Applying modifiers to meshes with shape keys
Currently it is not possible to apply a modifier to a mesh that has shape keys which is really sad especially knowing that you CAN edit mesh with them and they, for the most time, still work just fine. The thing is I have a rigged low poly model that has multiple facial emotion shape keys that I want to subdivide smooth and put into my game. I can only subdivide it in Edit mode, which is a fine workaround, but what if I want to use modifiers other than subsurf?
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This sort of thing can be done by Duplicating the mesh out for each shape key and using convert-t0 (as Nick said). Then as long as the modifiers result in the same vertex-indices for each vertex, you can select the shape key and shift-select the base and "join as shapekey" from the shape key menu.
It's an inelegant way of doing things and it's something I've been thinking about trying to automate with Python for a while.
* @Josephbburg * yeah... I did similar thing when used to use 3ds max. If you ever write script for that, it will be highly appreciated, because doing it manually with models that have 20 or more emotion shapes is pain.
* @slayerdude93 * I want to, but I'm low on time ever since I started a youtube channel without realizing that making weekly uploads is really, really hard. And I have an unfinished rigging addon in the works! Plus I'm trying to learn to patch Blender's C code... and I'm a full time university student.
I obviously don't have any idea how to manage my time!
There is this free Addon named ApplyObjectModifiersWithShapeKeys. I used to rely on it some time ago until I think it broke on one or another version; but then I've just tested it again in Blender 3.6.0 and it seems to work properly! Well, maybe requires more tests on different cases, but I was able to Apply a Mirror Modifier on a very complex Rigged Model, it contained just a couple of Shape Keys though.
The compressed file must be extracted, and the .py file must be targeted instead for this Addon's installation.
The Object must be be Selected on Object Mode, and the Operator is at the very end of list of the Object Menu. It is possible to pick which Object Modifiers will be Applied. It's a great Addon, even if last update was done 2 years ago. I hope it will keep working for most cases. Of course, it would be nice to be turned into an in-built Addon for Blender or similar; because it's such a fundamental feature.
github.com/przemir/ApplyModifierForObjectWithShapeKeys
Yes! Please Blender Developpers, do your best to find a way to fix that. I'm used to sometimes reuse a rigged model to make another one, and this is really frustrating when I try to apply modifiers on a mesh with shape keys to read this message of error. I probably loose several minutes (even dozens of minutes when I have several meshes like this) sometimes when I try to fix that another way.
There was an addon for that, but it doesn't work in certain cases. And yeah, doing it manually is a chore for models with loads of blendshapes. It really should be automated. It's not impossible.
The CATS addon for VRchat stuff adds an option to Apply Modifiers with Shape Keys still saved
* @Reoxur * I guess I need your help on this
Can't find the button.
object> convert to > mesh form....etc will do the job. ^^
but it leaves no option to choose what to be apply.
* @Nick * Nope. There are no shape keys after conversion.
??? Really - I was just about too leave 3dsmax and learn blender - Ouch!
* @mortas_may * you can edit mesh with all the morphs on it at the same time - that was enough to jump from max to blender for me =)