[REQ] how do I unpack/export a UV from a mesh?

[einherjrar]

How do I unpack/export a UV from a .nif, .obj, (Mesh) ect?

 

I have photoshop elements, autodesk 3ds, milkshape, and nifskope.

 

I swear I saw an option in one of them to unpack or export the mesh coordinates as a UV file, but I was looking today and I couldn't find it.

 

Can none of these programs do this? did I imagine it?

[vashts1985]

the best way would be with Textporter (goggle it) but you can also get wire maps from the max uv editor by going to tools>render UV Template (i think) its in there somewhere

[einherjrar]

the best way would be with Textporter (goggle it) but you can also get wire maps from the max uv editor by going to tools>render UV Template (i think) its in there somewhere

 

Downloaded textporter for 2009 32 bit. Autodesk 2009 'IS' max right? or am I wrong. Either way the installer told me it wasn't the installation directory (though it was). I super hope I'm not screwed because autodesk can't export UV's (or I can't find the option).

 

I couldn't even get the wiremap to render UV in autodesk. Either I'm looking right over the setting, or I'm a total failure.

 

Anything else I could try?

[einherjrar]

Okay, I managed to get the plugin installed in the right directory (from plugins).

(uninstalled the old, moved directory and reinstalled).

 

Texporter_v3.5.23.11_x86 for Autodesk max 2009.

 

I still can't add the plugin to the utility menu for some reason.

 

Help!

[DogtoothCG]

add a uvw unwrap modifier to your mesh, select edit under parameters, and in the window that opens up, click on the dropdown menu "tools" and at the bottom there should be "render uvw template"

[Skree000]

Nekronom speaks the truth.

 

To view the UV template you dont need to download anything, just like nekronom said, open the object in max, apply a 'UVW Unwrap' modifier.

 

Click the EDIT button on the right hand side in the modifier popup window.

 

 

Once that window opens, along the top is File, Edit, etc.... in the Tools menu, render uvw template just like nekronom said :)

[LHammonds]

If you have a NIF file, right-click on the object in the preview pane, Texture --> Export Template. Then specify where you want the TGA file to go and what size you want. Defaults to 512 but you can adjust it.

 

LHammonds

[einherjrar]

add a uvw unwrap modifier to your mesh, select edit under parameters, and in the window that opens up, click on the dropdown menu "tools" and at the bottom there should be "render uvw template"

 

I'll try this right now. bbl

 

EDIT: okay, I managed to export the UV. thanks very much.

EDIT 2: Are the UV's supposed to look like a mess? is it preferable to save them as .uvw or .tga?

 

================================================

 

I have another question; I want to export a skin that has several parts:

 

I can export the mesh as an OBJ from autodesk into milkshape where I can combine the mesh groups into one solid piece (Autodesk can also probably do this but I don't know how).

 

The trouble I have is I lose the entire texture when I do this.

 

Is there a way in autodesk to combine the separate mesh groups AND the separate texture groups for export into something I can convert into .nif and .dds respectively?

 

 

-------------------------------------

Example;

Gun1a.3dsmax comes in 3 mesh (wireframe) groups and 3 texture (material) groups.

-------------------------------------

Stock mesh and corresponding texture map

Action mesh and corresponding texture map

Barrel mesh and corresponding texture map

 

I want to collapse these groups into a single mesh and a single texture group for export (eventually converting into .nif and .dds).

 

Can it be done?

[LHammonds]

Are the UV's supposed to look like a mess?

No. I assume you have multiple UV objects that are all being combined into a single output image. Each object's UV should be exported one-at-a-time. Not sure how this is done in your program but I mentioned how you can do it once in NIF format.

 

is it preferable to save them as .uvw or .tga?

I would assume PSD is the "best" format. It can be imported by many image editors and supports multiple layers. If you have a texture, you can add it to layer 1 and have the UV in layer 2. As for a preview image, I think PNG would be the best because it can be opened up with Windows' default image/fax viewer but I'd recommend only having a white background and black for the lines. When I export UVs, I usually have to convert them from whatever type the program uses (such as TGA) into one or both of the formats I already mentioned.

 

I can export the mesh as an OBJ from autodesk into milkshape where I can combine the mesh groups into one solid piece (Autodesk can also probably do this but I don't know how).

Be careful with this, if you have a rigged armor/clothing, the OBJ format will loose this information as well. It depends on what is in the model as to what export format you should use.

 

LHammonds

[einherjrar]

Thanks again Lhammonds; that's vital information I was looking for.

 

So, I guess If a skin comes in 10 different parts (some I was looking at had 20+ parts and textures), I'll just have to orient them one by one. :(

 

I downloaded the most recent nifskope (12/22/08), but now I get corrupted texture headers, and some things I could do, I can't anymore. I guess it's more waiting for another nifskope update.

 

 

FYI - I've been using autodesk, milkshape, nifskope, and I have photoshop elements 7 (though I don't know how to do much in photoshop).