Surface Tool - Bring Back Studs!

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Surface Tool is an open-source plugin which resurrects the Surface Tool; removed from Studio in version 478.

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Codify converts your existing models and UI to code, so you can seamlessly drop them into your scripts and Roact/Fusion components.

Codify Plugin | Convert anything to code! (+Fusion, Roact)

Usage

To use Surface Tool, head to your plugins tab, select the SurfaceToolIcon Surface Tool plugin icon. From there you can select the surface type, and click on the surface of any unlocked part to apply it, just like the original.

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  • Made a mistake? Never fear! Surface Tool supports undo/redo!
  • You should see keybinds in the top-left of the viewport while the plugin’s active—Hold those keys down and watch the magic happen!

Motivation

You may have noticed that Roblox removed the Surface Tool from the models tab, as of Studio version 478. This plugin was built using Roact to return the Surface Tool back to your Studio experience™.

While it’s not recommended to use deprecated APIs, such as part surfaces, this plugin is built for those Studio users who would like to keep the functionality for just a bit longer!

Bind to Keyboard Shortcut

As of v0.0.3, Resurface supports assigning a custom keyboard shortcut to activate the plugin under your current cursor position. To assign a custom shortcut, go to File → Advanced → Customize Shortcuts... and assign a shortcut via the “Surface Tool (Action)” result.

Attributions

Update Logs

Date/Time Version Summary
2021-09-21T18:41:00Z 0.0.3 PluginAction for custom keyboard shortcuts
2021-05-15T20:30:00Z 0.0.2 Continuous application, apply all surfaces
2021-05-14T17:40:00Z 0.0.1 Public release

Thanks for 21k+ installs! ❤️

112 Likes

Haha I was waiting for someone to make a plugin for this. I just have some questions.

  1. Can we apply a surface to all sides of the part instantly?

  2. Can we apply more than one surface to a side?

2 Likes

The answer to both those questions would be no. It’s pretty much a replica of the original tool.

2 Likes

Is there a chance that you could add those features? :pleading_face:

4 Likes

This looks great, I’ll definitely be trying this out, thanks @cxmeels!

2 Likes

It’s certainly doable. Perhaps the best way to go about that would be to use modifier keys, such as hold SHIFT to keep tool active after application and CTRL to apply to all sides?

3 Likes

Wait you can do that? :flushed:

My life is a lie and I’ve been tricked.

3 Likes

I love it!

The only thing I would suggest is to make it so that the plugin does not deselect itself after one use - so you can keep it on to apply surfaces multiple times without selecting the plugin every time. It would replicate the similarity of this plugin to the original surface tool, plus it will make it easier to use!

1 Like

I was not aware that the original tool didn’t deselect after using. I will look into adding that functionality, as well as the “apply all surfaces” option suggested by @Crazedbrick1!

2 Likes

I’ve been needing this to be able to position weapon handles without going through the process of trial and error, thank you.

1 Like

Update (0.0.2): Surface Tool now support continuous application and “apply all surfaces” to make applying surfaces even easier, as requested by @Crazedbrick1 and @Mad_Scientist99.

You will now be shown a list of keybinds in the top left of the viewport while the plugin is active.

N.B. Due to implications with Roblox plugins, you’ll first need to focus the viewport before you’ll see any physical representation that keybinds are active. You can do this by moving your camera/clicking within the viewport with the right mouse button.

Update via the Plugin Manager to receive the new features.

12 Likes

I was just about to make a topic about not being able to use surfaces, but now I don’t need to. :sunglasses:

4 Likes

tahnkyou sir!!! this is better than roblox one!

3 Likes

Is it still working? Seems to be bugged for me.
I would have sent a video but its saying that an error occured while uploading the file

1 Like

I don’t seem to be having any issues with the tool in Studio. What exactly happens? Are you getting any errors in the output window relating to Surface Tool?

1 Like

It was a random bug, fixed automatically. When I installed it the inventory api was facing degraded performance, that might be something related.

2 Likes

Thank you for making this Plugin, I wonder what’s the main reason why Roblox removed this Classic/Old Feature?

4 Likes

Update (0.0.3): @dukzae thanks for the bug report. Possibly due to loading order*, it was previously impossible to assign a keyboard shortcut to Resurface without the shortcut being cleared at the end of a Studio session.

v0.0.3 introduces a new PluginAction to enable assignment of a custom keyboard shortcut to the tool, which will persist across sessions. You can assign custom keyboard shortcuts via the File → Advanced → Customize Shortcuts... menu, and binding a shortcut the the “Surface Tool (Action)” action.

Update via the Plugin Manager to access this feature.


*Edit: I have been informed that not being able to assign keyboard shortcuts to plugin buttons is a Studio bug.

3 Likes

i think you should be able to add additional mechanics like using the plugin on a model which surfaces every part in the model to make it more easier to redecorate and provide more usefulness than what surface tool had in mind

2 Likes

do you think it should follow the same controls as the existing studio dragger tools, where models are selected by default and ALT allows diving into individual parts?

1 Like