Unwrapping Settings

Extra Settings Overview

Keep Seams

When this option is enabled, all pre-existing UV seams on the mesh will be retained during the unwrapping process. Instead of generating new seams, Unwrella-IO will prioritize the imported UV seams and unfold the UV charts accordingly.

In specific cases, such as when using the Mosaic mode, Unwrella-IO may detect excessive UV stretching. If this occurs, the system will automatically generate additional seams where necessary to optimize the UV layout while minimizing distortion.

Keep in mind that you can specify the UV Source Channel from which existing UV seams will be used. Additionally, you can set the Target UV Channel, where the final unwrapped result will be stored. This approach ensures that the original UV layout remains intact, preventing it from being replaced by the newly generated UV map. By utilizing separate channels, you can preserve multiple UV sets for different texturing needs.

Stretch

This input defines the amount of stretching allowed. 0 means no stretching is allowed, 1 means any amount of stretching can be used. It helps control UV distortion by optimizing the way UV charts are relaxed and distributed, ensuring a more balanced texture representation.

Cut Grooves

The Cut Grooves option automatically adds UV seams to edges that form grooves in the geometry. The placement of these seams is determined by the angle threshold setting.

If the angle between the surface normals exceeds the specified threshold, a seam will be added. This helps optimize UV unwrapping by ensuring that sharp grooves and deep recesses are properly accounted for in the UV layout.

Cut Ridges

The Cut Ridges option automatically adds UV seams to edges that form ridges in the geometry. The placement of these seams is determined by a defined angle threshold.

If the angle between the surface normals exceeds the specified threshold, a seam will be created. This helps improve UV unwrapping by ensuring that sharp ridges and raised edges are properly segmented for better texture mapping.

Cut Holes

The Cut Holes option automatically detects open holes in the mesh and generates UV seams extending outward from them. This prevents gaps in the UV map and often results in better UV relaxation, allowing for a more evenly distributed UV grid.

While this option can improve unwrapping quality in many cases, there are situations where cutting holes is not desirable. If unwanted seams appear, you may choose to disable this option. Since there is no absolute rule on when to use it, experimentation is recommended to achieve the most suitable result for your specific model.