MM2X Forum

I also have a problem with zmodeler 1.07b. Whenever i decide to convert cars from gta sa, i have the same problem. For instance, after loading the textures of the car, i save the project but the saving takes a lot of time and often it crashes and all my project is delete. Whenever i decide to convert cars, it happens.

Post spitted as new topic, because that useless topic is about the question how to export in ZModeler...

For first thing, the ZModeler 1 can't import the GTA SA .dff files, it supports only the GTA 3 and GTA VC .dff files.
Your problem seems just related to the too much time that ZModeler takes to save the .z3d file or to export the model as .pkg file. If you have a slow system with especially few RAM memory there's nothing to do.
It can also be because of the auto saving function of ZModeler, where whatever thing you're doing in it, the program saves an auto saving .z3d file in the program main folder, making the program not responding with also the obligation to shut it down. Check the program options to disable it.

thanks franch. but i forgot to say. first i import the dff files with zmodeler 2.0.8 than i export them to .z3d files. and also my system requirements ;
Intel(R)
Celeron(R) CPU 1.80 GHz
512 mb ddr ram
256 mvb graphic card DirectX 9550

The ZModeler 2.0.8 supports the GTA SA .dff files, anyway your problem isn't related with this, you already do this right.
Your system isn't so powerful; mine has a better CPU and the same RAM memory amount, and sometimes ZModeler 1 takes really much time to save the work as .z3d file or to export it as .pkg file. All is wait until the saving or exporting processes ends, keeping disabled the program auto saving option. With at least the double of the RAM memory the things improves.

thanks verry much franch. i know my system is so powerless. also thanks for quick answer. i disabled the autosaving as you said.

To avoid any problem between ZM2 and ZM1, here's a tip to open/import/merge an old Z3D from ZM2 to ZM1. Just use the ... merge tool. Don't open it.

So, when you've exported a GTA SA car as an old Z3D file, starts ZM1 and choose "Merge" from the File menu.

Select all objects (or choose only the main parts), then save it as a new Z3D. Voila !

PS : sometimes a GTA SA car have some bad edges so, you can't open or merge it without any problem. To know if a part is corrupted, select and merge one by one, the parts of this car to know what part is unusable. The only solution ? Get the model from the original author.

i usually use the merge tool to open the z3d file. but i didn't save the z3d file as a new z3d file after opening it with merge tool. i will try this way also. thanks riva.
and i have one more question. how many times do you save the project while converting it form gta sa to mm2 while using zmodeler 1.07b? so do you save it often or, 1 or 2 times?

Yeah, this is a very good method, it's good to do to work and save a new .z3d file made with ZModeler 1, instead to use the one saved with ZModeler 2.
Usually I use this method when there are problems to open a .z3d file exported with ZModeler 2 where there one or more corrupted object, as Riva says. Another way to know if some of the parts and objects to use are corrupted without have a program crash is to export the .z3d file with ZModeler 2 with all the objects hidden, then open it with ZModeler 1, and show one by one each object individuating the possible one/s that are corrupted. Seems that this happens more with the GTA SA imported .dff files. Anyway, if the corrupted object is an important one like the car wheel or the chassis, the asking of the 3D model to the author is forced.

However, if the system hasn't a lot of system memory and isn't powerful the saving processes can take too much time. Using that method maybe is possible to save a bit of file saving time working on a more light file.

Doesn't matter Burcin. Depends your way to do. If you don't use the complex tools of ZM1, you can avoid a lot of crashes but sometimes you do a bad thing and you loose your work. Personally I'm not using the autosave (because no incremental especially) but for your information, I often do a backup of my work and when I plan to edit a lot of things, I save under another name (wip1, wip2 etc).

The most annoying is when you remapped some faces or when you've almost finished to set all the materials ... ZM crashes. I definitely click over ten times on "save", for a conversion IMO.