Simple beginner question - multiple Blender objects combined into one SL object

[Tataku Yugen]

I've messed around with Blender (not for SL though) and studied Chic Aeon's videos meticulously. I'm still a little vague on some basics:

Question 1 - Let's say I had a simple object, a box with a cylinder, like a stereo with a knob in front. Is there anything special I need to do in Blender to combine them when I export them? Do I just multiple-select them? Or join them into one object before exporting somehow?

Question 2 - Am I limited to only one UV map per imported DAE? Or can you upload multiple UV textures (for example, with the stereo, say I had 1 UV map for the stereo and 1 UV map for the knob, how does the UV texture get applied in SL Edit dialog box)?

 

edit: in the stereo example, I know I could probably subdivide the box, add a bunch of vertices, and eventually extrude a cylinder so it's all the same object. I'm trying to understand this for more complicated examples, like a house or car that would really need multiple objects.

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Tataku Yugen

[Chic Aeon]

1 hour ago, Tataku Yugen said:

I've messed around with Blender (not for SL though) and studied Chic Aeon's videos meticulously. I'm still a little vague on some basics:

Question 1 - Let's say I had a simple object, a box with a cylinder, like a stereo with a knob in front. Is there anything special I need to do in Blender to combine them when I export them? Do I just multiple-select them? Or join them into one object before exporting somehow?

Question 2 - Am I limited to only one UV map per imported DAE? Or can you upload multiple UV textures (for example, with the stereo, say I had 1 UV map for the stereo and 1 UV map for the knob, how does the UV texture get applied in SL Edit dialog box)?

 

edit: in the stereo example, I know I could probably subdivide the box, add a bunch of vertices, and eventually extrude a cylinder so it's all the same object. I'm trying to understand this for more complicated examples, like a house or car that would really need multiple objects.

 

I am guessing you need to watch again as this is all covered in the videos :D.

 

You need to JOIN meshes in Blender before exporting if you want them to be a single mesh (and usually that is best for land impact). 

 

You can have multiple UV maps WITHIN a single UV map (it get's complicated and I can tell from your questions you aren't ready for the complexity so will skip that -- much of it IS covered in the video tutorials) but there is only one UVmap name associated with the model.  

More typically you would have both the stereo AND the knob on one UV map (mostly because a knob isn't going to need much room on the texture in order to look good. 

 

Going to see if I can find a screenshot -----

This has a number of MATERIALS all baked to one texture.  There is only ONE UV map though.  All parts of this trunk half have been JOINED before baking.   This is way more complex that what you are asking about -- just explaining that it can be done.   Here is the video that talks about that : https://www.slartist.com/multiple-object-materials-to-more-than-one-texture-plane-plus-uv-map-nodes_cc8995781.html

 

Here is what YOU are doing:  

 

Again, this really is covered in the tutorials, so maybe you need to actually DO the tutorials and not just watch them?  If you have made the picture frame which is the second model in the series, most of this should make sense -- so far as the mapping. 

Good luck.

 

PS. IF you really wanted the knob texture on a separate (256 or smaller) texture -- you would use the method shown in the video I mentioned with the trunk.   Much easier the other way though I think :D. 

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Chic Aeon
adding info

[Bitsy Buccaneer]

35 minutes ago, Tataku Yugen said:

Is there anything special I need to do in Blender to combine them when I export them? Do I just multiple-select them? Or join them into one object before exporting somehow?

In Blender, you can Create a new object to add to your first. If you do this in Object Mode, they'll be two separate objects (which sometimes makes sense depending on what sort of manipulations you'll be doing and your prefered manner of going about this). To join them into one, click on one, then the other, then click on the Join buttom in the Tools tab. The order you click on them matters. The main one last usually works (like the stereo box, click on that last).

Or you can Create the new object in Edit Mode. That will add it (your cylinder) to the original object (the stereo box) so it's all one thing. You'll just have to be more careful about getting exactly the right bits selected for manipulating.

 

50 minutes ago, Tataku Yugen said:

Question 2 - Am I limited to only one UV map per imported DAE? Or can you upload multiple UV textures (for example, with the stereo, say I had 1 UV map for the stereo and 1 UV map for the knob, how does the UV texture get applied in SL Edit dialog box)?

Each uploaded object is allowed 8 textures. (More than that and weird things happen.)

For the stereo and knob example, use the Materials function in Blender. (Material tab, + button on the right, then New to add a second). Assign the first material to one bit and the second material to the other. This works for either Create in Object Mode or Create in Edit Mode approaches.

 

57 minutes ago, Tataku Yugen said:

edit: in the stereo example, I know I could probably subdivide the box, add a bunch of vertices, and eventually extrude a cylinder so it's all the same object. I'm trying to understand this for more complicated examples, like a house or car that would really need multiple objects.

There isn't one right or even best way to do anything in Blender, though your proposed method is needlessly complicated for something like a box and cylinder. Start working on your project and play around a bit, including different approaches (save frequently so you can return to earlier points if you need to). It's all learning

[Tataku Yugen]

17 minutes ago, Chic Aeon said:

I am guessing you need to watch again as this is all covered in the videos :D.

 

You need to JOIN meshes in Blender before exporting if you want them to be a single mesh (and usually that is best for land impact). 

 

You can have multiple UV maps WITHIN a single UV map (it get's complicated and I can tell from your questions you aren't ready for the complexity so will skip that -- much of it IS covered in the video tutorials) but there is only one UVmap name associated with the model.  

More typically you would have both the stereo AND the knob on one UV map (mostly because a knob isn't going to need much room on the texture in order to look good. 

 

@Chic Aeon first thank you for the videos! You're my hero (even if I haven't internalized the knowledge yet).

I will admit I watched them several times, albeit on a long flight and didn't try the examples until later (and then only the crate & frame). I'll certainly go back and watch & follow the examples through. And thanks so much for the other video link. 

 

[Kyrah Abattoir]

I'd like to point out that the cabinet @Chic Aeon linked, while it does use a single UV map and uses the space very nicely, is probably not what I would call the "best" example of minimizing texture usage.

 

Not the topic, I know.