Exporting textures?

[RAMWolff54]

So decided to export my textures as I THINK I can finish up little details in Photoshop but when I export most of my maps are empty so I'm obviously doing something wrong.  I need a set up of Diffuse, Specular, Normal and Height, that's it.  So I cobbled together one from one of the PBR setups, duplicated it and renamed it but it's not working.  I did remove the opacity channel as it's not something I need but then put it back in as it seems to piggyback on the Diffuse channel but neither exports gave me anything for the Diffuse channel!

I've done allot of work and I feel like it's stuck in the program.  Doesn't do my any good to have all this work not export correctly! 

I have all the maps in my output folder but yea, no details, no diffuse, no specular, no height so I'm really confused. 

[Cyril Dellenbach]

Hello @RAMWolff54,

Thanks for the question.

Is there any error written in the log? Also, make sure the output maps are the ones set in your texture channels.

In the screenshot you sent, I can see the RAMS Setup ouput template has a Base Color plugged in, but the exported map is a Diffuse.

To make sure the problem is linked to the template, I'd advise you to try the PBR Specular Glossiness output template and to simply unchecked the non desired maps at the export. As long as these maps are those used in the project, there shouldn't be any issue.

Let me know if this help.

[RAMWolff54]

Would it also be advisable to bake the textures down if that's possible in SP?  I'm on another thread about implimenting exporting to Photoshop (which really needs to happen) but there was a mention of baking down the layers but loosing the layer stack, via Designer.  I think if you have SP original files your stacks are all there still.  So maybe I could open this up in Designer and bake down and then export from there if that's possible?  I don't use Designer but it's part of my monthly cost so maybe I could use it for that?  Please advise...

[Cyril Dellenbach]

Hello @RAMWolff54,

The idea was simply to create a new project (losing the layer stack) to work with the Legacy UV Tile workflow, which allows to export the layer stack in Photoshop, but not to paint across UDIM. 

You can use Substance 3D Designer to bake the work done with your previous project onto the new project, but no matter what, you won't be able to open the layer stack in Photoshop without making a new one with the Legacy workflow.

Best regards,

[RAMWolff54]

So are you saying I wouldn't be able to export the textures from Designer if I decided to bake down the layers? 

[RAMWolff54]

I'm seeing some discrepencies on what I expect to happen with my layers.  What I'm seeing is that at some point I turned off everything on one layer except the diffuse channel for some flat skin coloration.  I go in today to check on what's happening and I find that the bump/height and normals are turned off for ALL of the channels.  I have no way of knowing the strengths of the height maps were at this point as each layer I had different settings so now I'm not sure what's what.  This is all a little too confusing. I was thinking that each layer when turned back on would have these bits recorded so when turned off and on those settings would be there but instead they are ALL zeroed out.  😞

[RAMWolff54]

More issues.  Notice the screen shots.  The Skin layer had a brush assigned to it, there was a color in the color swatch now it's all whited out, the brush is back to default "shape" instead of the skin detail brush I made. 

Also notice in the export I have the export set to just Diffuse maps, I got to the export tab and it's got a bunch of maps listed to be exported.  As you can see in the main UI I have Diffuse only on so this is all messed up

This is gone south very fast for me. 😞

[RAMWolff54]

I see there is a Send to Photoshop script.  This is not functioning either.  I do have it set up correctly and the path to Photoshop 2023 is set as well.  Seems that SP is borked for me.  😞

[RAMWolff54]

Here is the log. Not sure if this is a cumulative log or this is per session but here it is if you want to look it over and see what you can see....

Thanks so much
Richard

[RAMWolff54]

Hi Cyril.

Never heard anything back from you or anyone else.  Can you please try to explain what happened with my setup here?  Did the file get corrupted or something?  I mean why would all my settings per layer all of a sudden be set back to default settings.  I uploaded the log and never heard anything back about all this. 

Thanks so much

Richard

[davescm]

The output template 'Current Preset' shows which template you are displaying in the panel and editing - not which template you have selected for export.

The list maps under of 'List of Exports' relates to the preset you have selected in the Settings Tab - under Global Settings >  Output Template although that global setting can be overriden for each Texture Set/UDIM

If you only have Diffuse in your layers but your current export template in Export Textures > Settings does not use diffuse then your exported maps will contain no information.

Dave

[RAMWolff54]

Thanks Dave but still doesn't answer my question about why my layers have all been set back to default.  I was under the impression that per session if saved those would be recorded and reloaded with the project.  This was not the case.  So again, could my file be corrupted in some way or what is the thought behind why that happened? 

[davescm]

It is hard to comment as I have never seen that happen here. Re-opening a saved file has all layers and channels in the state they were saved.

Dave

[RAMWolff54]

That's the whole diheartening issue though.  The project files layers were all set to default upon opening them the last couple of times.  I didn't touch them.  So this is not good as I'm older and have no way to recollect what brush alpha's I had assigned or colors.  So kinda tool the wind out of my sails for this project.