Hi,

I'm developing a new product, and my coproducer is reporting this error when trying to apply the VSS script to the figure:

"Synchronizing XXXX from VSS_1 [the prop]
No rule matches zone YYYY - skipping.
No rule matches zone ZZZZ - skipping.
Synchronizing nodes from Template Skin to AAAA
Synchronizing nodes from Template Skin to BBBB."

We think it's something about the internal naming of the zones, or the figure hierarchy, that's making the script 'think' that the AAAA and BBBB zones are part of a body figure skin surface, but not YYYY or ZZZZ.

This is a conforming figure to V4, with YYYY and ZZZZ actually the zones  that should (according to us) receive VSS, while AAAA and BBBB should not.

Just curious to get some feedback on this.

Is the VSSProp being synchronized to V4 or are you trying to synchronize to the conforming figure, i.e., clothing?  Be aware that the VSSProp is specifically designed for skin shading although additional material groups can be added to encompass any object or prop.  The 'Synchronizing nodes from Template Skin to ....' is correct because it is referencing and applying to material zones pertaining to skin on the model.  For additional material zones, you need to enter the 'Shader Rules' material of the VSSProp to make your modifications.  Those new zones are subsequently connect to your target zones (i.e., Template Skin). 

The reasons your prop isn't working correctly:

1. There are no new material zones for your figure.
2. You did not define your figure in the 'Apply Rules'

By defining your figure before synchronizing, you establish that you are targeting figure only and not every prop and figure in your scene.  Re-read bagginsbill's manual to thoroughly understand the procedure.

BTW, which version of the VSSProp are you using?  The most recent is VSSPR3 and there are several flavors of this version, with and without AO.

Hmmm ... well you see I'm the one who uses Poser less. I've never actually used VSS. :/

I will pass this information along to my coproducer to see what he can do with this information. So it sounds like to me it's a question of entering the correct parameters into the VSS Script? 

If you are using it strictly for introducing skin texture realism and enhancement to characters, it can be used as is.  However, if the model contains addition material zones not addressed by the VSSProp proper, those parameters must be added and assigned or they will be totally ignored. 

Here is the link to the original post created by bagginsbill:
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2737823&page=1

It is fairly extensive, but it is the best location to grasp the conceptual idea.

Thank you. That will help immensely!! 

In the prop, look at the Shader Rules material. VSS uses these rules to decide how to populate the target material zones, by name.

Each mat zone on the target is compared with the rules to find a match. Asterisks in the rules represent wildcard matches - any number of characters. When a matching rule is found for a target zone, whatever action it is connected to gets executed. In the VSS you have the only action is to Copy a template material.

Because of wildcards, sometimes more than one rule matches a material zone name. For example all of these match or recognize a material called "SkinHip"

skinhip
skin*
skin
*hip
hip
kin

When multiple rules match, the one with no stars wins, then one *, then two *. If, within one of those criteria, more than one matches, then the longest one wins.

So in the case of SkinHip, given the choice between hip and skin rules, the longer one that wins is skin.

Because there is a rule for most common body part names in materials such as:

hip
body
torso
leg
arm
hand
foot

etc. all of these are connected to Copy Template Skin as it is 99% of the time what users want it to do.

But this is wrong for a pair of boots if you have conforming boots. For example, if the boots have a "foot" it will get Template Skin.

That's why you're supposed to pay attention to the Apply Rules. This is another rule-based material in the control prop. It decides which props and figures the entire prop applies to, and is based on matching the name of a figure or prop.

The special rule matches all figures but no props. The rule * would match everything in your scene.

Thanks bagginsbill. Since I have no experience with VSS, if I have a conforming figure for V4 that includes nonstandard body parts, does my partner need to alter the rules for the control prop to included those names? Sorry if I'm repeating what you've said, I'm sort of flying blind here.  

Well if it said it was skipping some part, and you wanted it to not skip - then yes. That's what it told you - no rule matched (something) - skipping.

Or if it used a rule you do not like so that it applied the wrong template, then you should modify the rule.

Thank you very much. 

Quote - Well if it said it was skipping some part, and you wanted it to not skip - then yes. That's what it told you - no rule matched (something) - skipping

Sorry to be so dense BB, but what if you want it to skip everything in the conforming figure - can this be achieved without modifying the VSS rules themselves - i.e. some change in the naming of the parts of the conforming figure?

Thanks again for your help - Are you serious that there will be no full version of VSS until Poser 8? (spotted that comment at RDNA)

The control prop zone "Apply Rules" determines which figures and props it applies to.

There is no "exclude" rule, so there's no way to say all figures but this one figure. Pro can do that, but I don't have the GUI ready.

Which gets to your second question.

There are changes coming that would make a complex GUI more achievable with less work on my part and less work on the user's part. Can't say more.

As it stands right now, I have a Python plugin that sets up an application server inside Poser and then I can talk to it from a browser, with a Flex/Flash application in the browser. It is called PASer (Poser Application Server). This is a kludgy approach but it works. The downside is you have to install my app server, and while you run it, you can't run any other Python scripts. I'm not happy about that. So installing VSS would require installing this app server first, because if I use it, I don't want to bundle them. I want to maintain the app server independently because if I distribute it I'd want to use it in freebies and other potential products. So now it's like you have to have this extra plugin before you can use VSS. I could bundle the two in one zip, but suppose I release Version 2 of PASer and somebody installs some apps that use it, but they also install Version 1 from the VSS distro and trash PASer. Now I have a support headache. This is a big deal and not the scenario I want.

I want to distribute VSS as a standalone plugin, which needs no other components to be installed first. That means I need Poser to have a proper GUI SDK in it. Which means not doing a GUI for the current versions of Poser.

Combined with how busy I am with paid work, and the uncertainty that VSS Pro would ever generate enough income to justify the time put into it (remember its not just development - it's also testing, distribution, accounting, customer service) it doesn't look good.

On the other hand, I'd actually not mind releasing a limited GUI using PASer as a freebie, because you can't complain when freebies don't work, eh?

I'll think about it.

If you had the GUI, the junk you want to do to control what gets applied where is so easy. You just drag figures and materials into buckets - so easy you can't believe it.

(Edit: What a lot of incoherent typos - sorry. Tried to correct some. Not thinking very clearly today - way overworked and undersleeped.)

BB - Thanks so much for your full and lucid response - I'm glad to say I understand every word.

I would not the only one to be delighted if you released a 'preview' version of the GUI version of VSS, but I understand your other commitments. I've been watching VSS (and your other clever techniques) since you started posting, but I haven't commented because I didn't have any useful suggestions, just sincere admiration - so have always meant to say that you have that to the max.

I've also seen the previews of the Flex/Flash interface and can see how wonderfully easy it would be to use.

I do think (from other comments on many fora, and my own experience in recommending VSS) that there would be a huge take-up for the full product. Would you consider an outlet for the product where customer support is handled by the publisher? Enough said.

If the capabilities of VSS, Mathmatic and Parmatic could somehow be combined in a single GUI you'd have an essential product that would grab the entire market IMO, but probably wiser to polish them up as mini-apps. 

Thanks again for sharing your extensive knowledge so freely. You're an inspiration.
Now stop working and get some rest!

Very best wishes,
AJ