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CV parametric selection tool
Posted: 17 November 2017 06:27 AM   [ Ignore ]  
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Joined  2015-09-03

Hi , I can’t find this tool in the toolbox where do I go wrong?

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Posted: 17 November 2017 02:14 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
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The Parametric Selection tag isn’t a standalone plugin, but a script tag. It’s distributed as part of a C4D file, which you can copy the tag out of. Because it’s not a plugin, there’s unfortunately no way to distribute it via CV-Toolbox.

You can download it directly from the Files link on this tutorial:
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/cv-parametric_selection_tag_download_and_install

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Posted: 09 April 2019 09:16 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
Total Posts:  4
Joined  2017-06-28
Rick Barrett - 17 November 2017 02:14 PM

The Parametric Selection tag isn’t a standalone plugin, but a script tag. It’s distributed as part of a C4D file, which you can copy the tag out of. Because it’s not a plugin, there’s unfortunately no way to distribute it via CV-Toolbox.

You can download it directly from the Files link on this tutorial:
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/cv-parametric_selection_tag_download_and_install

If I’m not mistaken this requires a $295 Premium membership to get this script tag.

I’m going through Donovan Keith’s tutorials on Lynda.com and he’s putting a label on a detergent bottle. At the end, he shows how to place the label on an odd spot on the bottle (a side corner near the top next to the Lid). Everything looks fine until he shows it popping through the opposite lower right side. He brushes it off stating this is easily handled with a parametric selection tag covered earlier in this course and the video ends.

I’ve gone through the whole course up to this point and yes he shows how to select individual polygons but never is a graphic placed on an object until this tutorial. I’ve spent an entire day trying to find information on parametric Selection tags and everything points to having to buy this script from Python.

I don’t mean to sound rude but are beginners to believe that there isn’t a way (I suspect UV mapping would do it but I’m not there yet) to place a label on a product by selecting a few polygons and just applying it to those without being able to write scripts or buy them?

If there is, would you know of a tut that steps beginners through the process?

Any help would be appreciated.

R.Cates

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Posted: 09 April 2019 12:44 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
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Hi RandyC,

You don’t need a parametric selection tag to restrict a material to a selection tag, but you do need to make your parametric object editable so that you can select some of its polygons. After that, drag a material directly onto those selected polygons in the viewport. This will apply the material to the object, create a polygon selection tag, and restrict the texture tag (which specifies which material to apply to the object) to the new polygon selection.

This video (an oldie but goody, and the first to turn up in my search) covers some of the theory of texture layering:
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/restrict_to_selection

Cheers,

Donovan

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Posted: 09 April 2019 12:47 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
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You may also enjoy these series:
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/decal_mapping_quick_tips/
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/how_to_put_labels_on_3d_objects/

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Posted: 09 April 2019 09:32 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
Total Posts:  4
Joined  2017-06-28

Donavan,

So I watched and performed the first two methods and my map still goes through the back side. I also noticed they (conveniently?) never show the back side of the objects which is kind of unfortunate because it makes this look simple and yet beginners (like myself) get frustrated when this happens and it’s not addressed. Even stating this will be a problem and to avoid this you need to use uv mapping at least tells the audience it’s going to bite them but there’s a solution.

The third video (again) requires paying almost to $300. to see the actual technique. I don’t mean to sound like a miser but with the cost of a capable system and the cost of Cinema money gets tight.

I understand you guys need to make a living and I do appreciate what you do for the community your Cinema tuts are the best I’ve seen).

Thank you.
Randy Cates

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Posted: 10 April 2019 02:28 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]  
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1. Make a Tube object.
2. Make it editable.
3. Select some polygons on the front face.
4. Create a new Material named “Label”
5. Drag the Label Material directly onto the selected polygons in the viewport.
6. Select the texture tag that’s now on the object.
7. In the Attributes manager, change projection to Flat
8. Change “Side” from “Both” to Front
9. Turn of “Tile”
9. Adjust the placement of your texture axis (go into Texture Mode, move the square so that it’s outside of your object and Its Z-Axis faces your selection).

That should do it. Best of luck!

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Posted: 10 April 2019 02:37 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]  
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As to your earlier (I believe you removed it when editing a post) question about tutorials on the node editor: I’m not aware of any full courses on the subect. A lot of the concepts from other node-based material/shading systems in other software carry over pretty well. All that said, I’m no longer a full-time tutorial author so I’m less aware of what’s out there.

Here’s what a cursory google search turned up:

Cinema 4D R20 Tutorial - Node based Material System in depth - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvsuIMBhoMs
Node-Based Materials for Cinema 4D’s Physical Render [New in C4D R20] - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZIv0HfhClQ
First Look at Node-Based Materials in C4D R20 | Greyscalegorilla - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI_IS_Vpro4
Cinema 4D R20 Quicktip: Material Node - Mask BSDF Layers with Opacity - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YfwpquE1lw

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Posted: 10 April 2019 08:42 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 8 ]  
Total Posts:  4
Joined  2017-06-28

Thanks for all your help Donovan. You’re a real stand up guy.

At the end of the Lynda.com section you did, you suggested other videos. I watched Rob Garret’s Cinema 4D Essential Training: 4 Materials Texturing and Lights and he explained parametric Tags with his jet model and star texture quite well.

I went back to the laundry bottle and saw how it worked. I had a little trouble getting the logo perfect but it no longer passed through the object which was my goal. With your recent description and a bit more experimentation I’ll get it.

Thanks for being there for me, I can’t express how much it’s appreciated.

Randy Cates

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