Hi Steve,
To get "Merge Down" to show up you need to have just the top layer selected. To get the "Merge 3D Layers" active you need to have 2 3D layers selected. The 3D layers you want to merge must share the same camera view. CAVEAT: your 3D layer can’t include inactive items in the 3D {Scene} panel (things that Ps can’t edit)
Here’s very simple steps to see if you can get the basic functionality.
1) launch Ps and create a default PS RGB document
2) go to 3D> New Shape from Layer> Cone
3) duplicate the 3D layer
Now you should see "Merge Down". If you select both layers, you should see "Merge 3D Layers" become active.
If you invoke "Merge Down" or "Merge 3D Layers", the two layer should become one with 4 diffuse textures. Rotating the object or camera should reveal the 2 meshes slightly offset.
I have a feeling your 3D layers might have attributes that Ps can’t edit and thus 3D Merge is disable. How are you creating the 3D layers?
steve
Thanks for the reply, Steve. I was trying to do something that I thought would be fairly simple. I want to place a 3D model I created inside a spherical panorama that I created. The model is in 3DS format, and the spherical panorama was created from a regular 2D image using the "New Shape From Layer" item under the 3D menu.
Anyway, I’ll see what I can do given your description of how it’s supposed to work.
Thanks,
-Steve
To get "Merge Down" to show up you need to have just the top layer selected.
I did.
To get the "Merge 3D Layers" active you need to have 2 3D layers selected.
I did.
The 3D layers you want to merge must share the same camera view. CAVEAT: your 3D layer can’t include inactive items in the 3D {Scene} panel (things that Ps can’t edit)
How do I tell what’s active or inactive in the 3-D scene? None of the meshes are editable. As far as I know, PS doesn’t have any 3-D modeling capabilities, does it?
Here’s very simple steps to see if you can get the basic functionality.
1) launch Ps and create a default PS RGB document 2) go to 3D> New Shape from Layer> Cone 3) duplicate the 3D layer
Now you should see "Merge Down".
That’s all fine and dandy, but it doesn’t help me with my real world problem. I need to get a model into the same scene as my panorama. Any suggestions on how to go about it?
I have a feeling your 3D layers might have attributes that Ps can’t edit and thus 3D Merge is disable.
How do I know, and how do I remedy it?
How are you creating the 3D layers?
The model is in 3DS format, and it opens just fine in Photoshop. The panorama is created from a 2-D equirectangular image (a panorama that I shot and stitched). I map it onto a sphere in Photoshop using the "New shape from layer" feature.
This is a common use I had planned for the 3-D functionality in Photoshop, and I’m sorely disappointed that it’s so difficult and nonintuitive. Why is there so much burden placed on the user to set things up just right in order to simply merge two 3-D layers?
-Steve
Hi Steve,
Since the basic steps work, we can look a little deeper. Can you contact me directly so I can take a look at the files your using? Click on my name for email.
Can you export the model as OBJ, or DAE? What 3D modeler are you using?
I can post back into the forum what is found, in case it might help others.
thx,
steve
I think the failure here is that PS does not use a consistent 3D space and stores info per layer. This got me every time on the few occasions where I wanted (note the "if" nature here) to use PS3D in After Effects. It’s simply impossible to perfectly align two completely different files, neither in PS by merging 3D nor when trying to match them up in AE. The only scenario that works for me is to import the geometry in PS, not touch the default camera at all and then only touch up materials to create "render passes" for use in AE. well, so much to improve for CS5…
Mylenium
To Steve S: I find that most 3DS files contain inactive meshes. Photoshop really likes Collada (DAE) files if you can find a way to export them.
I’ve also tried these same steps over and over with a multitude of different 3D files in a variety of formats, and nothing works. Merge Down is not even an option with any 3D layer I’ve ever selected. And each layer has its own independent camera system, so I’m not quite sure how multiple 3D layers can share a camera.
No matter what I’ve tried, I can’t get Merge 3D Layers selectable. I think we’ll find Amelia Earhart before someone figures out how to select that option!
Hi Chad,
My steps above were for a simple case where the cameras are shared by design (copy 3D layer). In order to get 2 3D layers to share a camera view, you select the layer with the camera view you don’t want and then choose any of the 3D camera tools. In the options bar, you should see the View: pull down with the default views and the layer name of the 3D layer you want to use at the bottom. Select that one and then "Merge Down" becomes active if the 2 scenes can be merged.
There is an indication in the 3D Panel> Scene that tells you if an element will block a merge but it currently escapes me. I think it is an italic label??
Feel free to contact me and we can look at your files. I just merged some basic U3D files, and hear OBJs tend to work as well. Unsupported animation, and lights are common merge blockers.
I think this does point out that this particular task requires for many users or at least some here perhaps a tool that can assist the user to align or sync the views of two objects for merging and composing.
Perhaps if it were possible to not have to merge the 3D layers but to make them a group such as in Illustrators group command so that they work together as a layer group. The Objects are on the same layer in Illustrator but are individual objects the can be turned on and off at will.
I also sort of agree with mylenium, I want to see a composition space that one can move and object into a create a scene there so the object creation is one part of the process and the employment of the object in a scene is a separate environment albeit the same 3D space.
I think it is too difficult for the user to think of developing the objet and the scene at the same time.
So if you set a scene to such an angle and bring it into scene you can then say this is the I want as the orientation and now that object is oriented that way and the spatial settings of the scene are applied to the object bring the next one in and that becomes coordinated relative to bothe the scene and the objects with inthe scene.
The scene composition to me is more important to making this a Photoshop tool and not just a 3D plugin. After all Photoshop is about making Pictures not objects. And even when it is an object it is still a photograph when you use Photoshop. Otherwise you are an Illustrator user.
