MAXScript Frequently Asked Questions
Using the Unwrap_UVW modifier's Flatten option, you can split the UV Coordinates into elements based on a threshold angle for easier texturing. The following scripted function allows you to detach the mesh faces based on the corresponding Map faces. (Remember, there is a one-to-one correspondence between their indices, so the task is relatively trivial - see Understanding Texture Coordinates).
fn splitMeshByUVElements mesh channel =
(
local obj = copy mesh --copy the original object
convertToMesh obj --convert to editable mesh
while obj.numfaces > 0 do --repeat until all elements have been detached
(
face_array = #(1) --init. an array including only face 1
cnt = 0 --init. a counter
--repeat until the counter is higher than the faces stored in the array
while cnt < face_array.count do
(
cnt += 1 --increase the counter
--get all map vertices used by the current map face in the collection array:
theVerts = meshop.getMapVertsUsingMapFace obj channel #(face_array[cnt])
--get all map faces used by these map vertices -
--this gives us all neighbours of the current map face
theFaces = meshop.getMapFacesUsingMapVert obj channel theVerts
--make sure only unique faces are written to the array
for f in theFaces where findItem face_array f == 0 do
append face_array f
)--end while
--once all connected faces in an element are collected,
--create a new empty EMesh:
new_emesh = Editable_mesh()
--detach the collected faces and assign to the EMesh's TriMesh
new_emesh.mesh = meshop.detachFaces obj face_array delete:true asMesh:true
--Copy the transformation of the original object
new_emesh.transform = mesh.transform
--Assign a unique name based on the original one
new_emesh.name = uniquename (mesh.name +"_UVsplit")
)
delete obj --delete the clone which has no faces at this point
)
--Example usage:
splitMeshByUVElements $Teapot01 1
See also
Understanding Texture Coordinates
Meshop General Mapping Methods