TEXTURE TRANSFORMER MANUAL VERSION 2

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1 TEXTURE TRANSFORMER MANUAL VERSION 2 Please check our website Blacksmith3D.com often for news on updates of Texture Transformer version 2, and visit our Renderosity discussion forum for project or software help. We may also be reached by at info@blacksmith3d.com if you have any questions, suggestions or problems. Texture Transformer version 2 (TTv2) stand-alone edition is the same as the Texture Transformer utility that is inside of Blacksmith3D PRO version 7. TTv2 has several new features which include: Enhanced Filtering The resolution of the outputted textures has been greatly improved with this new feature. It is especially apparent if you zoom in to observe fine detail like eyebrow hairs, etc. The details are even sharper than the already high resolution transfers from the previous version. Bulk conversions Convert multiple texture sets at once, including special considerations for auxillary texture sets like makeup packs, etc. Advanced path control Specify the paths and file names for the outputted preset files and the textures. Convert to/from DUF, PZ2, MC6 and CR2 files (previous version only supported CR2 files) Texture Transformer packs are now distributed as single files (*.TTPack files), instead of a folder containing multiple files. This makes managing your collection much easier, and reduced confusion when updating/replacing packages. 1 P a g e

2 Table of Contents General Info... 3 Registering... 4 Settings... 4 How it works... 5 Step by step transformation walk-through... 5 Getting Started... 5 Set Conversion... 6 Locate Source... 6 First File Is Master... 6 Skip Master File... 7 Locate Output Folder... 8 Output Options... 8 Preset File(s)... 9 File Name Generation for Textures Files Resolution Enhanced Filtering Final Step Transforming Considerations for Source (Input) files and Destination (output) files P a g e

3 General Info The Texture Transformer is a utility to convert textures between different standardize Poser and Daz Studio figures and file types. To convert a texture map set from one character to another, a conversion package is required. Texture Transformer version 2 comes with the following eight conversion packs as part of the base software. Victoria 4.2 (Daz ) to Roxie 1.1 (SmithMicro) Victoria 4.2 to Dawn (Hivewire3D ) Victoria 4.2 to Genesis 2 Female (Daz ) Victoria 4.2 to Pauline Michael 4 (Daz) to Dusk (Hivewire3D) Michael 4 to Genesis 2 Male (Daz) anatomy not included Michael 4 to Genesis 2 Male Anatomy (converted separately) Michael 4 to Paul (SmithMicro) The following additional conversion add-on packages are sold separately, and additional conversions maybe added over time. Please visit for more details about the conversion packages listed. Victoria 4.2 to Genesis 2 Female (G) Victoria 4.2 (V4) to Genesis 3 Female (G3F) Add-on Pack Michael 4 (M4) to Genesis 3 Male (G3M) Add-on Pack which includes the separate anatomy conversion pack. TT Female Add-on Pack which four transformations: Dawn to V4, G2F to V4, G2F to G3F and Pauline to V4 TT Male Add-on Pack which four transformations: Dusk to M4, G2M to M4, G2M to G3M, G2M to G3M Anatomy and Paul to M4. 3 P a g e

4 Registering When you first open TTv2 you will need to click the register button, fill out all the fields accurately and submit. Our software requires an Internet connection in order to get registered. An accurate is required in order to be notified of updates, and verify future upgrade eligibility or license key replacement should you lose your license. If the software does not properly register, your conversions will have our Exported from Texture Transformer watermark on them. The watermarks are there for the purpose of our Free Trial, and will not show on conversions after registration has been successfully completed. Settings After registering, please click the settings button and setup your main Poser and/or Daz Studio top level content folders. The folder path you list should be the ones where all of your source figures reside (like V4, Roxie, Dawn, Dusk, Paul, Pauline, G2F, G2M, G3F, etc) and be at the top level just before the runtime folder. Folder paths vary based on how you setup your Daz Studio or Poser software and may look similar to the example shown to the right, like the text examples below, or look completely different. Regardless, the folder paths 4 P a g e

5 are important for TTv2 to find the original figure files that are needed for the conversions to work. C:\User\ComputerName\Documents\Daz3D\Studio\MyContentFolder\ C:\Program Files\SmithMicro\Poser 11\Content How it works The Texture Transformer does not modify the UV mapping of the destination object in any way, rather, it creates new textures that fit the object. It does so by matching up the surfaces of both the source and destination objects and does per pixel calculations to transfer the texture. The benefits of utilizing this method are: - UV seams are as good as the original object/textures. If the source object's textures are blended at the seams, the destination files will be also. - No tricks required in your destination renderer, like changing the UV's, changing the material structure, etc. - Fast conversions compared to manually transferring in a 2d paint program like Photoshop. Step by step transformation walk-through Start off by launching the Texture Transformer, from either the standalone application file, or from the Utilities section of Blacksmith3D. The first window is a simple introduction, so click on Next. Getting Started 5 P a g e

6 Set Conversion The next window will ask you to choose what conversion you would like to perform. Choose the transformation from the drop down box, and then click Next. For this example, we will choose Victoria 4.2 to Dawn. Locate Source Next, you are instructed to locate the Poser or DAZ character source / input file(s) that you would like to convert new textures from. Click Add to locate one or more character preset characters to convert, and the files will appear in the list box after being selected. To remove files from the list, you can highlight them in the list box and then click Remove or you can simply clear the whole list by clicking on Clear. Two checkbox options become available if more than one file has been added to the list. Those are explained below. First File Is Master The purpose of this option is to facilitate the transfer of partial preset files that are designed for a specific character (like makeup, hair, or tattoo presets for alternative face or body textures). A master file is needed for things like makeup, hair, or tattoo presets for alternative face or body textures, because these additions are just partial textures. When this option is checked each additional file in the list will use that first master file to fill-in the missing texture pieces from the master file. Basically, it merges the partial files with the master file to give you a complete texture so the preset will work properly. 6 P a g e

7 If the First File Is Master box is not check when a makeup preset file is used, the preset makeup would only show the single, face texture when using the preset in Poser or Daz Studio, which would cause the other areas like limbs and torso to display white (or gray) because no texture would exist for those areas. So, if you see white/gray, non-textured areas on your TTv2 transformed presets that means that you needed to have used a master file when transforming the textures. This example shows pz2 files in a batch conversions for a full face and body texture called!texture that is being used as the Master file and then partial textures for different eye colors. Keep in mind that the face texture (along with some other body part textures) from a source figure/character are usually not setup the same way as the destination figure/character. So, in all likelihood, portions of the source's body texture will overlap with the destination's face texture (or vice versa). TTv2 merges the full character file when you include a master file for makeup conversions so that your preset option will know what the body texture is to make a correct conversion and show properly in Poser and Daz Studio. Only the relevant destination maps will be outputted (see important to note below). Important To Note: for the same reasoning as above, if you convert a face or makeup preset who's source file has only one face texture, you may get two or more resulting textures (like face and body) depending on the output destination figure. Again, this is because the face texture on the source character does not perfectly line up with the face texture on the destination. Skip Master File Please read and understand the First File is Master above before choosing to skip the master file. Checking the Skip Master File option is provided for when the original master file (like full body, default skin, full skin, etc) have already been converted or created and you are ONLY wanting to convert the partial preset files like makeup, hair, or tattoo and not the master file. But, you must still include a master file for proper conversion. You can check the Skip Master File option so the conversions will begin on the second file, and still use a master file to fill-in the missing pieces to give you a correct texture preset. 7 P a g e

8 Example image below uses the same full face and body pz2 file for the master like above example with different eye colors, but this time it is a batch of the facial hair. Here, we still need the master file to fill-in the other missing texture pieces, but we chose to skip the master since it was already converted in our previous example. Important Notes: if each file in the list are simply different character files that you want to convert, then be sure to uncheck First File Is Master to avoid getting textures from the first conversion showing up in subsequent conversions. Due to the wide variety of options contained in CR2, PZ2, MC6 and DUF files, not all files are guaranteed to convert properly. If you get an error message for the destination file, then you may need to first load the source figure in Poser or Daz Studio, apply the texture(s) and save as a cr2 or duf file and do individual texture conversions manually. You may also need to make sure that the destination figure (like Roxie, Dawn, Pauline, G2F, G3F, etc.) are in the folders you have setup in your settings folders. Select the content folder that you wish to export the converted textures and preset files to. It should be the level just before the Runtime folder (like you did in the settings area). Locate Output Folder Output Options This window provides you with options to customize where you would like your converted files to be placed (in your content folder) along with the file format and resolution quality you would like. 8 P a g e

9 Preset File(s) will be placed in a sub folder according to the inputted text. The exact location will also depend on the output file type. For example, if we are saving our conversion as DUF files to use in Daz Studio, TTvg2 will automatically put the converted files in Daz Studio s People folder. So using the output example s folder path (from above) the converted presets would be found at C:\Users\Public\Documents\My Daz Content\People\MyConversion\TT-%SOURCE% and textures will be in the C:\Users\Public\Documents\My Daz Content\Runtime\Textures\MyConversion\TT-%SOURCE% And, if we are saving in mc6, pz2 or cr2 file formats, TTv2 is automatically going to put those file into the appropriate, standard Poser folders like shown below (using settings folder examples for Poser content) MC6 files (Poser MAT files) D:\Poser Pro 2014 Content\Runtime\Libraries\Materials\MyConversion PZ2 files (Poser Pose files) D:\Poser Pro 2014 Content\Runtime\Libraries\Pose\MyConversion CR2 files (Poser Character files) D:\Poser Pro 2014 Content\Runtime\Libraries\Characters\MyConversion File Name Generation for Preset File(s) 9 P a g e

10 In the above example, the file name portion of the text is TT-%SOURCE%, where %SOURCE% is a special token that will be replaced with the source file name (without the extension). So, if the source/input file was LisaAnn.CR2 and our conversion was set to be saved as a MC6 file type then the resulting file name would be TT-LisaAnn.MC6 And found in the folder path of D:\Poser Pro 2014 Content\Runtime\Libraries\MyConversion\TT-LisaAnn.MC6 File Name Generation for Textures Files Texture Files will always be placed in the runtime\textures folder that you selected for the output. So given our output folder example above, the full path will be C:\Users\Public\Documents\My Daz Content\Runtime\Textures\MyConversion\ And, if we used the Poser folder from the settings example (on page 4), the full path would be D:\Poser Pro 2014 Content\Runtime\Textures\MyConversion\ Like the preset file, we can use tokens to auto-generate the file names. We can still use the %SOURCE% token, but also use %GROUP% and %CHANNEL%. %GROUP% is for texture groups such as head, 'body, etc. %CHANNEL% is for color, bump, transparency, etc. It is HIGHLY recommended that you use both %GROUP% and %CHANNEL%, We HIGLY recommend that you leave the %GROUP% and %CHANNEL% names and do not change them unless you have made numerous conversions and thoroughly understand how to not overwrite other files and found the files you made (because without these identifies used from the original source/input files, you could easily overwrite other textures). For example, if you omitted %CHANNEL%, such that your Text Files entry was 10 P a g e

11 MyTexturePrefix-%GROUP% and the head material had both color and bump maps, then in both cases, the resulting textures would be color: MyTexturePrefix-Head.JPG bump: MyTexturePrefix-Head.JPG which are obviously identical, so one will overwrite the other. You can omit %SOURCE% if you are converting a single preset file, but you will run into the same problem if you convert more than one preset file. The textures from one conversion will have the same name as the next. When in doubt, use the default TT-%SOURCE%-%GROUP%-%CHANNEL% text, but feel free to replace TT- with alternative text, or remove it if you prefer. Resolution For the sake of Poser and Daz Studio textures, there are very few valid reasons why you would set this value to anything other than High. Reducing quality will not actually speed up the transformation. However, if you want to do some texture conversions and would prefer smaller files, then feel free to set it to Medium or Low. 11 P a g e

12 Enhanced Filtering This option works like magic, and will greatly improve the quality of the transformations as you zoom in really close to the surface. The resolution on the destination characters may be as good as the original with no noticeable loss (assuming there is no significant texture distortion in that region due to a number of mathematical reasons which we will not get into here). It does add some additional time to the transformation, so if you are doing a quick test, you may want to set this value to 0, but otherwise it is best to leave it at 100% for the best possible quality. Final Step There is nothing to do here other than click Transform to begin the conversion or go back and tweak your settings. Transformations often take about 30 seconds up to several minutes (depending on your computer s cpu, ram, temp space, the number of files you are converting, if other software is running, etc.). So, the final transform confirmation window is important so that you can close other software first and check to make sure that your settings are correct. Important Note: once you have made it this far, the previous pages info that you entered has been retained so you can go back a page or two to make changes, if needed. This can be a good time to double-check your output options. 12 P a g e

13 Transforming Depending on how the transformation went, you may get a message informing you of the success or failure of the transformation. If you get an error message, then do pay attention to what it says since it may give you a hint as to how to correct the situation. Common error message the Error loading the source file is the most common and happens if your C: drive is full (since that is the default for TTv2 s temp files) or when there is something about the source file (CR2, PZ2, MC6 or DUF) that is incompatible with the Texture Transformer. Please use the next section to help you trouble shoot the problem and/or work around it. Considerations for Source (Input) files and Destination (output) files At this point, we will point out a few things to consider... For Poser formats (CR2, MC6 and PZ2 and their compressed counterparts, e.g. CRZ) files are supported. For DUF files, compressed files are supported as well ( no change in file extension) In practice, not all source files are supported, even if they appear to have the proper extension, etc. Examples of unsupported source files are o o CR2 files that contain custom geometry in the form of Replacement Body parts CR2 files that contain python scripts such as DAZ Poser Companion Files. For these types of CR2 file, first resave the CR2 in the library to a temporary location, and then use that converted CR2 file. The maps in the CR2 should be simple maps. Complex shader trees that refer to more than one map per material channel are not supported. You can 13 P a g e

14 check this by opening the CR2 file in Poser, clicking on the Material tab. See image below. Similarly, there may be advanced shader materials in DAZ files that are not recognized by the Texture Transformer. Similar to CR2 files, the work around is to convert or reassign those maps and materials to use the DAZ Studio Default shader. Often you can copy and paste the shader from your original source/input file(s). If you wish to convert map(s) that are currently not supported by Texture Transformer or Blacksmith3D (like the normal maps), you can still convert them by creating a temporary preset file (CR2, DUF) file, assign those maps to supported material channels (like the Diffuse Color) and perform a transformation. Then you can take the resulting maps, rename them appropriately and manually assign them inside Poser or Daz Studio. Simple map assignments in Poser or Daz Studio are your best chance at getting a good conversion The wizard has been designed to break up the various steps and make the process as easy as possible. With the addition of the new features in version 2 (and in Blacksmith3D Pro-7) the process has became a bit more complex. So be sure to refer to this manual often as you are learning the new process. 14 P a g e