Attached Link: http://www.mindspring.com/~chrisajohnson/help.jpg

This is a new one for me: I can import my object simply as a prop and the geometry shows correctly, but when I try to make a figure out of the same geometry file, the edges get that ugly fold under look. I've made sure that "Weld Identical Vertices" is not checked when I do a simple import, so that's not the problem. Anyone have a clue? I've put an image of what happens above--keep in mind that both ways reference the exact same geometry file:

can you post a bigger pic Upir its to hard to tell from that one......Steve

Okay, I switched out the picture for a bigger one. . same link. What you are looking at is a couple of straps to make up a portion of a pair of sandals. They are rectangular in cross section, and the "break" occurs between the Foot and Toe groups.

One more thing to consider: The model has no normals in it, I've tried putting in the normals, but it made absolutely no difference. All I can think of is that Poser is somehow botching the creation of the rsr file. I hope that's not it, because I don't have a clue how I could fix that.

heyas; erm... i can't tell what the picture is of, i thought the white spot was the empty space between the straps.... but okay. we'll run down the usual suspects. look at the model in smooth-shaded wireframe mode. if that's one polygon that's getting freaky like that, perhaps that's a point where you need another subdivision. what happens if you bend the toe? does it go away, does it get worse/better? did you run it through uvmapper and look for degenerate facets? true, that should show up on both versions of the model, but who knows. are you sure all the points at the foot/toe seam really line up? did they all used to be single points before you sliced them into groups? poser can get REALLY picky about this. that's all i can think of; that's a weird one. now if that white area IS empty space between the straps, you have a serious problem! :)

Why dont you use the hierarchy editor instead of using a phi file? Ron

The white bit is the surface of the strap, and the green is the edge of the strap. I wanted seperate materials so I could do the edge grain on leather type of effect. As far as I've been able to determine the edges between toe and foot line up exactly. I have used UV Mapper to chech for degenerate faces and found none. It does act as though it believes there is a naked edge there though .. . I'll just keep fiddling and see what I can come up with. Thanks everyone!

heyas; upir, you might import the obj into poser, with the weld identical vertices turned on, then export it out, and use THAT obj in your cr2. poser might like it better?

Bloodsong: I tried that, unfortunately that causes Poser to render all of the edges as rounded over--It solves the cracked joint problem, but creates another . . . I have a feeling I'll be puzzling through this one for a while.

Don't toss that new .obj out just yet. Open it in UVmapper and select tools. Then split vertices. Then save it. That will return your edges to sharp again. Remember to delete the geometries .rsr everytime you edit that .obj file. ScottA

ScottA: Is that in UVMapper Pro or something? I have the freeware version, and there is no tools menu. In any case, by using the weld vertices bit I lose my body part groups--I would have to split it back to the way it is now in order to use it as a conforming figure--unless I'm missing something there. Looking to see if there is a later version of the freeware UVMapper right now . ..

Upir: Freeware UVMapper has it as: Edit -> Tools -> Split Vertices.

Valandar: Found it! Thanks. I've been using this thing for years it seems and I never noticed those. . . DOH!

hmmm.... could the split vertices be causing that anomaly?

Okay .. . update: I tried using Split Vertices on a version of the OBJ that I exported from Poser with Weld Identical Vertices checked. That ended up spliting every single polygon edge in the model, so it shows up in Poser looking faceted. Another thing exporting from Poser with Weld Identical Vertices did was weld the verts across this problematic seam--so they are in fact identical, or at least Poser thinks they are when exporting. Next I tried subdividing the heck out of the area where this is happening, thinking that perhaps there was some angle threshold for the CR2 to actually weld the edges like any other body part seam. Even with like a gabillion polys making the transition very smooth I get the same problem. I's Confused . . . :(

I also went into the Cr2 and deleted the bit at the end that welds the Toe to the Foot. After that it renders correctly--like the top picture in the image above. Of course, if you try to bend the figure the seam then cracks open. It would seem that it is a problem with the way Poser is trying to weld these vertices as it creates the figure. Now to figure out how to make it do this right .. . ARRRRRRRRRRGH!!

This may be Posers imfamous smoothing engine running amuck again. You might want to try either adding tiny bevels along the edge of the straps, or detaching/unwelding the strap polygons manually in your modeler. Regards- Lemurtek

It is Poser's welding engine--if that is the proper name for it. When It loads a Figure file the CR2 has several weld commands to "stitch" the seams between body parts together. Its seems that in this instance, the weld is failing to connect the right verts, thus creating the funky surface shading. This explains why the imported object renders corectly, while it botches it up when loaded as a figure. I have already manually detached the straps in my modeler to no avail. I think I'm going to try to pick a different line to split the toe from the foot and see if that makes any difference.

well, heck... make the whole sandal the foot, and stick a low res 'bone' inside it for the toe. that'll work, too ;)

WOO HOOOO!!! Bloodsong, that did the trick! Last night I had eliminated the toe group altogether, leaving it's parameters in the CR2, which worked for the toe, but then caused the shin-foot joint to crack (The model isn't really a sandal, but a type of boot worn by Roman Legionnaires called a Caliga, which is made up of a bunch of sandal-like straps). I guess I was headed in the right direction, but no telling how much time you have saved me! Anyway, I ploped in a few triangle polys in the shin and toe areas, named everything else "rFoot" and it worked like a charm. Thank you so much for the help! Thanks to everone in fact. . .

cool :)