Max, Viz Nooobbbb needing further help.

[Noahma]

Okydoky, I have another question for the max / viz gurus.

I have a 3ds file that is of a bed with sheets, and pillows, and a frame. Importing it into Autocad gives me two "materials" when I split the objects by material, it combines the pillows and frame, but leaves the mattress and sheets separate, or it brings the entire thing in as one object. While playing around with Max design last night I found somehow a way to move the pillows, and the other items separate from each other. How did I do this? and is it possible to export each individual item as a separate 3ds file for import into ACA?

(we have viz 2 in the office, and the render engine is a little dated. and we do not have budget available to get ahold of max design. at the moment.)

[Cad64]

While playing around with Max design last night I found somehow a way to move the pillows, and the other items separate from each other. How did I do this?

Without seeing the file you're working with, It's hard to say exactly what you did? Did you Detach the pillows from the rest of the model?


and is it possible to export each individual item as a separate 3ds file for import into ACA?

Yes, if you want to Export individual objects one at a time, just select the object you want to Export, then go to the File menu and choose "Export Selected".

[Noahma]

Without seeing the file you're working with, It's hard to say exactly what you did? Did you Detach the pillows from the rest of the model?



Yes, if you want to Export individual objects one at a time, just select the object you want to Export, then go to the File menu and choose "Export Selected".

the file came from archibase.net which as tons of 3d models. The file itself seems to be one mesh with several textures, when first selecting the object it picks everything. I managed to get somewhere where it let me select some of the items within that object, it had something to do with elements. Let me see if I can find that file on archibase for you to take a look at. as it is a little to big for me to upload.

http://www.archibase.net/download/1681.html

the bed has multiple pillows, the matress and the sheet cover with a bedframe.

My plan is to use our copy of viz, increase the polycount to smooth the mesh's out, then export the objects by my proposed materials, import them into my ACA file for rendering a bedroom for a test project I am working on for my own fun lol.

[Noahma]

thank you much CAD64, I think I found what I needed to do to get it to work, with your help (sometimes the obvious thing needs to be pointed out, even if it is unintentional. lol) I had to click on the modify tab at the top, then editable mesh, and then click on the element tab, and it seemed to work for me. now all I have to do is see if this will translate to our very old work horse of VIZ Release 2!!!

I might talk the boss into Max Design if we get to do more of these renders while we are slow.

[Cad64]

Ok, I downloaded the file and Imported it into Max. You're right about opening the Modify Panel and choosing the "Element" selection mode. This will allow you to Move, Scale and Rotate the individual pieces, but the model is still intact. It's still basically all one piece. You need to break it apart if you want to Import each individual piece into Autocad.

I would suggest "Detaching" the different elements of the model so that you end up with 3 separate groups
Group 1 = Pillows
Group 2 = Matress
Group 3 = Bed Frame

Of course you could "Detach" each individual pillow if you wanted to.

Then just go to the "File" menu and choose "Export Selected" and Export each of these separate pieces as .3ds format and then Import them into Autocad.

[Noahma]

Ok, I downloaded the file and Imported it into Max. You're right about opening the Modify Panel and choosing the "Element" selection mode. This will allow you to Move, Scale and Rotate the individual pieces, but the model is still intact. It's still basically all one piece. You need to break it apart if you want to Import each individual piece into Autocad.

I would suggest "Detaching" the different elements of the model so that you end up with 3 separate groups
Group 1 = Pillows
Group 2 = Matress
Group 3 = Bed Frame

Of course you could "Detach" each individual pillow if you wanted to.

Then just go to the "File" menu and choose "Export Selected" and Export each of these separate pieces as .3ds format and then Import them into Autocad.

that is very similar to what I ended up doing. Except I have been exporting each item as a seperate 3ds file. The logic behind that would be to pick and choose peices I may want on this type of bed, IE different pillows, sheets, and what not. I have them all scaled with other items to a standard king size matress size. This is fun... I might have to mess with max a bit more now.

[Cad64]

Sounds like you're on the right track. :thumbsup:
Keep at it. Max is a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. :)

[Noahma]

thank you much for your help. Now all I have to do is try to figure out how this works with our stone age version of VIZ that is in our office. I can select the different elements, but cannot move them as a whole, or do anything with them. I can select and modiy each Vernice though, but it shows as still attached to the bed itself.

I don't see the office buying MAX design anytime soon, which is a shame it seems to be an amazing program.

(I had done everything in the trial version of Max Design last night)

[Cad64]

Unfortunately, I know nothing about Viz. Never used it. And since it has now been discontinued (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=4221521), I don't have any plans to learn it either.

Good luck. :thumbsup:

[Noahma]

Unfortunately, I know nothing about Viz. Never used it. And since it has now been discontinued (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=4221521), I don't have any plans to learn it either.

Good luck. :thumbsup:

I found supprisingly I can import the max meshes into Sketchup and spend a little time grouping items, then export it from sketchup into a dwg file, and whala I have my object. when importing from sketchup it turns all the groups into blocks for easy management of the mesh.

[Cad64]

Oh yes, sketchup can work with 3ds files. If your boss doesn't want to spring for an expensive 3D program right now, sketchup is a nice free alternative. And the Pro version is only $500. Couple that with the Kerkythea (http://www.kerkythea.net/joomla/) rendering engine and you can create some fairly decent renders. Not as good as Max though, but decent.

[Noahma]

Oh yes, sketchup can work with 3ds files. If your boss doesn't want to spring for an expensive 3D program right now, sketchup is a nice free alternative. And the Pro version is only $500. Couple that with the Kerkythea (http://www.kerkythea.net/joomla/) rendering engine and you can create some fairly decent renders. Not as good as Max though, but decent.

we have a couple licenses for Sketch up, used for doing quick massing models. One of my co workers is going through and testing podium rendering engine at the moment as well.

WOW, for a freeware render engine, it produces some very nice stuff.
thanks for the link to the site.

[Cad64]

Thanks to Mr. f700es. He's the one that introduced me to it. :thumbsup: