ZScript Palette
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About ZScripts
A zscript is a (usually) small program written in ZBrush's special-purpose ZScript language. ZScript allows ZBrush users to add controls and additional functonality to ZBrush. For example, you might use a zscripts that would enable you to quickly toggle back and forth between different display modes when modeling. Writing zscripts is an advanced topic, and will not be discussed here; if you want more information on writing zscripts, see ZScript Programming.
Even though most users won't write zscripts, there are still a number of elements in the Zscript palette that may be of interest to them. We'll cover those controls later, and also mention at the end how to find out more about writing your own zscripts.
Plugins and Other Scripts
A zscript can be used as a plugin, meaning it is loaded each time ZBrush starts. In fact, this is probably the most common type of zscript out there. This is normally done by putting the zscript and any files accompanying it into the ZStartup\ZPlugs directory of the main ZBrush application folder. Zscripts intended for use as plugins will normally say so, and will provide instructions for installing them.
You can find a wide range of plugins at http://206.145.80.239/zbc/forumdisplay.php?f=70
The other common type of zscript is one produced by recording a series of user actions. This is especially useful for producing tutorials, and how to do this (and view such recorded tutorials) is discussed below.
Controls
Below, we present only those controls likely to be of interest to users who are not writing their own zscripts. If you want to learn how to program ZScript, see the section at the end.
Load: Presents a dialog allowing a user to load and execute a zscript. This is used most often for playing back tutorials written by others. Commonly used zscripts are normally installed as plugins, as was described previously.
Reload: Can be used to replay a tutorial (or whatever other zscript was most recently loaded), but probably used more often by ZScript programmers.
Show Actions: This should normally be left on; it tells ZBrush to display the manipulation of user controls as a tutorial ZBrush is being played back.
&Notes: If turned on, causes ZBrush to also display builtin help popups for controls as a tutorial zscript is being played. This can be useful for those who are new to whatever aspect of ZBrush the tutorial addresses.
'Skip Notes: Many tutorials have notes that appear on the screen to explain a part of the tutorial, and that then disappear in a few seconds or (more commonly) when the user clicks the mouse. Turning this on will suppress the display of those notes, speeding the execution of the zscript. You can use this to more quickly go through a zscript you've already seen.
Skip Audio: Like Skip Notes, but applies to any audio track or sounds that might accompany a zscript. Since most tutorial scripts don't use audio, you'll probably never need to use this control.
Record: Causes ZBrush to begin recording user actions. These can then be saved by pressing the End Rec button. This is the most common way of creating tutorials; you can simply record a ZBrush session as you perform operations, and then save and distribute the recording. Note that ZBrush automatically records a session right from the time you start ZBrush. To record your own scripts, you'll first want to press End Red to terminate the default recording session, and then press Record and start the tutorial.
End Rec: When pressed, gives you the option of either saving the zscript currently being recorded, or of cancelling the save (which means the current recording session is discarded). Note that, by default, ZBrush starts recording a default session as soon as it is started.
Repeat Show Actions, Replay Delay, Minimal Stroke, Minimal Update: All of these switches affect how quickly a tutorial zscript plays back. The Repeat Show Actions controls how fast highlighting of button presses and so forth are done as the script executes; Replay Delay affects the overall playback speed of the script; Minimal Stroke causes strokes on the canvas to happen more quickly; and Minimal Update hides strokes entirely, showing only the end result of a stroke. For most purposes, leaving these in their default state is fine.
ZCasting
ZCasting is a ZBrush 3 feature that allows Pixologic to broadcast tutorial sessions for classes, online lessons, and the like. These controls are useful only if you are participating in a lesson given by Pixologic or a Pixologic-authorized source.
