UV Mapping

arrowhead42

Hi everyone, I know this is t the correct forum for this thread, but I had no idea where to post and I use Poser 11 exclusively. I’m hoping someone can help me or point me in the right direction where to post. For the last 6-7 years I’ve been using UV Mapper Pro which I purchased on line, in conjunction with Poser (I now use version 11). Due to a recent crash, I was forced to replace my hard drive, and in doing so I lost some data, one of which was UV Mapper Pro. I found the original downloaded program and installed it on my new drive. But it won’t let me save any .obj models after I make a template for a texture map.... I get an error message that save saving is disabled because I have an unregistered copy. I checked the UV Mapper website and it appears to be dead in the water. It’s still there, but the support and purchasing links no longer work and it looks like the website hasn’t been updated or maintained in quite a while, I’m at a standstill So my questions are:

1. can anyone recommend a course of action on this? I have a legitimate copy of UV Mapper Pro but no way to obtain a registration code after installing it on a new hard drive
2. what other apps or programs are good for texture mapping? Any help at all on these would be truly appreciated

Steve R.

ebergerly

So you're building your own .obj objects and then sending them to UVMapper?

Well, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, everytime I use DAZ Studio I also have Blender running. And if I used Poser it would be no different. With Blender you can make objects, do UV Mapping, and 2.6 kajillion other things that are pretty much mandatory when I do 3D stuff. If I'm working on a scene in D|S, and realize "hey, I need an XXXXX in my scene", I jump to Blender, make an OBJ, and, if necessary (it automatically does some often-usable default maps) I make a quick UV and import it all into D|S. 

Just sayin'.... 

Bendinggrass

I have experienced similar problems. 

Now, when I get a new program, I send all the information like serial number, activation code, invoice, etc. to myself as an email, and have a category in my email account that stores all that.

I also write down the info. into a notebook which I keep near my computer.

You could write to the compant and explain the situation. You probably still have an account with them keyed to your email or name, and might be able to explore that account.

Good luck.

arrowhead42

Thanks Bendinggrass, that's good advice. I usually do something similar. But I wasn't doing so way back when, when I purchased it. And I've been trying to contact Brian Cox, whom the website says is the point of contact. So far no success, and Unfortunately as I understand it this is par for the course with him.

Ebergerly, I suppose this is a good time to crack open my recently acquired "Blender for Dummies" book. Whenever I open Blender it seems so overwhelming!! But this may be the way I have to go. I'm in the middle of a big project however and I was hoping to avoid having to try and learn a new suite of software to get it finished. I was hoping to put it off until I get this project completed but I may not be able to 

McGyver

I use Ultimate Unwrap 3D Pro... https://www.unwrap3d.com/u3d/order.aspx

It's fairly priced, it's pretty useful, it's fairly simple to use once you get an understanding of us mapping...and it also has the added benefit of being able to convert lots of different file formats.

And its 1/3 less calories than the leading UV mapper and it stays crunchy in milk... (don't put it in milk).

 

Also, Blender has fairly robust uv mapping capabilities, and it costs $0.00 but it gets soggy in milk... (it doesn't)

Edited to add...

I don't know if the Blender for Dummies book still applies to the newest version of Blender... the keyboard shortcuts seem to be the same, but the Graphic User Interface has changed a lot.

The new Blender GUI is a lot easier to understand and process... it's more like other 3D software now... no more of that feeling of sitting behind the control panel on the space shuttle wonder how to get it not to plummet to earth... it's actually no longer mind blowing.

FSMCDesigns

McGyver said:

 

The new Blender GUI is a lot easier to understand and process... it's more like other 3D software now... no more of that feeling of sitting behind the control panel on the space shuttle wonder how to get it not to plummet to earth... it's actually no longer mind blowing.

Yeah, speak for yourself, it's still mind blowing to figure out. I use Ultimate Unwrap 3D Pro also, love it.

McGyver

FSMCDesigns said:

McGyver said:

 

The new Blender GUI is a lot easier to understand and process... it's more like other 3D software now... no more of that feeling of sitting behind the control panel on the space shuttle wonder how to get it not to plummet to earth... it's actually no longer mind blowing.

Yeah, speak for yourself, it's still mind blowing to figure out. I use Ultimate Unwrap 3D Pro also, love it.

I do speak to myself... how did you know?... Are you using 5G microwave beams to read my mind?... Oh, never mind... I lost my friggin' mind years ago.

Okay, I'll admit it, Blender might not be super easy, but it is slightly less of a problem than years ago... I use it more for model making, so stuff like animation and rigging are not something I tried out.

arrowhead42

Hmmm..... Intriguing on both sides. Thanks for the advice - I'll let you know what happens next :)

TheRetiredSailor

For what it is worth, I have found that UV mapping in the same application that you are modeling in is a time saver. While I haven't conquered the Blender interface, there is something to be said for using it for modeling and UV mapping. Plus, the last time I looked there was import settings in DAZ Studio for Blender so your dimensions in Blender show up correctly in DS.  

Faeryl Womyn

Apparently none of you remember Wings3D, not only a modelling app, it also creates UV Maps. And it's free

Micheus Vieira has the most up to date tutorials on how to use it including some for mapping.

https://www.youtube.com/c/MicheusVieira/videos

Catherine3678ab

UV Mapper Support link works in Firefox. What it does is open your email to send them an email.

support[replacewithemailsign]uvmapper.com

One can still download and use the Free edition. Can make changes and save out the models too.

Luciel

TheRetiredSailor said:

For what it is worth, I have found that UV mapping in the same application that you are modeling in is a time saver. While I haven't conquered the Blender interface, there is something to be said for using it for modeling and UV mapping. Plus, the last time I looked there was import settings in DAZ Studio for Blender so your dimensions in Blender show up correctly in DS.  

I think DAZ's default Blender import/export settings are actually a little wonky (I can't remember how exactly, but they are). I can't look right now but this video goes over all the import export thingies.

TheRetiredSailor

Luciel said:

TheRetiredSailor said:

For what it is worth, I have found that UV mapping in the same application that you are modeling in is a time saver. While I haven't conquered the Blender interface, there is something to be said for using it for modeling and UV mapping. Plus, the last time I looked there was import settings in DAZ Studio for Blender so your dimensions in Blender show up correctly in DS.  

I think DAZ's default Blender import/export settings are actually a little wonky (I can't remember how exactly, but they are). I can't look right now but this video goes over all the import export thingies.

That's unfortunate. ☹️

jestmart

If DAZ hasn't change them it is the scale settings that are wrong.  I believe the export should be halve and the import doubled.  It has been so long though that I could have that backwards.