I'm sorry if this question has been asked before, it gets kinda hard to sift for information when the forum moves as fast as this I've got my figure...I exported it as an obj, used UV Mapper, imported that obj again, and the mapping works fine now, to make this newly-imported model posable, I believe I have to click on convert Hier file, which asks for a PHI file...I've got the original before-exporting-to-obj fully posable model, how do I create a phi file from this so that my been-exported-then-imported model can be posable or am I going about this wrong? apologies for you having to put up with the newbie, and apologies for me not explaining the problem as clearly as I probably should have SewerRat

No problem. Your best bet is to get a hold of Roy Rigg's PHI Builder from the utilities section of the free stuff pages :) Paul

thanks and EEEEK! phi builders link leads to a dead page :/ I was trying to find some export option from poser4, but it doesn't seem to exist is there any substitute to phi builder? or could someone please post it again? and of course as always thank you very muchly lobo for all your help! SewerRat

Ooops, sorry I didn't check beyond it's whereabouts. I'll have to check if I've got it and if it's okay to send it to you. Paul

In the absence of phibuilder you can do it handraulically with a text editor. Here's a phi file for an obj file called poserthing.obj which is stored in the Mazstuff directory. Not the upper and lower case letters. Poser is very case sensitive and this is a major source of errors. objFile :Runtime:Geometries:Mazstuff:poserthing.obj 1 mainbit yzx 2 secondbit yzx 3 thirdbit yzx 4 lastbit yzx 2 anothersecondbit The first line tells the hierarchy converter where to find the related obj file. I stress again, get the case right. The next line defines the major part of the object that everything else is connected to. In a human this is the hip, in this object it is mainbit. Labouring the point again, case must be the same in obj and phi files. The next line (beginning with 2) describes a part that is directly connected to the main part. The line beginning with 3 describes a part that is directly connected to the second part, and so on. There are two lines beginning with 2 because this particular object has two parts connected to the main part. The indenting of different lines is to make it easier for you to understand the hierarchy that you are describing. Poser doesn't care whether it's there or not. The yzx at the end of each line defines the main, secondary and third axes of rotation. For the time being don't worry about it until you've got the hang of the basics. It's as simple as that. I suggest you look at a few phi files and their associated obj files in a text editor and you'll get the hang of it. Start with small ones.

Damn, the indenting disappeared when I posted the reply. it should have looked like this: 1 mainbit yzx .......2 secondbit yzx ..............3 thirdbit yzx ....................4 lastbit yzx .......2 anothersecondbit You should use spaces not dots. Happy posing Maz

as a suggestion, if you only used uvmapper on the object, then the original cr2 file should still work. Just make a copy of the original and rename it, then edit the two paths found in it to point at the new obj file. This might save you ALOT of trouble! worth a try..

oOOo thanks heaps to all three of you! lobo: if you could still send it (if it's ok with all parties involved) I'd appreciate it! but don't go to too much trouble about it, you've been a huge amount of help already =) If you need my e-mail you can try phi@apocx.hypermart.net maz: does firstbit/secondbit etc. have to have specific names? Josiah: will try, thanks =) Thanks heaps guys! SewerRat

looking at the phi file I get what you mean Maz, just...the names for each bodypart, where do they come from? are they the original names for the body parts before exporting? When I import the object it doesn't have bodypart names, just one big name (but I assume this is normal) and with the ikChain (see? capitals), the next word, is that just what the ikChain will be named, or does it have some darker deeper significance passed down from generation to generation of poser-addicts? Thanks! SewerRat

I tried copying the cr2 file from the nude male, pointing it at my new object when it loaded there was just a floating hip piece, nothing else :/ (I had rescaled body parts if that's any help?) SewerRat