Adding parts to ATS trucks from one truck to another

[seantello21]

Hi, When I try to add move a part from one truck to another for example an exhaust it does not fit properly http://rs1146.pbsrc.com/albums/o526/sea ... 0&fit=crop

[Oleg]

1. import custom accessory; remember all custom states coming with this accessory (write them down or take a screenshot).
2. import your truck;
3. expand a branch on your truck, so you can see an entry (dummy node) that is associated with accessory in a question;
4. drag & drop entire accessory branch onto accessory dummy node, but make sure to hold CTRL key down before release left mouse button. an accessory will get mounted onto your truck, but quite likely it will look the way you see it in game (misplaced)
5. move accessory (geometry) objects (you can select them with Alt+click) on [v] icon next to a name and disable "Auto" button in the bottom of ZM window to prevent automatic selection to work temporary).
6 once you are satisfied with placement of objects, use "Display\Local axes\Reset to parent" tool on all objects you've moved.
7. right-click on a branch under accessory dummy node (a dummy related to a group of geometries of accessory part, the one you've been drag&dropping) and pick Linking->Unlink.
8. Now you can export accessory. Mind, the accessory will get exported with all Variants\Looks you have in scene, unless you toggle an option "Default variant" in export window. If you do need original variants to be exported with accessory (as stated in step #1), you should delete unnecessary variants, so they don't get exported.

[seantello21]

Thank you so much

[seantello21]

Hi I don't get number 3 and 4 sorry i have trouble understanding the dummy node

[Oleg]

dummy node is an object that is not shown in game as geometry. in ZModeler these are most often shown as small cubes (solid or wire). In particular, number 3 was about to expand hierarchy branches so you see something like
truck -> cab_a -> pipes_b
where "cab_a" is an example name of cabin for variant "A" and "pipes_b" is an example of dummy point name associated for pipes accessory installation. If i'm not mistaken, these accessory mount points can have configurable names, so some truck follow standards and have common names for such a dummy node, another truck might have a different name. I don't know these names, but they are quite self-explaining.

Step #4 was about drag&dropping objects in hierarchy view. You need to pick and drag top item for a pipes accessory (probably named something like acc_pipes and have no parent), and dropping it into truck->cab_a->pipes_b entry. and yes, press and hold CTRL key just after you hover "pipes_b" and before you release the left mouse button and actually "drop" them.

[seantello21]

thanks i will try it