dast

Having been using this plugin quite extensively the last weeks, I noticed I could speed up my workflow by allowing to create seams when in UV polygon mode. This way you don't need to keep switching to UV polygon mode for applying projection mapping, relaxing UV's and back to edge mode for selecting edges/seams on the next object. While working to implement this addition to the plugin I noticed that I couldn't simply re-use the same color between the two modes, since UV polygons are drawn the same as edges are, so once UV polygons are selected the seams would never be visible. Hence the reason I decided to show the seams as green edges in UV polygon mode. Just as for the modifier key, I could provide for some user control in the plugin's attribute panel ... but I decided not to do so. Here's the latest version which allows to select seams in both edge mode or uv polygon mode. (edit: link removed)

Fixed the drawing issue, and made it a feature. You can now select to show the hidden edges while hovering. After using the tool for my own project, I changed the default state to be "single via modifier" as I mostly use the tool in extend mode. Fixed the state of the tool to only be available in edge mode, and show the cursor accordingly. Also provided a new icon. Updated plugin, ready for distribution ... version 1.0 (edit: link removed)

Thanks for bringing this up, something I didn't know yet. However, I am not to fond of using the move/rotate/scale tool for selecting stuff as I have more than once slightly modified things this way. Trying out this trick of yours I also found out that in edge mode the selection sometimes makes a strange "twist". I knew about the "automapping" in 3DCoat (and this works OK), but in my workflow I need to keep the imported UVs, as I have named and grouped the UVWtags on purpose. Of course, I could redo all this in 3DCoat, but there is more in my current workflow that is limited by going to and from 3DCoat, hence the need of all scripts I wrote before realizing I would be better of by unwrapping in C4D, which resulted in this plugin. In the meantime I have fixed the drawing issue, have had some more ideas, and will try to update this plugin in the next few days. Note that this plugin was primarly written for my own use (I can live with cr@ppy icon and attribute panel), and thus is focused on my workflow (no n-gons, mainly quads, R17, hardsurface modelling, ...)

Doing some UV mapping lately I couldn't help but notice that unwrapping in Cinema 4D isn't really a pleasure to do. Granted, in most cases fancy tools and features aren't needed to get things done. Still, soon enough, I was looking elsewhere to get the unwrapping done. Checked out a few 3rd party tools, looked up some tutorials, and finally decided to give 3DCoat a try. Installed the demo and started working my way through. Surprisingly I got nice results out of it, easily ... and quickly. Which made me almost decide to buy the software only for it's UV unwrapping/mapping feature alone. But as I was trying to import and export between 3DCoat and C4D ... the horror began. [SideStory] Main reason for this horror was that 3DCoat had some problems with the exported FBX that I was feeding it. After some investigation I found out that it was related to UVW coordinates that got messed up during the modelling phase in C4D. I honestly thought that while modelling all UVW coords would remain between 0 and 1 on the canvas. But apparently during the process of applying modelling tools one after the other onto a mesh some of the UV points would try to escape the canvas ... Which gave quite some trouble to 3DCoat, resulting in some very nasty crashes and computer lock-ups. Not wanting to give up on 3DCoat I started to look into python scripting to get the current default UVW coordinates corrected. That was two weeks ago from now. A few scripts later, I finally was able to modify all UVW to force the coords onto the canvas ... but that wasn't enough: there was still the problem of overlapping UVs. Which I thought needed to be fixed by applying a decent UV projection for all objects. Since the pyhon SDK (nor the C++ one) does not allow to process the UV projections, I was left with manually creating an UV map for every single object. Only to be able to import it into a 3rd party software and do the whole UV mapping all over ... NO WAY. [Sidestory end] So I sat down and considered to do all the UV unwrapping in C4D only. Without going to 3DCoat. Apart from the nice unwrapping algorithm in 3DCoat, there was also this very nice tool which enhanced the workflow tenfold: being able to select seams to cut the mesh by simply selecting single edges or edgeloops, or partial edgeloops. THAT was what made UV unwrapping in 3DCoat so easy, quick ... and 'fun'. Now, after all those years waiting for MAXON to provide us with some more tools regarding UV unwrapping I would have thought this would have been the number one on their list. But knowing it would still take a while to get anything from C4D developpers, I wrote down some ideas and took a first look into ... <TADA> ... plugin writing. So, last weekend (it's thursday now) I looked into the Cinema 4D Python SDK, and started browsing, reading, looking up and collecting information. Today I am proud to present to you: Seamilar, the seam selection tool. No, it is NOT similar to 3DCoat's selection tool ... it's "seamilar" (read: inspired by). This is only a version 0.8 demo as the plugin is not yet in it's final release state. The icon looks like cra#, and so does the attributes panel. And some drawing issues still need to be resolved. The idea is to be able to easily swap between single edge selection and "extended" selection mode. To swap between the two modes a modifier key is used (SHIFT or CTRL defined by user). The attributes allows the user via radiobutton to specify the default mode (single or extended) and as such the alternative mode via the modifier key. When selecting "Extend via modifier" , the default mode is single. When SHIFT (or CTRL) is pressed the tool swaps to extenden mode for as long as the SHIFT (or CTRL) is pressed. As soon as the modifier key is released will the tool return to the default selection mode. Below are some example screenshots: How to create a selection loop Selecting edges between selected edges and A more complex example and finally the plugin itself: (demo version 0.8) <older zip file removed>, see later post for latest version Enjoy! Edit: Oops, forgot to mention. R16 and above only.

I appreciate the effort to provide different themes, and I do prefer the new Envision Boxed theme, as it is less dark than the Envision Clean Dark. While the default IPS Light is ... well, a little too light. So, this Cinema-like theme is probably my new favourite. Only drawback is the "header" (with cafe logo at left and browse and activity at right) when scrolling through a page. Nice to know I am browsing the C4D cafe, but it takes up some room.

Some of the new features can be useful, but I find the new 'unread topic badge' to be overkill. Currently, the unread topics are showing as bold text. That's already easily identifiable. The extra green 'unread topic badge' is then only resulting in information overload. Also, some of the colored texts (light pink, light blue, yellow) are almost unreadable when viewed with a non-dark scheme. I understand some favor dark scheme, but if the purpose is to have a variations of schemes, then color of text should be adjusted so that it remains readable for whatever theme is selected. There, I've expressed how I feel about it

A few days ago, a topic was started related to earthquake data someone thought to be occuring in 3DKiwi's area. Well, I guess the whole Cafe, or even the whole Cinema4D community, has been hit by a major earthquake. All these threads popping up as a result of Nigel jumping ship. I have the impression it's growing out of proportion it literally becomes a joke. Some messages, with Nigel being refered to in the past tense, even read as if the good man has died. Don't get me wrong. I understand there is a lot of frustration that is now being exposed due to this proverbial "last drop", as I was originally part of this stampede. My apologies to Nigel/3DKiwi for feeding the fire. Time for me to seek shelter and wait for this fire to pass by or burn out.

I noticed the "pissed off" attitude in many posts over the past week/months, but honestly, didn't see this coming (*). On the other hand who could blame you. I have mentioned it earlier in a private message, and I will mention it here again: thank you 3DKiwi for all the time and efforts. If it wasn't for the Cafe and tutorials I probably wouldn't have purchased Cinema4D back in 2005 in the first place. Lately however I have felt the same as many regarding MAXON: "too little, too late", and am still making up my mind about the renewal of MSA. As a hobbyist I am not ditching C4D Studio just yet, but R16 (maybe R17) might be my last version. Sad to see you go. Whoever will take over this place, it won't be the same without you. (*) Now I "get" your replied private message.

I understand you need some rest after this epic project. Congrats from me as well. On first screening I probably didn't get all the details. I get the main story line, but will have to watch it a few more times to get all the pieces of the puzzle fit. I have this bad habit of trying to watch behind the scenes instead of following the story. I noticed that particular scene wipe as well. Didn't figure it out as being an homage, but as there was only a single wipe in the whole short, I probably should have guessed. Nice touch. The little guy seemed to have trouble with his googles now and then. Nicely done.