FBX export from Sketchup to Max 2008

[Thomas Greentree]

Hi,

I am having great strife at the minute with trying to export a skp model from sketchup to max via the FBX format. The result is a flickering mass when viewed up close, but as you zoom out things look fine. Also when the quick render is enabled the geometry also appears fine. Is this a reliable method? Is there a way of removing the black and white triangulated flicker? Lastly, what preparation and exporting/ importing options should I be using in both Max and SketchUp for the FBX route. Is there a better route!

Kind Regards.

[Ori Ginor]

Hi Thomas,

Don't bother exporting FBX from SU. Try DXF export and use weld within Max to finish off the import.

Also, if your SU models aren't layered (a layer for each object!!) your final export in any format will be catastrophic. Also, DO NOT TEXTURE!!!

Hope this helps.

Best,

Ori

[Thomas Greentree]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies, I have tried the DFX route as suggested. Certainly better results now, but still a little white and black triangulated flicker near edges. It is much better though. Please see a screen shot of the Max import options that I chose. Could you recommend any improvements I could make to this route. Any final modifying/ cleaning that could be undertaken in Max. Also is this a reliable method of producing simple wall extrusions with door and window openings, knowing how slow Max is at doing this.

Our there any other packages that can take care of this and yet have a good relationship with max interms of importing, is Rhino any good?

Thanks.

[Ori Ginor]

Sorry Thomas, I forgot to mention that it is important that before you export from SU you need to uncheck the " Display Edges" & " Profiles" under Window, Styles, and Edit tab in SU. This should give you a clean result without the crap fill lines in 3DS!

[Thomas Greentree]

Hi Super!

Yes did do this originaly, if you'd like to see a screen shot of the problem, then I'll post one on today,

Cheers.

[Andrew Lynn]

That sounds like too much work - one layer per object. I don't even find layers in SU that important, unless I need to be able to turn things off quickly. An easier workflow is to texture everything in SU, with maps that are the right size and oriented correctly, then export 3DS either as single object or by material. You still need to weld vertices, and you need to replace the Standard materials that come in from the 3DS with your real materials, but they're already UVW mapped.

[Renato Dias]

The best way to do that is using the Free edition of "Reallusion iClone 3DXchange".

This software have a powerfull tool to remove Sketchup backfaces. Open the .skp file into iClone 3DXchange, go to menu "tools>Exclude SKP backfaces". I never used, but my friends tell me about it.