Max assigning Mat IDs to AutoCAD Blocks

[braddewald]

So I am working through trying to increase efficiency with my workflow and stumbled across the following problem.

I have a block in AutoCAD containing geometry on 4 layers and when I import it using the "Derive AutoCAD primitives by: Entity" it comes into Max as a "VIZBlock."

When I convert the VIZBlock to an Editable Poly, max converts each piece of geometry within the block to its own Element within the Editable Poly. Then it assigns each element a material ID. PERFECTION!!!! This is EXACTLY what I want to happen.

 

Only one problem: The material IDs seem to be completely random (although they have stayed consistent between trials). In other words, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what material id numbers it assigns to each Element... one will get a 5, one will get a 2, and one will get a 1. On top of this, it is assigning two critical pieces of geometry the SAME material ID of "2".

I want to be able to assign a Multi-Sub-Object Material to the Editable Poly. Unfortunately, the two elements that it is assigning the same material ID to, I need to be on separate IDs to accomplish the aforementioned task.

 

Any ideas? This would help me out immensely. Again, I want to be able to either choose which elements get which mat id's (without changing them manually, as I would have to do that 100 times for each project) or at the least be able to force Max to get those two elements off the same mat id.

 

Thanks in advance!!!