Is there a way to import as quad based mesh from MAX?

[Richard McCarthy]

Hellooo AGAIN! ...

Sorry, I am a newbie so please bear with me for this triple assaults of questions!

Is there a way to import the MAX file? I understand it might have to go through dwg or other intermediatary file formats, but if this method is used, would it produce triangulated mesh? is there a way to make quad based mesh out of this so it's easier for manipulation in Sketchup (eg. push and pull) ???

 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Mark Bolin]

Richard,

 

This is the best solution I've found so far. If you insert a MAX/VIZ file in Sketchup, some of the triangle edges show and some don't. While in MAX/VIZ, I select the objects I will be manipulating in Sketchup and add a edit mesh modifier. Select edges in the modifier and select all edges. Hit the "Visible" button to unhide all edges. I would do this in sketchup but I can't figure out how to unhide edges on a flat surface. Anyway, now bring the model over via dwg/dxf and you should have something like my first image. If you select a face on the wall to extrude, you only get one piece of the wall. Erase all the lines/edges that are no longer needed as in my second image. Now you can select the wall as one face and push or pull. Works for me but if anyone can figure out a better way, let me know.

 

Mark

[GaryR50]

Your MAX file will need to be converted to DXF first, Richard. You can also bring it in via Autocad, as a DWG, though DXF might work better. Once in SketchUp, you'll want to reduce the number of polygons and smooth it.

 

Gary

[Reitveld]

Also, when importing DWG files, check the SketchUP option button and select 'Merge Coplanar Faces' That will get rid of all the extra lines.