<p>Short answer: Yes, but it won't be pretty.</p>

<p>Explaination: While there <em>are</em> <a href="http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya-lt/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/MayaLT/files/Create-UVs--Automatic-Mapping-htm.html" rel="noreferrer">algorithms</a> to automagically UV map polygon soup, the mapping probably wont be ideal. UV mapping is an art really. Choosing where to hide the seams and where to put them to limit stretching and optimize texture space.</p>

<p>That said, there <em>are</em> lots of tools that can make manual UV mapping a heck of a lot easier. For example: <a href="http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya-lt/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/MayaLT/files/Create-UVs--Automatic-Mapping-htm.html" rel="noreferrer">http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya-lt/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/MayaLT/files/Create-UVs--Automatic-Mapping-htm.html</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-14T11:02:31.647Z
Well, there are *quite* a bit more and *quite* a bit more advanced algorithms for mesh parameterization than what you linked to, so I wouldn't really subscribe to the idea that it *"won't be pretty"*, let alone such a short answer that barely touches the tip of the iceberg.
Christian Rau
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-14T11:40:49.107Z
Could you elaborate/link any of those algorithms? I will be happy to add more to the answer.
RichieSams
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-14T13:37:17.943Z
Not at the moment really.
Christian Rau
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-15T10:53:50.973Z
@RichieSams: A very popular algorithm that quickly gained popularity is the least sqares conformal maps algorithm: https://www.cs.jhu.edu/~misha/Fall09/Levy02.pdf
datenwolf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-13T19:10:59.400Z
2015-08-13T21:25:01.247Z
2015-08-13T21:25:01.247Z
RichieSams
<p>Given an arbitrary triangle mesh, is it possible to automatically generate a UV mapping for it, and if so, how is it done?</p>

<uv-mapping>
Automatic generation of UV maps
Mark
# Automatic generation of UV maps

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-13)

Given an arbitrary triangle mesh, is it possible to automatically generate a UV mapping for it, and if so, how is it done?

**Tags:** uv-mapping


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-08-13. Score: 8

Short answer: Yes, but it won't be pretty.

Explaination: While there *are* [algorithms](http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya-lt/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/MayaLT/files/Create-UVs--Automatic-Mapping-htm.html) to automagically UV map polygon soup, the mapping probably wont be ideal. UV mapping is an art really. Choosing where to hide the seams and where to put them to limit stretching and optimize texture space.

That said, there *are* lots of tools that can make manual UV mapping a heck of a lot easier. For example: <http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya-lt/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/MayaLT/files/Create-UVs--Automatic-Mapping-htm.html>

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Well, there are *quite* a bit more and *quite* a bit more advanced algorithms for mesh parameterization than what you linked to, so I wouldn't really subscribe to the idea that it *"won't be pretty"*, let alone such a short answer that barely touches the tip of the iceberg.  
> **username_1**: Could you elaborate/link any of those algorithms? I will be happy to add more to the answer.  
> **username_2**: Not at the moment really.  
> **username_3**: @username_1: A very popular algorithm that quickly gained popularity is the least sqares conformal maps algorithm: https://www.cs.jhu.edu/~misha/Fall09/Levy02.pdf  

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