ZBrushCentral

Finished ZScript: ZSwatch

screengrab3.jpg
ZSwatch 3.0 is a simple but powerful way to save color palettes between ZBrush sessions.

  • Pick and store colors quickly using keyboard hotkeys. Colors are sampled from under the mouse or pen, from anywhere on the ZBrush interface.
  • Adjust colours on the fly using Hue, Saturation, Lightness and Tint. The sliders work together giving a wide range of color adjustments.
  • To pick a color while painting simply click on the cell. Load ZSwatch even while using Projection Master.
  • Save and Load palettes at any time. Loads palettes from [ZColor](http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=20665) and previous versions of ZSwatch. The current palette and slider settings are preserved between ZSwatch and ZBrush sessions.
  • Last Used File List in click-open tray for fast loading of saved palettes.
Download and try it! Full instructions in the zip.

ZSwatch started as a reworking of a script by Jay Mackey (Jay’s Color Palette Thingamajig v1.4) with thanks to Jay and to Pixologic (TextureMaster) and Digits (who’s code Jay used).
Thanks also to cameyo, Svengali, TVeyes, and Davey; I couldn’t have written ZSwatch without ‘borrowing’ bits of their code. Thanks also to aminuts for testing, ideas and all round enthusiasm.

I hope you find ZSwatch 3.0 useful.

121 welcome.

Marcus
P.S. Code is available. Send me a message.

Edit: I’ve revised the plugin installation instructions. Also included in this zip is the ZLauncher icon.

UPGRADE: 25 January 2005

  • now pick Shaded or Unshaded colors from anywhere on the ZBrush interface.
  • Contrast slider added: increases or reduces contrast between palette colors.
  • Tint slider: negative values for subtracting color.
  • fixes include:
  • Used File List tray stays open until clicked closed. Sampling the same pixel twice no longer turns cell black.

nice and usefull script, thank you :+1:


Abyssis, poor ZB-worm

Thank you for the script.

I think it’s very useful for my work

Ralf Stumpf

OOHHHH Thank you so much!!!

Ive not tryed it yet, but that what I wanted since a long time! I really dislike zbrush color choser, tyhis is much easyer to quick select colors! It should be integreted…
Thanks a lot!

Marcus,

This is very, VERY slick! Thank you very, VERY MUCH!

I especially like the clean way you rescale the ZScript window size when you drop down the save/load list… I had not thought of that method, it’s a minimally disruptive technique. (a nod to TVeyes, maybe?)

The help screens with their little illustrations and colored text are very well done. The whole script gets an “A” for design and execution. Be proud. :slight_smile:

As for me, I’m going to add ZSwatch to my ZLauncher menu items.

Which reminds me - FYI, ZLauncher expects to find a .PSD ICON with matching name, in the same directory as the script - default icon size is 96 pixels, which is then scaled to fit whatever ZLauncher menu resolution the user decides on. At this point I’m not sure how many people still use ZLauncher, but it can’t hurt to include the icon for those who do.

So. What’s next on your ZScripting projects list?

Sven

…that was a “clock watch” very well known :smiley:
Seems very useful :+1:
Pilou

woo hoo!

This latest looks great and can’t wait to add it to my arsenal.
Now I must remember to change the link in my signature!:wink:

Thanks Marcus!!

Sven, I had made some small icons for use in zlauncher as some of the scripts don’t include them. I named them the same as the script file…am pretty sure I used .psd but will double check that…cuz they aren’t loading up in zlauncher like I had hoped.

Abyssis, stumpf and Sebcesoir: thanks! The joy of zscripts is being able to add the things you need (well mostly). :smiley:

Sven: thank you, you are too kind; as you know, I learnt all I know from the generous souls like yourself here at ZBC. Yes, I added in TVeyes’ handy resize script (with a small modification). It’s only when you add in a bit of code like that that you realize you needed it all along. :smiley: As for ZLauncher, there’s pic attached to this post for anyone that wants it. … Next projects? Well, after I’ve caught up on sleep, income tax forms, eating, sleep and day job… who knows? Ideas include ZPalette for more colors, and perhaps a general ‘Last Used File List’ … but not for a while!

Frenchy Pilou: thanks for the big ‘tick’! :smiley:

aminuts: thanks and thanks! :slight_smile:

Marcus

Edit: ZLauncher icon is included in the zip

Thanks Marcus very much appreciated.

Also looks pretty cool too :slight_smile:

Bill

Marcus and Aminuts…

I just checked out my FYI and remembered a perculiarity in ZLauncher.

Having a .PSD icon in the same folder with the .TXT file will display ok in ZLauncher if it links to a.TXT file. If you add in a .PSD named the same as a .ZSC file that already existed, it WON’T BE DISPLAYED.

HOWEVER: if the original .TXT file is launched with a .PSD file present in the same directory, the .ZSC file that is generated, incorporates the .PSD icon into the .ZSC file - which ZLauncher then finds and happily uses in its menu display.

Ack! Sorry for my original FYMI (For Your Mis-Information).

To summarize, if you just use your .TXT file to regen a new .ZSC file it should have your icon imbedded. Posting the new .ZSC file should assuage all the ZLauncher coo-coos out here. :slight_smile:

Sven

Ahhhhh Yes!!! Aminuts bonks self in head!!

Thanks Sven now that you mentioned it…dohhhh I remember having the same problem before long ago and this was the solution!

Sven:
Thanks, here is a version with icon included. Hope you’re assuaged.:wink: The zsc has been recompiled and the psd added; otherwise the zip is exactly the same.

I didn’t mention that both zips contain a launch file and instructions for using ZSwatch as a plugin, calling it either from a button that can be dragged to the UI or by the hotkey ‘B’ [this can be changed if needed]. For anyone using the script a lot as I do :smiley: , this is a very convenient method.

Cheers,
Marcus

Edit: Now all included with zip at the start of this thread.

This is an excellent script Marcus. Polished and well designed. I agree with Sven, definitely an A.

I love the color adjustment sliders and the way the color picker works. I had not thought about locking the height of the zscript window, smart. The dropdown menu is a nice touch. Good job.

So, what is the next project? :smiley:

willog: I’m glad you like it. As you may have guessed, I like pretty things. :wink:

TVeyes: many thanks; not sure exactly what the next project will be but I’ve a couple of ideas. :slight_smile:

Marcus

Hi Marcus :smiley:
Great !!!
Thanks for share.

cameyo

Hi cameyo, :smiley:

Thanks, I couldn’t have done it without your help.

Marcus

Thanks so much for this script!! This is very useful to me; thanks for sharing and the instructions on how to get as a zplug!

This is a great ZScript, and should be very useful to a great many people!

I wanted to pass along some important information, however, about the correct way to install plugins.
The info can be found in this F.A.Q. topic.

You may want modify the info on installing your script as a plugin to reflect the info in the FAQ.

Thanks!

wenna: glad you like it. On the ZPlug issue, you had better follow aurick’s instructions, or my revised instructions in the zip at the start of this thread.

aurick: many thanks! And thanks for setting me straight on the plugin issue. I think a few of us have been very bad for some time. :wink: Anyway, the ZSwatch instructions have been revised accordingly.

Marcus

For anyone else (like me) who has a ZPlugs folder full of homebrew plug-ins and assorted garbage, here is a list of files and subfolders from a virgin install.

ZPlug files originally installed in:
ZBRUSH2\ZDATA\ZPLUGS

(folder) ProjectionMasterData
(folder) ZHelpTopics
EvaluateMultiDraw.zsc
HelpBrowser.zsc
HotKeyDrawSize.zsc
InteractiveLight.zsc
MultiDisplacement.zsc
ProjectionMaster.zsc
Splash.zsc
TextViewer.zsc
WebZPlug.dll
ZPluginFTPTest.zsc
ZSort.dll
ZSpinner.zsc

As Per Aurick’s suggestion I moved everything else into the ZSTARTUP\ZPLUGS folder.

Sven