Full Version: How to export to ZBrush & KeyShot

Hello all, I only just started using MoI, but I really like it. I've run into a small problem though: when I try to export my model to KeyShot, I can't get it to open (I export it as an OBJ) - the OBJ file is greyed out.
So I opened it in ZBrush since I have a ZBrush to KeyShot bridge which allows me to open OBJ files in KeyShot, but when I open the model in KeyShot, it shows up as a single subtool, so all the elements that make up my model are now just seen as one piece.
If anyone can advise how I can/should export my model from MoI to KeyShot and ZBrush so all the elements stay intact and I can assign materials to it, that would be great.

Thanks in advance

Image Attachments:
Screen Shot 2018-12-29 at 1.55.16 am.png 

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one of the best export formats to keyshot is - imho - step
or as alternative acis sat

regards
O.

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Hi mrmunchies, that's strange that the .obj file is grayed out in KeyShot. Is there any difference if you put it in a different folder, maybe one without any spaces or non-ascii letters in the filename?

One other thing you might try is using the setting "Output: Quads & Triangles" on the meshing options dialog when you export out from MoI.

- Michael

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Thanks Michael, Ken. I did some more testing and digging and it turns out that the KeyShot version I have is "KeyShot for ZBrush" and I can only open OBJ files if I open them in ZBrush first, and then send them to KeyShot via the "ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge" (the regular, but more expensive, KeyShot version shouldn't have any issues opening OBJ [and other] files - my cheaper version is limited in what it can open). It's a bit of a roundabout way of getting my MoI model into KeyShot, but it does work.

Note that when I open the MoI model in ZBrush, it shows up as a single subtool. But when I turn on "show polygroups", it neatly shows the different elements as I put them together in MoI, so then I just "group split" all the polygroups which results in separate subtools, and thus allows me to assign materials as I wish once I send the model to KeyShot via the ZBrush Bridge. (While the subtool bit might not be of interest to you, I'm just mentioning it in case other ZBrush users browse the forum at some stage and have the same issue I had.)

I'm really liking MoI and I'm looking forward to version 4.

Thanks for the assist.

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Hi mrmunchies, I'm glad you figured out what is going on and thank you for sharing the information for others!

- Michael

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Just to add to what Ken mentions, you’ll need the Pro version to be able to directly import CAD formats into Keyshot.

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Hello all, I did some further testing with a computer running a KeyShot Pro version, and it indeed opens OBJ and STP files with ease.

I also I have an additional question. I'm planning on designing some things in MoI to have them 3D printed, and I can see how on occasion I would take a file from MoI into ZBrush for some further sculpting prior to sending it off for 3D printing. However, I've noticed that round surfaces are "faceted" or are showing "ribs" once opened in ZBrush. When I open the same file directly in KeyShot without going through ZBrush, this "ribbing" effect doesn't happen, and the surface is perfectly smooth. (I attached a screenshot of the "ribs" in 2 different colours and B&W.)
When I try to increase the number of polygons by subdividing the model in ZBrush, it screws up the model and becomes unworkable (see attachment). Is there a way to prevent the ribbing from happening, but perhaps more important is the question if this "ribbed" model is of lower quality than the original MoI model, or if it just "a visual thing". It's important for me to know in relation to 3D printing, as I would have to think carefully about what I'd create in ZBrush and what I'd create in MoI.

Regarding the meshing options when exporting my model as an OBJ: am I correct in saying that ticking "weld vertices along edges" and putting a low value in the "angle" and "divide larger than" fields will give me the best result? Sorry, but I'm quite new to this.
Also, am I correct in saying that a value of 1 in both these fields is the lowest value that MoI will process? I tried putting in lower values but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

I also realized I can't create something in ZBrush and then open it in MoI. Someone told me that in MoI v4 this might be an option, is that correct?

Many thanks in advance,

Eric
Melbourne, Australia

Image Attachments:
Facets 1.jpg  Facets 2.jpg  Facets 3.jpg  Settings.jpg  SubD.jpg 

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> Is there a way to prevent the ribbing from happening, but perhaps more important is the
> question if this "ribbed" model is of lower quality than the original MoI model, or if it just
> "a visual thing". It's important for me to know in relation to 3D printing, as I would have
> to think carefully about what I'd create in ZBrush and what I'd create in MoI.

If I remember right I think the ribbing effect is a visual thing that ZBrush does - it's displaying the mesh in a faceted style so you can more easily see individual polygons while working in ZBrush. Look for a display setting to show meshes using smooth shading rather than faceted shading.


> When I try to increase the number of polygons by subdividing the model in ZBrush, it screws
> up the model and becomes unworkable (see attachment).

That's because the option to do subdivision smoothing was enabled. The output from MoI is not set up to do sub-d smoothing, so you would need to disable sub-d smoothing style subdivision and use just plain polygon subdivision. I forget exactly what it is called, it's something like "Subd" or "smooth" option for subdividing.


> Regarding the meshing options when exporting my model as an OBJ: am I correct in saying that ticking "weld vertices
> along edges" and putting a low value in the "angle" and "divide larger than" fields will give me the best result?

That will generate denser polygons so if you are planning on modifying things in ZBrush by applying displacement that would be helpful for that.


> Also, am I correct in saying that a value of 1 in both these fields is the lowest value that MoI will
> process? I tried putting in lower values but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

A value of 1 in the angle field is the lowest it will go for that one - putting in 1 there means that any polygon that has more than a 1 degree angle between surface normals at its vertices will get further subdivided. The "Divide larger than" takes a distance value and it can be smaller than 1 unit in size, when you put in a value for "Divide larger than", any polygons more than that distance across will get further subdivided.


> I also realized I can't create something in ZBrush and then open it in MoI. Someone told me that in
> MoI v4 this might be an option, is that correct?

MoI v4 does have a new import method for sub-d meshes, so if your mesh is set up to do sub-d smoothing then that can be brought into Moi v4. But if it is just a simple triangle mesh that will not import back into MoI.

There are different styles of polygon modeling - sub-d polygon modeling and "regular" polygons. Just because you have polygons does not mean they are set up to do sub-d smoothing, a mesh that has been set up to do sub-d smoothing needs to be all or nearly all quads. There is an overview of sub-d style polygon modeling here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckOTl2GcS-E

Hope this helps!

- Michael

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Many thanks for the quick reply, Michael. I'll have a look in ZBrush tomorrow to see if I make the changes you suggested.

Thanks

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