Doubled Materials

BerBuz

I have a bizarre thing with one of my hard surface models created in Hexagon.

Imported and rigged in DS 4.6 without any problem, when I look to the surfaces tab I see a number in front of each property [ (2): in my case ]. Sometimes (unpredictably) RGB values shows “Multiple”. I presume that there is more than one value linked to each parameter. (See attached image). Obviously, if I try to create a material preset each material appears twice.

I don’t know how it occurs and worst, have no idea where to dig to fix the problem or remove extraneous material.
Any idea ?

Regards,

JonnyRay

I've seen that happen before in some of my models too. The only fix I have found is to pull it into another UV mapping tool and remove the extra surfaces. I believe it is actually a bug in Hexagon not DS. Try using the free version of UV Mapper and see if it can help.

patience55

BerBuz said:

I have a bizarre thing with one of my hard surface models created in Hexagon.

Imported and rigged in DS 4.6 without any problem, when I look to the surfaces tab I see a number in front of each property [ (2): in my case ]. Sometimes (unpredictably) RGB values shows “Multiple”. I presume that there is more than one value linked to each parameter. (See attached image). Obviously, if I try to create a material preset each material appears twice.

I don’t know how it occurs and worst, have no idea where to dig to fix the problem or remove extraneous material.
Any idea ?

Regards,

As far as I've been able to determine, the bug has something to do with communications between Hexagon and D/S. Sometimes D/S is simply copying ALL the materials from Hexagon [whether or not they are on the .obj being created] ... and sometimes D/S creates one all by itself [esp over the bridge] "just because".

How to deal with it ...

Okay.

In Hexagon you have made the beautiful objects. Save the Project.
Then delete everything except "one" item. Export that one item out as .obj.
Edit > Undo 'til everything is back in.
Delete the one item already exported out.
Then delete everything else out EXCEPT the next one item.
Export that out as .obj.
Edit > Undo and repeat until you have a basket with all the new .obj files in it.
Then CLOSE Hexagon.
Open Hexagon.
Import in ONE of those items.
Check the Materials [upper left corner].
Remove ALL that are not actually in use for the .obj.
The CheckerT/background material included. That's usually what D/S will turn into an extra shading domain.
Then export back out that one .obj [let it overwrite itself].
Close Hexagon.
Open Hexagon.
Import in the next .obj file and repeat until finished.

Then open D/S and import in ONE of the new .obj files and check the Shading Domains/materials FIRST.
If it's correct.
Do a little dance!
Import in the next and hopefully it's correct too.
If/when one isn't, that .obj needs to be cleaned up in the modeler.

Do NOT use the Bridge unless you have to. [i.e. to get the correct sizing]
When using the Bridge, D/S adds on an extra shading domain [default thingie].
Solution is to turn it right back out as an .obj export.
Then delete the one in D/S.
Import in that last exported .obj.
It will be now "clean".

And if it is,
Do a little song and dance!

When the object is 'clean' ... okay to carry on and texture it, creating beautiful props and figures etc. :-)
[and yes you can let the new files overwrite the old files unless you really want to go digging through data files looking for old files to delete]

.........................

To note though; If you have the same shading domain on 2 objects; and both those objects are selected, they will show up as (2) same name.
It is best to have all pieces with their own Shading domains AND each Shading Domain "has to" have its own material assigned to it, IN HEXAGON. Once the items are cleaned up and being worked on in D/S, then you can assign the same materials and colours to the shading domains/materials.

BerBuz

Thank you Jonny & Patience,

If I’m really stuck, I can consider using UV mapper to re-UV the geometry. But I don’t think my problem to be due to a bad geometry or UV map. I say this because if I import the whole geometry (.obj) into DS; everything is correct. I suspect the problem to come from some questionable manipulations I’ve done while setting the figure up and to be DS sourced. I’m quite sure that, if I re-rig the figure correctly, things will be fixed. I want to avoid doing this twice for at least 2 reasons: 1- it is long and cumbersome, 2- understanding the reason may help improve DS and my own understanding.

I use a similar method to the one described by Patience55’s (export parts, clear and reimport them) to recover from some sucked situations: fancy bounding boxes, bad origins. Mainly geometry issues; didn’t have lot of problems with materials, except a “default material” appearing without any reason.

Regards,