Best way to go from 3ds Max to SketchUp?

[Brodie Geers]

I've been having a heck of a time trying to get from 3ds Max to SketchUp. Any of the native SU importers don't seem to import UV's ( o.O ) unless I'm missing something. And I haven't had any luck with a couple of the free OBJ importers that are supposed to import with materials.

Any advice?

-Brodie

[Travis Schmiesing]

What version of Max? 2011 ships with a SketchUp importer, and it is the best way to import SketchUp. Just drag and drop the SketchUp file, and it imports. Easy as that. Minor cleanup, but imo head and shoulders above old methods.

[Brodie Geers]

Yes 2011, but I actually am looking to go the other way around (from Max into SU).

I pretty much only use 3ds Max when I have to and I'd like to get a few mid-poly bushes and things that are done and textured in 3ds Max into a SU file so I can go straight from SU to Maxwell. Otherwise I'll have to go from SU to 3ds Max (reassociate all the textures, ugh) to Maxwell and then hope that there are no changes.

-Brodie

[Travis Schmiesing]

My fault, I read to fast...

[Paul Moolenaar]

I used to do that a few years ago but got our office away from sketch-up. Back then I think I used to just export as a .dwg and bring it into sketchup.

From Max though I had to make sure that any detail was removed from my modelling, any object stacks were colapsed to an editable mesh (poly was okay but SU liked mesh better) and all materials were Standard Max materials with just basic colour (no maps). I think that's how we went about it. It was a while ago.

[Nick Nielsen]

Brodie,

Did you ever find a solution to the 3DS to SU workflow? I'm looking for a good way to do this too and right now I end up with triangulated faces via the .3ds imported format.

Rgards!

[Brodie Geers]

Currently I have 2 routes. First change all the materials to Standard type materials. Don't worry about any material parameters other than the map in the diffuse slot which is what will show up in SU. Then export either via .3ds or .dae.

I prefer .dae but you can't use the default Autodesk Collada because SU won't import it. You have to download the Open Collada plugin here http://code.google.com/p/opencollada/downloads/list which will add another option to your export file type list - Open Collada .dae. I think you have the option with .dae to not triangulate but don't hold me to that.

.3ds is nice and reliable as well but I run into the 64k triangle limit pretty regularly. Collada has no such polygon limit to exports.

All you can do with extra triangles is run Tom's cleanup script http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=22920 If that doesn't cleanup the triangle that means there's actually a bend there and 3ds Max just wasn't showing it to you.

-Brodie

[Nick Nielsen]

Thank you for the information Brody, it's very useful, and Tom's cleanup script is very handy!

[greenkexi]

brodie_geers,

Opencollada saved my life. Thanks for shared!

[Brodie Geers]

No problem. The main downside to collada is that it doesn't seem to save components through the conversion although I believe the format is capable of it so it may be a SketchUp issue. Overall I find it fits better in most situations though.

-Brodie