Setting up Daz Studio 3.1.2.19 on Mac Mini

After my MacMini crashed months ago, I haven't got time to reinstall Daz Studio 3.x on my MacMini.  I decided that today is the time and so here I go.

The first thing I realized is that the free serial number that I used doesn't seem to work anymore.  No problem, as I got the new serial number after I logged into my Daz account.

Then I realized that the content important structure seemed to be a little bit different than what I used to.  Again, no huge problem.  I'll just adapt it anyway.  So here's the new rule of thumb: to map your whole previous Daz/Poser content tree (for me it's "/Volumes/Install/Ultimate Poser Vault"), you should ONLY map it to "Poser Formats (import)", and don't put them in "Daz Studio Format" or "Other supported format", otherwise you'll get duplicated entries on the Content tab.

Search content is something extremely important to me, and here's how to enable it:

• In Content tab, select "View Category - Quick Start" view, and it will prompt you to scan directory to add to the database.  Click "Yes" and it will start scanning.  This scanning will take for a while, and it's well worth the effort because this allows you to quickly access your content.

 Happy DazStudio fun!

Daz Studio 3 runs so fast and smooth on M6400 64 bit

I think I said this before but this Windows 7 64 bit running Daz Studio 3 64 bit on DELL Precision M6400 is pretty darn fast, especially since I have 8Gb of memory. It's so much better an experience then running on my Mac Mini with only 2Gb of memory.

Adding Content to DazStudio 3.0

On my DELL M6400 running Windows 7 64 bit edition, I found out that I need to first map a network directory to drive first, and then add the content entry in the preference of Daz Studio 3.0. Otherwise the serach content feature won't pick up the content in my repository.

ZBursh 3.5 R3 keeps crashing

I was always interesting in learning to use ZBrush. The problem is that I always have negative experience with ZBursh. Like recently I am trying to get back to learning ZBursh again, but ZBursh 3.5 R3 just keeps crashing on my Lenovo X60T laptop. Since I have tons of other stuff to learn, so screw you ZBursh, and I'll get back to you say ... errr ... 6 months later.

Manga Studio EX4 crashed when drawing on a document with 3D object, and then, the solution

I am learning to use SketchUp Pro to define a scene and then import into Manga Studio EX4, that way I can use a single scene in multiple drawing, saving me a lot of time. (Actually, the real reason is that I am suck at drawing perspective.) So when I found that Manga Studio EX4 kept crashing whenever I use my stylus to draw something on another layer with a 3D object in it, I was desperate.

After wasted half an hour keep trying and trying, I eventually rebooted the machine, and found that the problem went away. And then I looked back and remembered that I have Sketchup Pro 7 running WHILE using Manga Studio EX4. Maybe both programs fighter for OpenGL access. Anyway, at least the problem seemed to go away after the reboot.

I also found that after I render the 3D object as a raster (and exist as "3DLT Rendering Folder") I can manipulate indivdual layer. This is important because I want to touch up the rendered 3D object so that they don't look so stiff.

You know what, F you Sketchbook Pro

After try and try, installing the latest Sketchbook Pro, and I still get that mouse/tablet freezing problem, so screw you Sketchbook Pro. I am going to use Photoshop CS4 instead, which I tried, and works pretty well. In fact, let me try Painter 11 too since Painter support canvas rotation.

Errr maybe the problem is not Daz Studio after all ....

To my surprise, stopping the Daz Studio doesn't seem to resolve the SketchBook Pro 2010 hanging problem. In fact, I now start to suspect that it's the "Rotate Canvas" feature that caused the occasion hanging.

So I installed the lastest Release 1 SP2. The version of the original one is:
SketchBook Pro 4.0, 2009 02 23 17 34 (Build 297361)

The new one, on the other hand, is:
SketchBook Pro 4.1.2
2009 12 09 02 03(Build 321671)

Let's see if I still got the problem.

Daz Studio 3.0.1.144 makes my tablet chock

Daz Studio 3.0.1.144 continue having this problem: when running, it will cause my Wacom Tablet to momentarily stop function for a few seconds. This is very annoying when I try to use Daz Studio as the model while I do some sketching on SketchBook pro. Granted I can first render and then use the rendered image as reference, it sure would be nicer if Daz Studio doesn't have that problem.

So Painter 11 is still not Tablet PC friendly

So I installed Painter 11 (using the trial version, which worked for me), and found that running it on my Lenovo X60T doesn't give me any pressure sensitive support. So eventually I had to install the Tablet PC enable driver, which is PenTablet_505-7.exe. Now Painter 11 recognize the pressure sensitivity.

However, that does have some side effect. For instance, SketchBook Pro 2010 was affected as the pressure sensitive level changed. I would love to keep the original setting, but supporting pressure sensitivity on Photoshop CS4 and Painter 11 is also pretty important. I feel like I am simply picking the best of both evil.

So this is how you update Daz Studio 3 Advanced

I was frustrated by my Daz Studio 3 Advanced kept crashed after saving a scene, and then puzzled by how I can update Daz Studio 3 to the latest 3.0.1.144. It turns out that all I need is download the regular Daz Studio 3.0.1.144, run the installer (which during the process will uninstall the older version), and once it's done, run the application and enter the Advanced serial number. That's it. There's no separate update exe.

How to properly export page from Manga Studio EX4 to Photoshop

Each graphic tool has its own strength. So I use Manga Studio EX4 to do inking, and then I export the inking result to Photoshop CS4 and do the coloring there. To make sure that the inking layer has it's own layer when opening inPhotoshop, make sure that you export the file properly with these setting:

• In Manga Studio EX4, select [File][Export...][Image file...(In Pixels)]
• In "Export Image" dialog box, select "(x) Output as actual size" as Output Size. For File Setting, choose "Photoshop" type. Click [Settings...] to get to the "Photoshop settings" dialog. Choose "(x)Keep Layer structure for Output" option, check
  "[x] Ouput layer set (Photoshop 6.0 ot later)" and select "(x) Up to 5 Layers (Photoshp CS or Later)".

That's it. Happy Inking and coloring!

Done, resolved the tablet stylus delay problem!

After spending some time to investigate the issue of which I found my Wacom Graphite 4 tablet had pen stroke delay issue with using with Manga Studio EX4 and Photoshop CS4 (plus lossing the touch sensitive ability) under Windows 7, I found out a perfect solution to resolve the problem. Simple disable the "Flicks" feature will get rid of the delay problem.

To disable tablet stylus "flicks" do the following:

• Under Windows 7 Control Panel, select "Tablet PC Setting" and find "Pen and Touch". Or better yet, search "Pen and Touch" in Windows search box (just pressure the Windows key to bring up the search box).
• Under "Flicks" tab, unchecked the "Use flicks to perform common actions quickly and easily"
• In addition, you can also disable "Press and hold" and "Use Your finger as an input device" (particularly when I don't have a touch screen on my desktop) to make your stylus even more responsive when drawing.

Slightly tablet delay when using Manga Studio EX4 under Windows 7 final release

I just realized something kind of strange: I sensed and saw a few mini-second delay when using my Wacom Tablet Graphite 4 with Manga Studio Ex4 under the Windows 7 Final release. I didn't have the same problem when using the Windows 7 release candidate. Odd.

But then you could argue that when you ink your manga, you usually don't do quick sketch and ultra fast strokes. I tried carefully inking, and the delay doesn't seem to affect my inking process.

Maybe I just have to deal with it by inking properly.

Finally, a nice way to export PNG or JPEG from Adobe Illustrator CS4 honoring the artboard

By default, when you export from Adobe Illustrator to other raster graphic format like PNG or JPEG, it will export ALL the graphic elements on the document, including those that are not on the artboard. In most of the case, at least for me, that's not what I want. I want export to honor the artboard area by only exporting those without the artboard boundary.

It turns out that it's something very easy to be done in Adobe Illustrator CS4. All you need to do is check the checkbox "Use Artboards" on the Export Dialog.

By the way, I am working on moving some artwork from Illustrator to PowerPoint, and found out that:

• Illustrator exports PNG as raster, which is not too bad.
• PowerPoint 2007 takes PNG pretty well.
• PowerPoint 2007 does NOT take Illustrator file directly.
• I hate the default way of inserting picture in document. It will automatically put it in the content box. So I have a habit of deleting the title box and content box on a default PowerPoint slide first, and then import the PNG. As long as the PNG document size ratio fit the PowerPoint Slide size ratio, PowerPoint will automatically fit the slide. I found this feature very helpful.
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Gotta do it at least once

This is very critical for me to learn stuff: I GOTTA do what I learned at least once. Merely read or watch the tutorial so something do me simply NO GOOD until I actually do something once.

Enable Viewport Shadows in 3D Studio Max 2010

I was following the tutorial "Introduction to Lighting in 3DS Max" chapter 6, and was
puzzled by the fact that the instructor can turn on the "Enable Viewport Shadows Selected" feature while I couldn't.

After poking around and got some hints from this web page, I found out that i can turn on viewport shadowing by:

1. Right click on the viewport quality (locate at the upper left corner of the viewport.
2. Select menu [Lighting and Shadow][Enable Hardware Shading]

And instantly the shadow map shading start showing up in the viewport.

Freeze but not trun in gary in 3D Studio Max

After trying to get into 3D model and animation, I realized that there are 2 things that is very critical whenever you try to get into a 3D application: navigation and organizing. In fact I found them more important then model, or learning all the crazy tricks. If you don't understand how to EFFECTIVELY (not use barely understand) navigate and organize your 3D world, you will be in great frustration and eventually give up, just like I did several times before.

I got the navigation on 3D Studio Max pretty much nailed down, except that I found that the camera thing kind of hard to get used to. The problem I had, though, was that I had problem locking some object while manipulating other objects. It turns out that in 3D Studio Max they don't call it Lock, but instead they call that feature "Freeze". Also, you need to make sure that the "Show Frozeb in Gray" if you want the frozen object to show as usual. For instance, I am playing with lighting now and definitely need to object to show in their regular way.

Also, you may need to get yourself very familiar with the "Select From Scene" listbox and "Manage Layer ..." list box. These 2 listboxes allows you to access object even when they are frozon, hidden and such. Familiar with these 2 boxes save you a lot of headache down the road.

Balloon overlap tricks for Manga Studio 4 EX

I was puzzled by the fact that in the Manga Studio 4 EX quick start document, it showed that 2 overlapped balloon merged into one. However, the feature was not documented in the documentation. Luckily some good souls on the Net figured it out and shared it. Here's the excerpt from GreenLaw:

To do this in MS 4 you must first create a new layer by clicking the New Layer button in the Layers window. Make sure you use the New Layer command and not the New Folder Layer command. When the dialog appears, select Text Folder as your layer type, and then click OK. You can then drag your text balloon layers into this folder. When you collapse this folder, overlapping balloons will appear 'merged'.

Thanks, GreenLaw!

Strange problem with Extrude in Maya 2009

I had a strange problem using Extrude in Maya 2009 while following the "Lynda.com Autodesk Maya 2009 Essential Training" movie "0306 Using the Extrude tool". Inside of allowing me to move the gizmo handle in order to move the extrude face, it just get "stuck", and only allow me to rotate amount the surface. Maybe it was some setting that I made before, but I tried and tried and couldn't get it working. Finally I had to close the application and start it again. That seem to solve the problem.

Little big and my fix for Manga Studio 4 EX

Manga Studio 4 EX is such a big improvement for Tablet PC. But I found little annoying problem: everything when I show/hide the pen palletee, the tablet PC will go haywire. My solution: create short cut to zoom in and out the page. Everytime I do zoom in out, the problem get resolved. Strange but at least I found the way.