Please help!!! Problem with FBX

[marcelo fernandes]

Hi, guys.

I've recently upgraded to max 2016 and everything was going smoothly until this NIGHTMARE happened:

 

My methodology is always the same. regardless of which software I or my clients modelled in, i usually turn it into .dwg and from there to .FBX. Then i link it in 3ds max and have endless joy by just pressing a button to update the model whithout loosing any of the materials and modifiers.

I've been working like this for years.

 

But since i installed 2016, it bugs bigtime. I still haven't found exactly when and why it happens, but i think that after i restart the computer or whatever, the fbx«s don't update anymore. What happends it that it only imports whichever NEW LAYERS where created since the last update and deletes everything else. I IS A NIGHTMARE!!!!

 

I have my imports and exports well configured, i guess. can't see where the problem may be. Any ideas, guys?

I have a lot of work and am really in need of some insight.

 

Cheers!

[marcelo fernandes]

Ok, so this is the exact problem.

 

 

PELASE HELLLPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Francisco Penaloza]

I have several problem with Max 2016 FBX importer, I already send some feedback to Autodesk hopefully they take care if it, so far nothing.

What I am doing is importing and linking everything in Max 2014 then work the rest on Max 2016, yes this is lame but as you mentioned deadlines are deadlines.

If you are receiving your model from other software than REVIT, you should not change the DWG to FBX, you can work with a linked DWG too. Changing the mesh from one format to other also it is not recommended, because it can create unwanted triangulation.

IF you get DWG work with them.

 

Hopefully some else come with a better solution.

[marcelo fernandes]

hey Francisco. Thank you for your answer.

When importing Rhino models, i manage to link DWG directly and it works like a charm. With Sketchup models, though, the history is different:

 

What i want is to import every sketchup layer as a single object. I've tried all possible export*import combinations to no avail and that's where my SKP_DWG_FBX workflow comes from. So:

 

-If i export SKP files directly to FBX, it will generate individual objects, meaning that when i add new geometry and update, i'll have to reapply the materials and modifiers to the new ones. that sucks :\

 

-Same story if i export SKP to DWG and link it in 3ds. I've tried all combinations of DWG import in Max and i can only end up with either multiple objects per layer or one single object per file, which is weird, because there is a LAYER option. When i chose this one, it just imports as a single object.

 

 

-Of course i am assuming that whichever problem that affects FBX inks does not affect DWG links. Do you have any information on this?

 

I hope i was clear with my problem and someone has the answer. Anyway, if not, i'll just have to go back to max 2014. That's life

[Scott Schroeder]

Are you on Max 2016 SP1? Supposedly they fixed the empty FBX issues, at least when it did it with Revit linking (which links to a FBX anyways, it's just hidden from your eyes).

 

FBX linking itself has some serious bugs in 2016, so I would avoid it at all costs. The other big one is wild scale issues if you work in anything other than centimeters in Max. Which is hilarious as A) It has worked in the past 2 year's versions and B) FBX is Autodesk's end-all-be-all universal works everywhere when you need it file format.

 

I don't think SketchUp does a very good job at exporting layer names. I have few issues with that as well, but it is as simple as creating new layers. I usually create new layers anyways that have more logical names and flow that what you get with most files.

[marcelo fernandes]

Hey, Scott. Thanks. It's good to know about these bugs. I won't even bother with it 2016 anymore.

 

There were a just a couple of advantages (for me at least) that 2016 had over 2014.

-it loaded the material editor and material libraries a lot faster

-it had FINALLY group layer like rhino (although i was very excited about it, i kind of never used it at the end of the day ehehehe), but at the expense of a more complicated user interface, i think.

 

As i do most of the modelling in other programs, whichever new features were cool, i wouldn't even know how to use them

 

Now, i have just reinstalled all my plugins and everything on a fresh 2014 installation and... fingers crossed!

 

Already, it has come up with a problem:

My material libraries (vray) that were been used by 2016 all these weeks now aren't recognized by 2014. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know max files don't have backwards compatibility and i had to leave 2016 installed to save my libraries and stuff *.2014 along the way, but for the matlibs, there is no way i can SAVE AS _ legacy format.

 

 

@SCOTT, as for the layer names i realized that if you export in .3ds it cuts the layer names after 4 or 5 letters and applies a _0001 after it (eg: _b_facade_glass = _b_fac0001), but if you export to .dwg it exports the whole name of the layers.

 

Cheers guys and good work!!!!

[Francisco Penaloza]

3DsMax can import sketchup files directly, with that you keep everything from sketchup, groups, components, even lines.

The only issue with 2016 (of course it won't be that easy) if you have your sketchup model in a network environment, the textures will get missing in the export. nice Autodesk, if the files are in your PC and you link in your PC everything should import fine. The work around, well import on 2014 then work your file on 2016.

[marcelo fernandes]

Thank you, Francisco. Actually I want to link the files, not just import them. My sketchup file is a work model and all the heavy duty work is made in max. The clients are always changing the projects, so I cannot afford to import it 5 times a day.

[Francisco Penaloza]

I understand you point, and hopefully you can find a solution for it. But if in your company/service is so close of early design phase maybe for you it will be better to render directly within Sketchup. There is many tool now that can get a nice pro looking rendering straight out of sketchup instead of dealing with exporting, linking and so on.

Maybe later in the process for "Final" render it is worth to export to a more robust 3D software.

 

just a thought.

[marcelo fernandes]

Hey. I Just dialed everything back to 2014. Things are working perfectly.

I don't believe that the working 3d model should be the same we use for the renders. In sketchup i always work with a very light and basic model that can be changed quickly and it just updates to max easily, where i put all the cars, people, vegetation and furniture with forest pack. I believe this is the most productive workflow.

 

In my business, my clients know that i will develop their project while preparing the renders, so both are done at the same time... And without exception, they always want to change something after I hit the render button, so no way I will take risks and just IMPORT things.

 

Thank you for your feddback guys and if someone has any news about this fbx issue, just let me know.

[marcelo fernandes]

There is only one problem now. Does anyone know how to convert my material libraries back to 2014?

 

 

Jesus, how must everything be so complicated?

[marcelo fernandes]

I fixed the libraries problem. Just opened in max.16, apllied all the materials to boxes and saved the file as max.14 . then, i just imported the 2014maxfiles and converted them to matlibs again. Just took me half an hour, but it was really boring. heheeheheheh