The Split Maps View

The Split Maps View is the view to create and manage split map files. This view is an integrated view that allows for applying painted values to the neutral mesh for use when assigning Split network nodes to Primary nodes in the network.

The view is split into 3 parts - the path input to a directory where split map files are on disk, the list of split map files found in the directory and a toolbar for painting, creating, saving and manipulating split map files.

Split Map Directory

The split map directory input allows you to navigate to a directory where the split map files live on disk. Split map files are JSON files (*.json) and represent the per-vertex weight of the split map for each vertex on the neutral mesh.

Since the split maps path can be associated with an environment variable through the Preferences you might see the "$SPLIT_MAPS_PATH" listed in the directory path. To see where this environment variable points to click the full path icon to the right of the folder icon.

When setting the split maps directory any .json files found in the directory will be evaluated to see if they contain the per vertex weights and then compare against the current neutral mesh. If there is a mismatch between the number of vertex weights stored in the split map file and the the number of vertices on the neutral mesh Aria will update the name of the map file in the view by turning the text color to red. In addition, Aria will update the network status to relate that the split map files are incompatible with the current neutral denoting the the network cannot be built in its current state.

If you open the Network Status dialog you will see that invalid maps are listed. You may also see that there might be missing split map files in the directory compared to those files used by split network nodes in the shape network.

Split Map Toolbar

The split map toolbar provides a cohesive interface for creating new split maps, editing existing maps, split map file management and map operations (like booleans).

Paint Context

This is a checkbox toggle for putting Aria in a state where you can paint on the neutral mesh to create or edit split map weights.

Below is an image with a network that has a neutral assigned along with valid split map files in a directory. Aria is in Paint Mode and the "left" map weights have been loaded onto the character by selecting the "left" map in the list.

Save Split Map

Saves the current painted weights to disk given the map name. Will save the split map file to the current split maps directory. If not directory is found the user is forced to declare a directory.

Remove Split Map

When not in paint mode the user can select maps from the list and remove them from disk.

Invert Split Map

Take the current painted weights on the neutral mesh and inverts their values. This is ideal for rapidly creating split map pairs. So if you already have the paint for the left side of the face click invert and the right side of the face can be created easily.

Based on the image above with the left map painted and loaded if you invert the weights the image below demonstrates the result. Once inverted you can select the "Save Split Map" icon to save out the new map as the right side.

Add Split Maps Together

When not in Paint Mode select two maps in the list to add together. Aria will combine the weights of the two maps and ask you to name and save the new map.

Subtract Split Maps

When not in Paint Mode select two maps in the list to subtract from one another. Aria will remove the weights from one map from the other and ask you to name and save the new map.

Boolean - Intersection Of Split Maps

When not in Paint Mode select two maps where the intersection of the positive weights will be extracted as a new split map. Below is an example of the intersection between the "left" map and the "top" map. The Intersection looks for the common positive weights between the two maps.

Boolean - Difference Of Split Maps

When not in Paint Mode select two maps where the difference of the negative weights will be extracted as a new split map. Below is an example of the difference between the "left" map and the "top" map. The difference represents the inverted version of the intersection between the two maps. So wherever there is a positive weight common between the two maps the difference stores it and inverts it.

Refresh Split Map Directory

Refreshes the list of split map files located in the split map directory. The validation of the split map files against the neutral happens during refresh as well.