The new version of UV Layout v2.08.06 was released a few weeks ago and it is time to talk about some of the new exciting features. I'll be mentioning also old tools and features from previous versions that I'm starting to use now and didn't use much before.
- Display -> Light: It changes the way lighting affects the scene, it is very useful when some parts are occluded in the checking window. It has been there for a while but I just started using it not long ago.
- Settings -> F1 F2 F3 F4 F5: This buttons will allow you to create shortcuts for other tools, so instead of using the menus you can map one of the function keys to use that tool.
- Preferences -> Max shells: This option will allow you to increase the number of shells that UV Layout can handle. This is a very very important feature. I use it a lot specially when working with crazy data like 3D scans and photogrammetry.
- Flatten multiple objects at once: It didn't work before but it does now. Just select a bunch of shells and press "r".
- Pack -> Align shells to axes: Select your shells, enable the option "align shells to axes" and click on pack.
- Pack by tiles: Now UDIM organization can be done inside UV Layout. Just need to specify the number of UDIMs in X and Y and click on pack.
- Pack -> Move, scale, rotate: As part of UDIM organization now you can move whole tiles around.
- Trace masks: This is a great feature! Specially useful if you already have a nice UV mapping and suddenly need to add more pieces to the existing UV layout. Just mask out the existing UVs and place the new one in the free space. To do so just place in boxes de new UVs and go to displace -> trace and select your mask. Click on pack and that's it, your new UVs will be placed in the proper space.
Segment marked polys: This is great specially for very quick UV mapping. Just select a few faces click on segment marked polys and UV Layout will create flat projections for them.
- Set size: This is terrific! one of my favourite options. Make the UVs for one object and check the scale under Move/Scale/Rotate -> Set size. Then use that information in the preferences. If later you import a completely different objec, UV Layout will be using the size of the previous object to match the scale between objects. That means all your objects will have exactly same scale and resolution UVs wise. Amazing for texture artists!
- Pin edges: A classic one. When you are relaxing a shell and want to keep the shape, press "pp" on the outer edges to pin them. Then around the eyes or other interior holes press "shift+t" around the edges. Then you can relax the shell keeping the shape of the object.
- Anchor points: Move one point on the corner with "ctrl+MMB" and press "a" to make it anchor point. Then move another point in the opposite corner and do the same. Then press "s" on top of each anchor point. Then "ss" on any point in between the anchors to align them. Combining this with pinned edges will give you perfect shapes.