How to separate an object into component parts

ValKyrie_1856200

I've got an object that was designed with rigging but when I bring it into DS I lose the rigging and the object is one object, in this case a wasp. I want to be able to move the legs and wings etc. independently and was following a tutorial on how to create bones. But somehow, the object is still all one piece. How can i separate it?

felis

You cannot import a rigged object into Daz Studio.

But if I understand your goal correctly, then ypur goal is to rig the item again.

Sickleyield has a tutorial on how to rig an object (from Blender to DS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNFHv8K8qKg

ValKyrie_1856200

felis said:

You cannot import a rigged object into Daz Studio.

But if I understand your goal correctly, then ypur goal is to rig the item again.

Sickleyield has a tutorial on how to rig an object (from Blender to DS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNFHv8K8qKg

Yes, my goal is to re-rig, but to do that I have to separate the various pieces of the model. Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. :)

ValKyrie_1856200

Well, I was watching the tute, and got as far as "add geometry" and couldn't do it. I cannot right click as she suggests, and there seems to be no way to "add geometry". Hmmm.

NorthOf45

If everything is one big piece, you need to define the various face groups that will be rigged with bones. You don't have to separate the pieces, just use the Geometry Editor to select the faces in question and create a new face group for each selection. (You can add and remove faces from a group later if you make a mistake). This is equivalent to the vertex groups mentioned in the tutorial. So, one face group for each leg segment, one for each wing, and so on. It's a little tedious, but it is the only way to advance from this point. 

It isn't mentioned in the tutorial, but you must convert the prop to a figure, which will allow you to add it to the figure setup (Sickleyield is importing something directly with vertex groups already defined, so it doesn't need to go through the conversion). Then you import that into the figure setup tool by selecting the figure and with a right-click on the Figure Setup tab (or click the context menu in the upper right corner) Copy from Selected Figure.

When you convert it to a figure, a bone is created, and will be imported into the setup. This will actually interfere with adding the bones you want, so again on the Figure Setup context menu, select Clear Hierarchy. Now you should be able to drag your geometry from the left side onto the right side and bones will be created for each face group. That should get you in line with the tutorial and you can continue pretty much as it goes from here.

ValKyrie_1856200

Thanks Northof45 - that's super helpful! Are you saying to make a face group for each part of each leg, or ??

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "Now you should be able to drag your geometry from the left side onto the right side and bones will be created for each face group."

My utlimate goal is to be able to pose this model.

NorthOf45

Each part that you want to pose has to have it's own bone, so, yes, a separate face group for each segment of each leg. Otherwise, the whole leg moves as one, or only one leg moves, or all legs move together, depending how they are grouped, none of which is probably what you want.

To pose it, it has to be rigged. To be rigged, it has to have the bones added. Figure Setup is the quickest and easiest way to do that for a figure. Having the face groups defined will automatically add a bone for each one. Once you "Copy From Selected Figure" into the Figure Setup pane, the geometry will be loaded into the left side under the Geometry List. As mentioned, you need to clear out the Hirearch that loads with the converted prop (now a figure). Click and hold on the item in the Geometry List and drag it across to the right side under Relationships, onto the Geometry heading. All the bones will automatically be generated, but in a flat structure (no parents and children). You have to manually arrange the bones in a natural order (i.e., thorax -> leg1upper -> leg1mid -> leg1lower -> foot (?), etc.) to get a complete hierarchy.

When you click on "Create", a new figure will be generated from the info in this pane, which will be your new Bee. Copy any materials to the new figure and remove the old one. Next step will be the weight mapping...

ValKyrie_1856200

NorthOf45 said:

Each part that you want to pose has to have it's own bone, so, yes, a separate face group for each segment of each leg. Otherwise, the whole leg moves as one, or only one leg moves, or all legs move together, depending how they are grouped, none of which is probably what you want.

To pose it, it has to be rigged. To be rigged, it has to have the bones added. Figure Setup is the quickest and easiest way to do that for a figure. Having the face groups defined will automatically add a bone for each one. Once you "Copy From Selected Figure" into the Figure Setup pane, the geometry will be loaded into the left side under the Geometry List. As mentioned, you need to clear out the Hirearch that loads with the converted prop (now a figure). Click and hold on the item in the Geometry List and drag it across to the right side under Relationships, onto the Geometry heading. All the bones will automatically be generated, but in a flat structure (no parents and children). You have to manually arrange the bones in a natural order (i.e., thorax -> leg1upper -> leg1mid -> leg1lower -> foot (?), etc.) to get a complete hierarchy.

When you click on "Create", a new figure will be generated from the info in this pane, which will be your new Bee. Copy any materials to the new figure and remove the old one. Next step will be the weight mapping...

Wow, that is going to take awhile! Thanks a bunch for the clarification. This program is so counter-intuitive at times. It would be nice if there were a "shatter" command or something to break everything up, and then a linking tool to create parent/child hierarchies. Or maybe there is and I'm just unaware of it. I am going to give this a try in the morning when I'm fresh. Thank-you very much for your patient help!