Confusion about current state of driven poses

[Alec Vallintine]

Blender 2.83, import-daz 1.4.2

In a previous version of the addon, if I recall correctly, I was able to import facial expressions (which were actually just bone poses, AFAIK) using the “Import Driven Poses” function. This created a slider on the rig for each pose. I was able to partially apply a pose by adjusting the associated slider.

However, I can’t seem to get the same functionality now. I tried importing the same pose files (.duf) using the “Import Custom Morphs” button but it complains that the files aren’t valid morphs. “Import Pose Morphs” on the other hand doesn’t let me select a custom pose. And “Import Pose Library” will import the pose into a pose library, but there doesn’t appear to be any way to partially apply that pose like I could before.

Is there currently any way to load an expression (which is just a bone pose) and partially apply it via a rig property?

[engetudouiti]

I test recent beta, with blender 2.83.(recent build beta)

then tried to “import custom morph” for my custom expression controllers

(as same as you, I made them which only move bones, not add shape morphs,

or not transform zero pose rig, but just move facial bones as pose controller)

So use “import custom morph” is the option which you need to try.

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I remember, about old version, Thomas divide pose controller and shape morphs, but about recent versions, he grouped them as “morphs”

So you can use “improt custom morphs” to import custom facial pose controller.

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[engetudouiti]

And I feel, you need to import dsf, (in daz data figure morph sections)

to import “original custom pose controller.”

I do not think this plug in auto make slider, if you import “pose” duf.

you can import “facial bone pose contorller” as dsf. as same as G8 or G3 expression by import custom morphs.

and you can import “pose” duf by import “pose”, it move bones. or it may move slider which already improted with options.

But I do not think it can generate newslider when you import pose duf, because it is Pose file. not offer “Pose controller sliders”

So I recommend you attach your custom daz file which you need to import, so someone can test them to confrim, which type file you made.

[Alec Vallintine]

Yeah, I just tried it again, with Blender 2.83 and the latest development version of the add-on and it’s still not working for me. I tested on G3F with two expression .duf files from different vendors. I did “Import Custom Morphs” and it says, “ERROR: Not a morph asset” in both cases. If I get a chance I’ll track down exactly why it’s throwing this error.

[Alec Vallintine]

Right, so when you load a file with “Import Custom Morphs” the add-on checks for the “modifier_library” key in the file. The .duf files that I’m trying to import don’t have that key so the add-on concludes (correctly) that they’re not morph files. Which makes sense, because they’re not.

What I’m trying to do used to be possible. You could load a .duf file with a bone pose and it would create a slider on the rig for that pose. By adjusting the slider you could apply the pose from 0 (nothing) to 1 (full pose). If you had several of these it would blend between them. This was very useful for expressions that are implemented as bone transformations, of which I’ve got many that I’d like to use.

Which brings me back to my original question. Was this functionality removed, or am I overlooking something? If it was removed, may I ask why?

[engetudouiti]

I see what you have tried. So you expect, when import pose file, (it just record pose preset which record bone transform value when posing), with a kind of option, this plug in generate pose controller slider. as same as import face unit.

Then I do not remember, if your procedure had worked or not. Because this plug in up-date really often about beta versions, then it change much.

I requested before, when import pose file, if there is option to generate pose slider,

(and it may generate driver , about custom facial pose . (so I suspect it only drive drv=bones, then user still can pose each facial bone manually), but I do not clear remember, actually plug in offer it or not.

What I confrimed,

I made custom pose controller in daz studio only about expression.(use bake transform and manuall posing then erc freeze, and save as morph)

So it is not pose file, but pose controller file, with formula. Then tried to import as custom morphs.

Anyway I may request same thing, if old version had offered the function.

(when import pose, there is option to generate new pose controller, and may generate driver bones when it need, then user can still move those bones withotu controller)

[engetudouiti]

Then I suppose, if your import pose duf file which daz or vendor offered, these file not only include bone transform but include other properties (eg other expression controller or shape morph) values too.

some vendor offered expression preset file which only record other expression controller values. of course it work with daz erc when you apply those preset in daz studio, but to import those preset duf, you may need to import all pose controller, and morph which used for the vendor offered pose preset first.

Then I suspect you can use import pose with option. but after all I do not think it will generate new slider. “import pose” only change slicer value or bone transform value. It not gererate new slider. “import custom morph” may only generate new slider with driver I suppose.

But unfortunately I suspect you need to make “new pose controller” in daz studio by your self, then need to save as dsf (as same as other pose controller files (pctrXXX.dsf) then it should be dsf. (it need to be saved in “data” directory, to load in daz studio as pose controller) whch include “formula” to drive bone transform values) .

Most reliable way should be, “make pose controller, from current expression which only include bone transform in daz studio”. then save as new custom morph (dsf).

then import it by this plug in. (use import custom morph)

[Alec Vallintine]

Yep, that’s right. It worked like face units, except you could import .duf files that specified the bone transforms for each expression. I’m looking right now at an animation I did in Blender 2.79b with import-daz 1.3 where this was possible.

I made custom pose controller in daz studio only about expression.(use bake transform and manuall posing then erc freeze, and save as morph)

So it is not pose file, but pose controller file, with formula. Then tried to import as custom morphs.

Did that work?

If importing driven expression poses is no longer possible, then I need to find a way to convert a bunch of expression poses into something that will work. Another thought I had was to import them into the pose library and see if I can use the “action” constraint to apply them partially, maybe with some drivers.

[Alec Vallintine]

Thanks for the tips, I’ll look into that approach!

[engetudouiti]

The procedure (make new pose controller in daz studio with ERC freeze) then import as morph, actually worked, but I recommend import expression duf just as pose if you can. becaues the step to make as new pose controller is not so easy. (but if you know well, you can do it with daz offered tools, without clear documents ^^;)

basically if your pose file include only bone transform, it should be applied for facial bones. (not move drv-bones) then you can save these facial bone pose in pose library first, without controller etc. (though you may need to save with blender scene to keep the poses)

I remember there have been offered new add on to save pose in poselibrary as pose preset with texture file, in blender, but did not test enough with new blender,, ^^;

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[Alec Vallintine]

I think I managed to get it to work! I applied my .duf expression to the figure in Daz then basically followed the instructions here to create a new morph controller:

http://www.digi-dotz.com/index.php/tutorials/daz-studio-tutorials/193-create-single-dial-morph-control-in-daz-studio-4-9

I was then able to import that morph into Blender using “Import Custom Morphs”.

This pretty much solves my problem. Thanks for your help!

[engetudouiti]

• make new pose controller with Bake transform + ERC freeze. there should be case some pose controller change shape morph values. you can not include those shape morph in ERC freeze. (I do not think, plug in can import such pose controller) so I excluded all shape morphs but only include bone transform, after “bake as transform”, then ERC freeze, and generate new controller from product sliders.
• save the new controlelr as morph.
• import as custom morph.

I recommend untill import as custom morph, you should “add Extra face bones” + “make all bones as poseable.” Though I do not know, without these step how this plug in manage to import pose controller, but about facial pose controller, this plug in can set driver for drv-bones correctly = you can still tweak facial bones manually, (children of drv-bones)

Then I never recommend to import non facial pose controller. It is my view to pray with this plug- in.

Though I know it may work most of case,, but it simply make your rig really complex (it need to generate too many drv bones with deep hieralchy,, and there should be case, it may not work with mix use pose and pose controller as you expected, )

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I did not notice you find good tutorial, so do not need to check this reply^^ congratulate!

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