Data Transfer

The Data Transfer tool transfers several types of data from one mesh to another. Data types include vertex groups, UV maps, vertex colors, custom normals...

Transfer works by generating a mapping between source mesh’s items (vertices, edges, etc.) and destination ones, either on an one-to-one basis, or mapping several source items to a single destination one by interpolated mapping.

Data

Reference

Mode: Object Mode

Panel: Tool Shelf ‣ Tools ‣ Edit ‣ Data

Hotkey: Shift-Ctrl-T

Transfers layout of data layer(s) from active to selected meshes.

Freeze Operator

Prevent changes to settings to re-run the operator. This is useful if you are editing several settings at once with heavy geometry

Data Type

Which data to transfer.

Data types.

Create Data

Add data layers on destination meshes if needed.

Vertex Mapping

Method used to map source vertices to destination ones. Because the options change depending on the Data Type options are explained in Vertex Mapping below.

Vertex Mapping

Topology

The simplest option, expects both meshes to have identical number of items, and match them by order (indices). Useful e.g. between meshes that were identical copies, and got deformed differently.

One-To-One Mappings

Those always select only one source item for each destination one, often based on shortest distance.

Vertices

Nearest Vertex

Uses source’s nearest vertex.

Nearest Edge Vertex

Uses source’s nearest vertex of source’s nearest edge.

Nearest Face Vertex

Uses source’s nearest vertex of source’s nearest face.

Edges

Nearest Vertices

Uses source’s edge which vertices are nearest from destination edge’s vertices.

Nearest Edge

Uses source’s nearest edge (using edge’s midpoints).

Nearest Face Edge

Uses source’s nearest edge of source’s nearest face (using edge’s midpoints).

Face Corners

A face corner is not a real item by itself, it’s some kind of split vertex attached to a specific face. Hence both vertex (location) and face (normal, ...) aspects are used to match them together.

Nearest Corner and Best Matching Normal

Uses source’s corner having the most similar split normal with destination one, from those sharing the nearest source’s vertex.

Nearest Corner and Best Matching Face Normal

Uses source’s corner having the most similar face normal with destination one, from those sharing the nearest source’s vertex.

Nearest Corner of Nearest Face

Uses source’s nearest corner of source’s nearest face.

Faces

Nearest Face

Uses source’s nearest face.

Best Normal-Matching:

Uses source’s face which normal is most similar with destination one.

Interpolated Mappings

Those use several source items for each destination one, interpolating their data during the transfer.

Vertices

Nearest Edge Interpolated

Uses nearest point on nearest source’s edge, interpolates data from both source edge’s vertices.

Nearest Face Interpolated

Uses nearest point on nearest source’s face, interpolates data from all that source face’s vertices.

Projected Face Interpolated

Uses point of face on source hit by projection of destination vertex along its own normal, interpolates data from all that source face’s vertices.

Edges

Projected Edge Interpolated

This is a sampling process. Several rays are cast from along the destination’s edge (interpolating both edge’s vertex normals), and if enough of them hit a source’s edge, all hit source edges’ data are interpolated into destination one.

Face Corners

A face corner is not a real item by itself, it’s some kind of split vertex attached to a specific face. Hence both vertex (location) and face (normal, ...) aspects are used to match them together.

Nearest Face Interpolated

Uses nearest point of nearest source’s face, interpolates data from all that source face’s corners.

Projected Face Interpolated

Uses point of face on source hit by projection of destination corner along its own normal, interpolates data from all that source face’s corners.

Faces

Projected Face Interpolated

This is a sampling process. Several rays are cast from the whole destination’s face (along its own normal), and if enough of them hit a source’s face, all hit source faces’ data are interpolated into destination one.

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Auto Transform

Automatically computes the transformation to get the best possible match between source and destination meshes.

Object Transform

Evaluate source and destination meshes in global space.

Only Neighbor Geometry

Source elements must be closer than given distance from destination one.

Max Distance

Maximum allowed distance between source and destination element (for non-topology mappings).

Ray Radius

Width of rays. Useful when raycasting against vertices or edges.

Mix Mode

How to affect destination elements with source values.

All

Replaces everything in destination (note that Mix Factor is still used).

Above Threshold

Only replaces destination value if it is above given threshold Mix Factor. How that threshold is interpreted depends on data type, note that for boolean values this option fakes a logical AND.

Below Threshold

Only replaces destination value if it is below given threshold Mix Factor. How that threshold is interpreted depends on data type, note that for boolean values this option fakes a logical OR.

Mix, Add, Subtract, Multiply

Apply that operation, using mix factor to control how much of source or destination value to use. Only available for a few types (vertex groups, vertex colors).

Mix Factor

How much of the transfered data gets mixed into existing one (not supported by all data types).

Data Layout

Reference

Mode: Object Mode

Panel: Tool Shelf ‣ Tools ‣ Edit ‣ Data Layout

Transfers layout of data layer(s) from active to selected meshes.

Data Type

Which data to transfer.

Data types.

Exact Match

Also Delete some data layers from destination if necessary, so that it matches the source exactly.

Source Layers Selection

Which layers to transfer, in case of multi-layer types.

Active Layer

Only transfer the active data layer.

All Layers

Transfer all data layers.

Destination Layers Matching

How to match source and destination layers.

By Name

Match target data layers to affect by name.

By Order

Match target data layers to affect by order (indices).