

[yavaBBL49]

I know geometry merge doesn't work of course, that's why it's called "geometry" and not "surface" merge.

And yes, I know a solution for this would be UV mapping editing, but that's like the hardest thing to do in the whole VRED suite of tools, and there is no place or guide on the whole internet for learning how to properly master the UV editor, so you are left alone dealing with it by yourself, somehow.

Despite this, I didn't give up immediately, so I searched on YouTube for anything similar to what I had to do, I followed this guide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ascgNQa5QNU) step by step, but nothing... I ended up with my UV map completely deformed. I don't know how to tell VRED I want to keep a square UV map, just merging the 6 pieces into one.

Apply decals on perfectly cylindrical objects is a very common task, can't believe it's so hard to do with this software... And you can't use planar texture, because it completely deforms on a curved surface, and it gets totally out of shape beyond the 180°, so if you look at your object from the opposite side from the one you are projecting, you see it's quite a messy job.

[guillaume_juif]

The problem with this tutorial for your use case is that your objet is not vertical.

If you want to use the cylindrical mapping you can but you have to rotate your projection axis on Y or maybe X to fit the tilt of you object.

Then after you can adjust your map in th UV editor to match the position of the decal.

[yavaBBL49]

I see, very good point. Then what's the suggested way to fix it? Can I import from CAD a fork that is totally identical and perfectly perfendicular to the plane, create the decal material with the right UV map based on that, and then apply it to the rotated fork I have assembled on my bike? I don't know what is the best practice workflow for this kind of task, of course there must be one for applying decals on cylindrical objects and then move them into the right position, just I don't know what that is.

Ideally, the easiest thing for me, would be to rotate my fork that it's already in place to be perpendicular to the plane based on the stems cylinder center, but I have no clue how to do that, I think you can't actually do that within VRED since it has no constraints. I really do wonder how people who work in the industry apply these cylindrical decals onto suspensions that are rotated on the final renders.

I really wish VRED made a series of videos showing how textures are applied on all the most used parts in the automotive industry... I'm always guessing how to do something, not the best, but the "least bad" at least. While I'm sure all designers in the industry know "if you have to apply a texture onto a rim/tyre, you follow these steps", "if you have to apply a texture on a seat, you follow these steps", etc. It's so hard having to imagine everything.

[yavaBBL49 · Accepted solution]

I rotated the object to be perpendicular to the ground, applied the UV texture, edited it with the Texture Editor to fix it, and then rotated back the object. That did the trick.