ZBrushCentral

Finished ZScript "20 New Short-Cuts"

// Here you will find 20 Useful Shortcuts!
//NOTE!! There are more helpful ideas in post #4 of this thread.
//
// Here we have new shortcuts for +&- of four sliders, Focal Point,
// Draw Size, ZINtensity and RGB. The keyboard number supplies
// most of your sculpting brushes.
// The sliders are all within the left hands reach.
//
// To install this script download the attached TXT File and place it in the
// following folder:
// Pixologic\ZBrush2\ZScripts
// Then load it any time you want from the ZScript pallet. Zbrush will
// automatically generate a ZScrpt .ZSC file in the same folder leaving
// the .TXT file for future referance.
//
// Alternatively if you want this to load everytime you run ZBrush you can
// place this text file in the following folder; NOTE you may need to create
// the ZPlugs subfolder yourself first:
// Pixologic\ZBrush2\ZStartup\ZPluges
// Zbrush will automatically generate a ZScrpt .ZSC file in the same folder
// leaving the .TXT file for future referance.
//
// Then after running this script from the ZScript pallet the first time; it will
// be available every time you run ZBrush without the need to execute it
// manually. You can confirm it is running by trying the short-cuts and or
// viewing the new “Sliders” SubMenu in the ZPlugs pallet.
//
// These are handy if you want to drag and drop the buttons
// around the interface, but simply using the shortcust on the keyboard is
// the more efficient route most of the time.
//
// If you haddn’t already made a Startup\ZPlugs directory, now would be a
// good time to create it.
//
// I hope you enjoy this ZScript and find it quite useful.
// Feel free to use all or some of this code in your own ZScripting adventures.
//
// As is standard practice, understand that your use of this ZScript
// is at your own risk and I take no responcibilty for it and or this scripts
// use by you or others.
//
// The chart below details the key assignments. Have fun!
//
// A big thank you goes out to EZ for giving me a couple pointers,
// and for provideing so many useful ZScripts. Also Thanks to this friendly
// supportive community of inspiring artist. And lastly I say thank you to the
// people of Pixologic for making such a dynomite application.
//
// Stephen Casey
//
//
// Std Key 8
// Std-Dot Key 9
// Inflate Key 5
// Inflate-Dot Key 6
// Morh Key 2
// Morph-Dot Key 3
// Layer Key o
//
// Smooth Key p
// Pinch Key 4
// Nudge Key 1
// + Key b
// - Key n
// Focal Up K
// Focal Down Alt+K
// Draw Up J
// Draw Down Alt+J
// ZIntensity Up L
// ZIntensity Down Alt+L
// RGB Up U
// RGB Down Alt+U
//

[ISubPalette,“Zplugin:Sliders”]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:Focal Shift UP”,“Increases Focal Shift by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: Focal Shift,[IGet,Draw: Focal Shift]+1]
]
, ‘k’]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:Focal Shift DOWN”,“Decreases Focal Shift by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: Focal Shift,[IGet,Draw: Focal Shift]-1]
]
, Alt+‘k’]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:Draw Size Up”,“Increases Draw Size by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: Draw Size,[IGet,Draw: Draw Size]+1]
]
, ‘j’]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:Draw Size Down”,“Decreases Draw Size by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: Draw Size,[IGet,Draw: Draw Size]-1]
]
, Alt+‘j’]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:Z Intensity Up”,“Increases Intensity by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: Z Intensity,[IGet,Draw: Z Intensity]+1]
]
, ‘l’]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:Z Intensity Down”,“Decreases Intensity by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: Z Intensity,[IGet,Draw: Z Intensity]-1]
]
, Alt+‘l’]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:RGB Intensity Up”,“Increases Intensity by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: RGB Intensity,[IGet,Draw: RGB Intensity]+1]
]
, ‘u’]

[IButton,“Zplugin:Sliders:RGB Intensity Down”,“Decreases Intensity by 1 units”,
[IFreeze,
[ISet,Zscript:Show Actions,0]
[ISet,Draw: RGB Intensity,[IGet,Draw: RGB Intensity]-1]
]
, Alt+‘u’]

[IFreeze,
[Isethotkey, 1072, ‘8’]
[Isethotkey, 1073, ‘9’]
[Isethotkey, 1074, ‘5’]
[Isethotkey, 1075, ‘6’]
[Isethotkey, 1080, ‘2’]
[Isethotkey, 1081, ‘3’]
[Isethotkey, 1076, ‘o’]
[Isethotkey, 1077, ‘p’]
[Isethotkey, 1078, ‘4’]
[Isethotkey, 1079, ‘1’]
[Isethotkey, 4359, ‘b’]
[Isethotkey, 4360, ‘n’]
[Isethotkey, 4361, ‘,’]
]

// End of file. NOTE!! There are more helpful ideas in post #4 of this thread.

Pilou

Hi Stephen,

Thanks, I’m sure people will find this useful. A couple of points: some of your shortcuts are already in use in ZB. Loading your script may disable these which might be undesirable. For example, ‘P’ sets a Pivot point and ‘Alt+L’ moves the Light palette to the left divider. Also, you can save yourself a lot of // by typing /* and then */ at either end of the comment text. :slight_smile:

EDITED: 2005-03-17 9:53 PM

Thanks guys. I am trying to fill a need. This is not so easy as ZBrush already uses so many short-cuts. I did not know of the /* */ scripting shortcut Marcus, thank you. But actually in this case at least I like the look of the // as it distinguishes notes from code so easily. I will use that technique later on though.

As fpr the Pivot point and Light tablet short cuts being overtaken, I will have to give that some thought. Perhaps a shift combination. As a sculptor I ceratainly will use the Smooth and ZIntensity shortcuts enough to warrent their overriding the others. But I will look into some alternatives. THANK YOU for pointing them out to me.

I wrote this script with the intention of using it with the Microsoft Sidewinder Strategic Commander game controler. But while programming the script I really wanted it to be useful to the majority of users. As I worked over the script and reworked over the configurations I ended up with what I felt makes the keyboard friendly enough to handle all the left handed commands without any SHIFT or ALT fuctions. Easier to remember this way. Personally in my right hand I have the Graphire 3 4"x5." And simply programed all the brushes into the ten key buttons on the Belkin Nostroma N50. That tool is only about $15 US.

I will mention here that I feel more comfortable turning the pens side switches completely OFF as they do not seem to repay for all the careful handling that is neccasary for using those switches. This is just a personal preferance not a neccasity of using this Zscript. I prefer the more fluid easy reach for buttons on the secondary controller with my left hand for those presses. Besides I have turned off the Right Click as I have replaced all the options with keyboard short-cuts, via the left hand.

I will possibly color code my keys with acrylic crafting paints. & or place small strips of velcro along the outside edges of the keys so I have better location hints without having to refer to them with my eyes.

Constantly using sliders for the brushes was too slow and ackward in my esitimation. Particularly in my case since my hands shake from taking a lot of prescriptin medication daily.

Plus to my taste 10 units was too large of changes for the draw using the bracket keys. But this way we have both my 1 increments and the 10 increments available for the draw size. I found that setting all four sliders to change in 1 increments moved along speedy enough and gives me maximum control. Good trade of speed and quality to my mind at least.

A lot of thought went into exactly where each button would be assigned. I wanted finger clustering. With the most used brushed hovering around the number key pad. Pinch and Nudge more to the side of reach since they apparently can cause unexpected problems when importing and exporting to other 3D applications. Notice though the smooth key is tightly positioned to the left hand close to the brush size controls, as I feel it is used the most over all, at least for myself so far.

Ladies and gentilmen I am not a programer. So the scripting language had to be pieced together through analysis of several other scripts and instructive threads. I like the accessability of the scripting language but always would prefer the ability to remap ALL the keys. Alas that is not the case for now.

I could see how that would lead to a lot of frustration and confusion for a lot of users but would be handy for some of us. Still with the flexability that is present I did seem to manage some improved speed in my workflow. The STAR of the show is the slider adjustments through the J, K & L keys, are very speedy. Give it a shot. I will keep an eye out for this thread and make some adjustment and fixes over the next few weeks.

The Sidewinder game controler was too ackward, requiring to large a muscle group to operate the axises. I certainly will not rule it completely out, nor other controlers. Like I have said I have already mapped my new short-cuts to my Nostromo N50.

I suggest you try turning the keyboard 45 degrees clock-wise or counter-clock-wise so your hands lay at more natural angles in combination with your Wacom.
(If you have one yet, if you don’t sell some blood and get one!)

HERE IS ANOTHER OFF THE WALL IDEA!
my brand new Wacom has been lined with 5/16" (8mm) (Rounded edge type-D-Profile) weather stripping along the perimeter of the tablets 4’x5" usable suface. NO MORE GUESSING! And this is renforced to stay put with electrical tape. PLUS I have taped the pen craddle to the upper left hand corner of the tablet so I never have to go searching for it. I will be getting back my Digital Cannon A70 next month and will then post an image or two. The weather stripping gives tactile location information to the palm of my right hand that is very helpful in re-aquiring the curser location. I highly recommend this technique.

NOTE:
I have cleaned up the discription text in post number one as well as inside the new Ver 1.02 downloadable text file. That and referancing this web site are the only changes from Version 1.0.

Hi, mr Casey and ZB users!
Very powerfull this Zscript! A great piece!
Therefore i’m experimenting a few problems here:
the shortkeys K, J, L and U work perfectly
but the inverse ones (ALT+K, ALT+J, ALT+L and ALT+U)
dont work any way…
Am i doing something wrong???

Thank your for this Zscript!

Fonteboa,
I am thrilled you are enjoying it!
Please just call me Stephen.

First be certain you are holding down the ALT key first followed j, k, l or u.
If you hold down the j and then add pressing the ALT that won’t work.

Now if the previous paragraph did not remedy the problem. Lets try something else. Tell me are you running any other large ZScripts at the same time? This will not always be compatible with some as they also tie up a lot of the keys.

BUT I will get you squared away!

Tell me what other scripts are you running, big ones with lots of buttons?
You are using a windows machine, yes? WELCOME to the community. There are some fine artist active in this board, and many in the making. I am also curious, where are you writing from? I am in Tacoma WA USA.

I will be glad to write an alternative script or two for those who need it. I l have already set aside some time for just that purpose.

Hi, Stephen! It worked perfectly:
i just had to keep pressed ALT BEFORE type J, K, L etc!! :slight_smile:
GREAT SCRIPT! It gave me really a freedom feeling to operate in sculpture!
I’m typing from Brazil.

A question: if i want to change some short keys (i would prefer they could
be by my left hand), what must i have edit in the script? Just the short keys description in txt file?
For example:
,alt+‘u’

thank you very much by your attention

Great! Glad that it is working for you!

It is rather difficult as almost all the keys are taken up with other short-cuts.
Svengali Zipped up a four piece lesson series by Davey. You can find the link to them all zipped up in the 15th post on the following forum page:
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=2723

As far as I know there is not a complete manual on ZScripting in existence. But those tutorials will give you a taste for it. Another option is to purchase a PC game controler like the Belkin Nostromo n50. You can then map many things to the keys on these controlers without having to learn ZScripting. I have mapped the new shortcuts I made for the brushes into just such a controler. Then i position it between my Wacom tablet and keyboard. this way my left hand does not need to wonder to the right side of the keyboard at all. I will be color coding this controller as well.

Thanks again, Stephen!

I’ve tried to replace a short key in your script and it worked perfectly! :slight_smile:
I’ll try to adapt your script to mantain all the shortkeys closer my left hand.

I must say again: great work! Those 20 shortkeys should came with the program by default! :wink: