Using Polystrips

Installing Polystrips

The easiest way to install Polystrips is to do so directly from Blender. You can do this by going to File >

User Preferences > Add-ons > Install from File. This will open a File Browser in Blender, allowing to you navigate to and select the .zip file you downloaded. Press Install from file. Once installed, Blender should automatically filter the addons list to show only Polystrips. You can then enable the add-on by clicking the checkbox on the upper right of the add-on panel. Usage and Workflow

Once activated, a new Retopology panel will be added to the viewport toolbar, so long as a mesh object is selected. The toolbar is shown in both Object Mode and Edit Mode under the Retopology tab.

The basic workflow is to first select the high-resolution object, activate Polystrips, draw strips with LMB strokes, then generate the new mesh with the Enter key. If extending an existing mesh, then you must first select the high-resolution object in Object Mode, then select the retopologized mesh, enter Edit Mode, and then draw strips. Using Polystrips

When starting Polystrips it will place you into a modal operation, meaning the viewport is still interactive. During the modal operation you are able to perform any number of tasks in order to generate the retopologized mesh, including drawing strokes, transforming strips, and adjusting strip segment counts. You may also continue to navigate the viewport during the modal, including switching to specific views with the numpad and toggling perspective on/off.

##Tools and Options

Draw strips - LMB While Polystrips is active you may draw new strips by Left-Click-and-Dragging across the surface of the mesh. Start drawing from or onto an existing strip/junction to snap the new strip to the existing.

Select strip/junction/handle - RMB Strips, junctions, and handles may be selected with the Right Mouse Button.

Grab strip/handle - G To move a strip, junction, or handle just select it and press the G key.

Rotate strip/junction - R With a strip or junction selected you can rotate it with the R key.

Scale strip/junction - S Strips and junctions (endpoints) can be scaled with the S key when selected. Adjusting the scale will dynamically set the segment count of the strip to fit.

Knife cut - K If you need to add additional junctions into an existing strip, simply hover your mouse where you'd like the junction and press the K key to cut in a new junction.

Merge junctions - M With a junction selected you may merge it into another junction by hovering your mouse over the second junction (to be merged into) and press the M key.

Delete strip/junction - X The selected strip/junction can be deleted with the X key.

Dissolve junction - CTRL + D Use CTRL+D to dissolve the selected junction from it's parent strip. Note, this only works if the junction is relied upon by other strips (such as a T-connection).

Adjust strip segments - CTRL/CMD + Wheel Up/Down (Linux - WindowsKey + Wheel Up/Down) With a strip selected you may adjust the number of polygons in the strip. Doing this will lock the strip, such that additional transform will no longer dynamic adjust the segment count.

Change junction type - CTRL + C Junction types for the selected junction can be changed with CTRL+C. Press CTRL+C repetitiously to cycle through junction types.

##Add-on Preferences

Polystrips does not require advanced settings of any kind. There are just a few:

Theme - Polystrips comes with three theme options for the display color of strips. The options are orange, light orange, and blue.

Show Selected Segment Count - this is a helper feature that displays the number of segments in the selected strip. It's useful for ensuring neighboring strips have appropriate counts.

Debug Level - this can be ignored mostly, it is there to help in troubleshooting in the case of errors or crashes.