Using poser, objx errors when importing into milkshape, shading when normals aligned?

[MixdCrysy]

I am doing some separates requests for the FC. I am exporting the bottom .obj & objx from milkshape (from the maxis the gmdc) and importing the obj into poser. I have been playing around and found out that I can only get the obj to take shape in poser by naming it body, instead of bottom. If I name it bottom, it does not take the shape at all. On import in milkshape, I get this error in the attached picture. I can import the obj but its when I want to import the objx that I get this error. Maybe I have the wrong settings on export? I left the settings the same as the Mysticalones TUT, which could be entirely wrong as I am not following his TUT, I am following BlooMs instructions. It works on full bodies fine but not separetes. Any help would be appreciated


EDIT: I have found that if I change the name of the obj when I export from poser to something other than body (anything really, as long as it was not body) I dont get this error when I import into milkshape. I guess this was my problem? It works fine now
The normals have become an issue at some spots. I get that ugly shading in some areas (around the feet). I now started trying to select only some verts when I am doing the align (the creases from poser) and aligned nothing else. Is their another way to prevent the shading on the mesh? Maybe a setting on export from Poser? For the fat morphs, I have it 'as moprh target' checked and nothing else. For the body, I have this selected :
This pic was taken from themysticalones tut. Any suggestions?

[wes_h]

I don't know really remember anyone posting about using separate top/bottom meshing using Poser, and I have never tried that myself.

The .objx importer has a lot of checks built in to try to make sure that what is being imported is compatible with what was exported originally. This is very important, because you are trying to synchronize the contents of two different files.

If you need to make changes to something simple like the group name, the .objx format can be edited in Wordpad or Notepad, as can the .obj file. In the .obj file, the group name is on a line that starts with the letter g. In the .objx file, the groupname is a part of a line that starts with gnfv.

Unless the group count and names are the same, the .objx importer will think that you got confused and will not try to import the file.

[BlooM]

Wes is right,
wat you do in milkshape is splitting the 3d shape and the skeleton(and its settings)
When the 3dshape comes back from Poser it have to be the same as the original.

For the settings: only check ''inculde bodyparts names in polygon groups''
and dont check anything on import.(you might have used make normals consistant?)

I normally only have to fix the seams were the body is splitup on the uvmap, more difficult on complicated meshes, i agree.(i never have issue's with the 3d feet tho......)
You dont have the normal issue's when using mesh tool?

I never do tops or bottoms as seperates, i dont have good results with it.
And always start with maxis default as objective when using  Warlokk's magnets.(you can not import a FM shape and make it CPU for instance as you already found out )

[MixdCrysy]

Wes: I saw this in themysticalones tut. I always assumed that is was possible, becuase Warlokk made his separates (I know how long it could take without using poser ) Thank you for telling me how to edit the files! This will help me greatly Poser doesnt like 'bottom' or 'top' only 'body'.

BlooM: I only used the 4 settings about with the body(reall bottom).obj and for the fat morphs 'as moprh target'. I have had no problems with the motphs ever, but the body was the issue.
I was doing the maxis cargo pants and I really hated the results. Either to much shading or it was 'boxed' by the pockets. I might leave that one alone for now. In meshtool, I dont have any normal problems (when it works).
It is also very limited in what it will do for me. I have a huge problem with nightlife meshes, and so far it only lets me make maxis made meshes. I had a request to use another creators maxis mesh, and change it for a bodyshape. I can do it in poser, but meshtool corupts the file :dontknow: I tried to do the separates with meshtool, but becuase the internal name is bottom and I had to change it in poser... it was corupted.

I think your method is much easier and there is so many things I can do with it. I am very happy to not spend a whole day making my pregmorphs anymore. I have one I made that looks natural and then I import into milkshape as an obj and do extended manual edit on each vert until they match exactly. Thats like a nightmare to me now I am so happy I never have to do that agian, :dance: Thank you! :love4:

[BlooM]

You will find out about the normals soon enough

the pockets for instance, you have to select the sides seperate and then alligne.
And select the pants arround the pockets only and alligne.
And when you do that you have to select by faces, not verts.

But there are a few outfits that that are hard to alligne when they come out of poser.
If you really have a hard time just regroup a specific part(like that pocket) alligne the normals and regroup it back with the body.
Sometimes you just have to splitup some parts to get them alligned better.
When you regroup a pocket for instance you create a extra vert on the seam that gives problems.
This way it is much easier to alligne them the way you want.

[Warlokk]

Just saw this thread, maybe I can give some tips...

The magnets in Poser are mostly assigned to a target group "body", since for most of the shapes I focused on full-body meshes.  However, my earlier numbered size magnets vary between body, top and bottom, depending on what type they are.  It is all determined by the magnet's target, which can be changed in the properties tag of the magnet itself.  What I usually do though if I am working with a part called something other than "body", is just go to the object properties tab, and rename it temporarily to "body", then switch it back before export.  This is how I get alpha and reflection layers to work, it's easier than retargeting all the magnets.  Initially Poser will name the group whatever the .obj filename was, and I always keep the .obj names the same as the group name in the original mesh (bodyalpha, reflection, etc), except the morphs which I usually just call Fat and Preg, 'cause ~00MORPHMOD.0 is a pain to type out

As for Mesh Tool, it will only work with a Maxis-made mesh that only has one group.  In the GMDC in SimPE, if you see more than one thing in the checkbox area on the lower left, it will not work with mesh tool.  Now, the main advantage to Mesh Tool is it will import the normals to your new mesh from the original, which saves a TON of time, since Poser pretty thoroughly screws them up when it exports.  When I have to fix them in Milkshape, I find the Select Face by Vertex works best with Align Normals when trying to keep some of the edges the meshes sometimes have... often times Maxis will have built duplicate verts to create those seams and edges, and those verts will be assigned to one surface or the other... by choosing another vertex on the same face to select the face, it will grab just the verts belonging to that face, but ignore the ones they overlap that belong to another face.  A prime example of this is the underside seam on the breasts... if you want to keep that seam, but align the normals around it, it works best to select the row of verts below the seam to tag those faces, and align them.  Then, grab the row of verts one row out on the underside of the breast, which will select the faces along the bottom edge, and align those.  This will give you a nice sharp crease, but smooth the surfaces on either side.  Just keep an eye on the outside edges of the faces you aligned though, sometimes you have to re-align those as individual verts to smooth them out again.

Obviously this can be very tricky, and can take quite a while, which is why most of the clothing I've released for my recent shapes are all simple Mesh Tool conversions, as I don't have as much time lately as I used to to muck about with them all in Milkshape.

I hope that helps some!  

[MixdCrysy]

BlooM & Warlokk: Thank you so much for the help with the normals. I was going mad trying to get them right. The separetes is a big project so I decided to do them little by little. It will get me less frustrated if I take a break from it now and then.