'Ungrouping' sketchup models when they are imported to 3ds Max - any help welcomed!!

[katylomas]

I have recently been asked to import a sketch up model into 3ds max (which is not the problem; the model, camera's and sunlight systems all import perfectly). However the sketch up model seems to be in one large 'group' and i can therefore not assign different materials to it as i would wish. However when i select the model it does not seem to be a 3ds max 'group' 'assembly' or in a 'container'.

 

Apologies if the answer to this is really obvious but i am recently returned to 3ds max after a 7 year gap and rusty isn't event the word! Any help at all in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

 

cheers

[fredriksimons]

I've recently imported a SketchUp file into 3ds Max and am also having the problem with understanding the grouping in 3DS Max. I know that in 3DS, it uses a button called attach which allows objects to be grouped together in the same way as SU but what I can't understand is how to open these groups as you can in SU. If you've found a way to get around this problem, it would be much appreciated!

[Jose Negrete]

You could try selecting polygons by material ID if the model was textured in sketch up. Then detach those and texture. You could also assign material IDs yourself (if the model is not too complex and portions can be selected quickly). *Polygon: Material IDs - rollout

[numerobis]

A SU group normally gets imported as object.

 

If you disable "Split object by layer" in the skp import dialog you should get objects (no groups) according to your skp groups (base level for nested groups) with multi/sub materials assigned when the groups contain multiple materials.

 

To import objects split by material you could move different materials to different layers an enable the "Split object by layer" option.

 

In max you can attach objects to other objects or group them as separate objects (menu bar>group)

Edited January 18, 2014 by numerobis