Improve Texture Mapping Capabilities (UV Mapping)

[rDesign]

I know it is a long-standing wishlist item, but I thought I would submit a new request to improve the poor texture mapping in Vw, partially due to lacking support for UV Texure Mapping.

A perfect example of the result of this missing functionality is demonstrated by the way that a Subdivision object has to be converted to a Generic Solid before it can be properly textured with an image-based texture. Of course, you lose all Subdivison functionality once you convert it to a Generic Solid.

A select list of objects that are currently hamstrung by the lack of proper texture (UV) mapping, I'm sure there are others:

• Subdivison Objects [slightly improved in 2017 for small-scale image texture materials]
• Cabinet PIO
• Door PIO
• 3D plants with textures can't be scaled
• Framing Objects
• Meshes
• NURBS Surfaces

Links to related threads regarding texturing limitations & UV mapping:

Subdivision Objects

Different colors on different surfaces of objects

Textures that scale automatically- Image Props do, 3D models don't, why?

Free XFrog Plants Too Big

Textures with grains

UV Mapping for Coolux Venue Site

Texture Mapping on Stretched NURBS Surfaces

Render Issues

Model UVW Mapping Question

Edge-banding Tool

Tip For Texture Mapping on Non-rectangular Object

Please Make Cabinets So That They Take Wood Textures Properly

 

[I was doing some further reading on mapping techniques for Pixar's OpenSubdiv (basis of Vw's Subdivison objects), and I came across Disney's Ptex open-source API as an easier mapping alternative to UV mapping.]

Edited October 1, 2019 by rDesign
Updated all links for new forum

[zoomer]

I'll add Meshes

[Art V]

+1

It reduces the usefulness of subdivision and other surfaces if it cannot handle bitmap textures.

[PVA - Admin]

Submitting request now.

VE-94283

[Markvl]

Not to knock what is said above as yes we need some UV mapping techniques for VW.

Sean O'Skea has just released a new youtube video that to those who are newer to VW may find helpful in applying textures to your various objects.

Youtube

[Kaare Baekgaard]

+1

[PVA - Admin]

The more support we can get for this wish, the better.

[Art V]

12 minutes ago, JimW said:

The more support we can get for this wish, the better.

Your wish got fulfilled :-)

[PVA - Admin]

Just now, Art V said:

Your wish got fulfilled :-)

Yessssss, but for real, do slap that button people. I still only get one vote even though I'm an admin, can't be caught stuffing the ballot box

[Art V]

Shhh, don't tell anyone else but someone very knowledgeable whose name starts with the 10th letter of the Latin alphabet also mentioned that voting up the replies (if they can be voted up) can also count for the overall support.

[rDesign]

4 hours ago, Altivec said:

You know there is a problem when people are recommending that you export out of your $5000+ software and texture it in Free SketchUp and then re-import it back.  If that's not embarrassing, I don't what is.

^^^ I loved this quote. Enough said. 

[rDesign]

Because I think this long-standing wishlist item is very important, and I wanted to make it easier for Vw to refer back to, I manually updated all of the links in the first post that were broken by the new forum. 

Edited September 20, 2016 by rDesign

[Matt Overton]

Does this mean there would be UV unfoldding that could be used create laser cutting sheets for model building?

[Art V]

2 hours ago, Matt Overton said:

Does this mean there would be UV unfoldding that could be used create laser cutting sheets for model building?

You mean as in software used for sheet metal purposes? That would be more a mechanical engineering kind of things which Vectorworks has more or less abandoned. It would be nice to have for some purposes but if I understood correctly based on discussions in other forums having a good sheet metal unfolding functionality takes quite a bit of programming.

Unless you are referring to a different kind of unfolding that I am thinking of.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Art V

[rDesign]

7 hours ago, Matt Overton said:

Does this mean there would be UV unfoldding that could be used create laser cutting sheets for model building?

 

4 hours ago, Art V said:

You mean as in software used for sheet metal purposes? That would be more a mechanical engineering kind of things which Vectorworks has more or less abandoned. It would be nice to have for some purposes but if I understood correctly based on discussions in other forums having a good sheet metal unfolding functionality takes quite a bit of programming.

Unless you are referring to a different kind of unfolding that I am thinking of.

No, unfolding or flattening of 3D objects is not what is meant by 'UV Mapping', which basically is "the 3D modeling process of projecting a 2D image to a 3D model's surface for texture mapping".

Vw2017 Guide - Textures Projection and Orientation

The rudimentary texture mapping options offered by Vw will not allow you to correctly texture a 3D object. Examples of which include a stretched NURBS surface like a table cloth, Subdivision objects, a piece of wood which has different textures along the long and short edge as well as the face. If you try to scale a 3D object like a 3D tree purchased from xFrog, the texture mapping does not scale with the 3D object.

 

[Art V]

@rDesignI was trying to get clear what Matt meant with his question about UV unfolding, as it seemed to me he was thinking of the unfolding as used in e.g. sheet metal design software. If that is the case then I don't think it will be implement in the near future because it seems to be a rather complex thing to do well.

That being said, there are some 3D programs that do have unfolding but it may be a somewhat different kind of thing than used in sheet metal design software, perhaps a "reverse UV mapping" (for lack of better wording) might be all Matt wants for his purposes and that might be easier to implement if that is what he meant with UV unfolding.

[Kevin McAllister]

14 hours ago, Matt Overton said:

Does this mean there would be UV unfoldding that could be used create laser cutting sheets for model building?

Were you thinking something like pepakura? Vectorworks can already do some unfolding using Model>3d Powerpack>Unfold Surfaces. Rhino is a little better and will label the pieces for you. But none of that is as complex as the custom pepakura software out there on the web.

Kevin

[rDesign]

1 hour ago, Art V said:

@rDesignI was trying to get clear what Matt meant with his question about UV unfolding, as it seemed to me he was thinking of the unfolding as used in e.g. sheet metal design software. If that is the case then I don't think it will be implement in the near future because it seems to be a rather complex thing to do well.

That being said, there are some 3D programs that do have unfolding but it may be a somewhat different kind of thing than used in sheet metal design software, perhaps a "reverse UV mapping" (for lack of better wording) might be all Matt wants for his purposes and that might be easier to implement if that is what he meant with UV unfolding.

Gotcha - I just wanted to help clarify for Matt what this wish-list item was discussing. You're probably already aware, but Vw already has a function to unfold NURBS surfaces but it is limited to surfaces that are curved in one dimension only, so it might have limited application for sheet metal unfolding. That is a very specialized functionality and probably not something to expect from Vw.

Unfolding Surfaces - Vw2017 Help

[Matt Overton]

58 minutes ago, rDesign said:

Gotcha - I just wanted to help clarify for Matt what this wish-list item was discussing. You're probably already aware, but Vw already has a function to unfold NURBS surfaces but it is limited to surfaces that are curved in one dimension only, so it might have limited application for sheet metal unfolding. That is a very specialized functionality and probably not something to expect from Vw.

Unfolding Surfaces - Vw2017 Help

Thanks that is close to what I'm after. Wasn't thinking sheet metal folding more streamlining Vectorworks Model to cardboard model attached.

Quick look at Unfolding Surfaces  will certainly get us there a lot quicker than the method we used. Although output from roof is messy and general ever face was upside down which isn't so bad by the time we arrange to feed the laser cutter.

Oddly googling with vectorworks as a specific term for answers don't come even close to suggesting this feature in the program. Almost all answers said push model to free modelling program use UV-unfold command then print.  Which is where my question was coming from. Afterall have you meet any Architects who aren't looking for an excuse to buy a laser cutter and make models.

[rDesign]

[Off-topic]

@Matt Overton- you might have already found this in your search, but take a look at this thread regarding use of the 'Unfolding Surfaces' command. Your mileage may vary. 

Back on topic 

Edited September 21, 2016 by rDesign

[PVA - Admin]

"Popular this month" is more based on thread activity and how recently it received votes than just how many votes or replies it has total. But no worries, the views I use catch everything, that section is just there as a convenience feature. It isn't the main go-to for which features are the most desired.

The main overview for votes is more like this:

[PVA - Admin]

I think that's a good idea. Especially since actual, manual full-fat UV mapping where you rip apart objects into a splayed-out view and manually apply images and properties onto them and then bake them back into a model is most likely not something we would implement flat out, since it's practically it's own job description, but really a "Detailed and indepth solution for advanced texture mapping" is kind of the point. for instance, I think it was ArchiCAD that added a texture painter that let you select surfaces of objects and map texture to them separately from other faces on the same object, or something similar that seemed a good middle ground.

(EDIT: Or that Ptex thing mentioned in the original post, which looks really good, attached example video:)

 

[MFW]

Hello

I'm new here but this seemed the appropriate place for this question, apologies if not.

 

I'm just learning to use the cabinet/custom cabinets tool in 2017, which is generally very good but- is there a way to map textures to the cabinet fronts? I don't seem to be able to use the attribute mapping tool to move the texture into the position I want.

 

Thanks

[rDesign]

@MFW- This is a long-standing issue; You cannot directly modify the texture mapping on Cabinet objects by using the attribute mapping tool on them. (It has been requested previously).

 

The way to do it is to create two identical Renderworks textures for the cabinet wood grain, one of which has been rotated 90 degrees. Then create two new Classes and assign each of those RW textures to their own Class. Depending on which direction the grain of the Cabinet component needs to run, you assign that class.

 

Take a look at this related thread about texture orientation in Door objects.

Edited February 15, 2017 by rDesign

[barkest]

Early days but I have not seen anything so far that addresses the main issue (for me anyway) for interior designers which is the ability to texture objects correctly. It was disappointing but not unsurprising that the promo video only applied a single colour to the Sub-D object (the big orange/yellow shiny what on earth is it object) as you cannot apply a pattern. Applying the single colour is a cover up for the deficiencies of the tool.

 

A shame but I am hopeful that I missed a lot that is in there for us and its only a matter of time before it comes to the surface. I am certainly looking forward to the new stair tool as the old one was a flipping nightmare (and texturing it was awful)

 

 

[PVA - Admin]

5 minutes ago, barkest said:

Early days but I have not seen anything so far that addresses the main issue (for me anyway) for interior designers which is the ability to texture objects correctly.

No changes to that area this year. We wanted to focus more on existing systems that needed improvement this year and held off on introducing too very many new ones. However, this request is still in our sights.