SketchUp to Blender Texture and multiple objects problem.

[Aspireman]

This is more of a Blender issue than a FSX issue, although the information that I need may help in the future if I do decide to create object for FSX using Blender. As you can see in the link video, I create an object using SketchUp. Export as DAE. In MCX I export as 3DS. I then import my 3DS object into Blender. I turn on the material option and the textures show, but are not placed right on the object. Also, the object is now in many parts and if I pull them apart the right textures show up on certain parts. Any answer to the puzzling problem?

https://youtu.be/5qJm_qg0BYg

 

[Aspireman]

There seems to be more going on than this these issues. The Boolean tool isn't working and changing the spectacular amount isn't working either. I know this by trying it out on my other computer. Again using the same techniques as above. I did the same shape as before. It did make it in separate parts, but not as many. I just took the middle out and deleted it. On this version I can change the spectacular amount. Unfortunately it'san old computer and it gets really slow after messing with things after awhile. Strange thing is, on the newer computer I also have Gmax and that isn't working right either. It won't let me move a edge up or down. Might have to uninstall and reinstall both. SketchUp works fine. I don't get it.

 

[Pyscen]

Hello...

Question: (Not that this will correct what is happening with the multiple models and the textures, but....) Why are you converting the model, with an additional step, when you could go from a ".dae" file into Blender? Concerning the textures though,... it could be caused from certain options not being set correctly upon importing from a ".3ds" file. Not all ".3ds" file formats are equal or the same.

 

[Aspireman]

If I import a Dae file it doesn't have any
textures.

 

[gfxpilot]

It should have brought over the textures in to blender. The issue I found was light and camera I used F12 to view in blender render. Had to go right side and check the component list , found some eyes were off so blender didn't focus. I also went through each component , checked its material lists as well.

 

[GaryGB]

Hello:

Do any of the textures for the objects in question use transparency ?

GaryGB

 

[Aspireman]

Gary, In the cabin, yes. The windows where jpgs at first and then I changed their transparency and turned them into PNG. The rest are jpg.

 

[GaryGB]

[EDITED]

You could try copying the 3D models, then in MCX convert mapped textures to Tiff files and over-write originals before export to ex: *.DAE.

I have found this works around transparency issues with DXT BMPs and PNGs sometimes.

Also, be certain Faces in Sketchup all match on each side of a surface so there are no "Reverse" Face orientations prior to applying Materials.

[END_EDIT]

GaryGB

 

[Pyscen]

@GaryGB

This isn't a texture problem in this sense,... changing the the format of the textures will do nothing. 3ds format within Blender isn't the same as in FS. Therefore, the settings are most likely not set correctly upon importing into Blender.

As gfxpilot mentioned above,... the textures will not appear when importing dae file into Blender because their isn't any light source within Blender, this is because the dae file being imported doesn't have a light source saved within.

But, the only way to know for sure what is going on is by letting us look at the dae file, so that we can took a look what is going on (please include in the zip files the textures). Also, the texture names used and where... so that we don't have to look at the video over and over.

 

[Dave_W]

This likely won't contribute much to this thread, but there are many different ways of doing things so, FWIW.

I'm using Blender 2.79a.

I have found that no additional lighting in Blender is needed to see the textures from an imported Sketchup DAE. I don't have a camera or light in my startup file.

As a quick way to see that your object in Blender has textures, I just "discovered" that if I put the 3D viewport in rendered view I can see the texture(s) without any added lights or camera. That is all that is good for. If you switch to texture view, there won't be any texture displayed.

Maybe it has something to do with my Blender setup, or some other error on my part, but I find that even if I add a light and a camera, I still can't see the textures without doing the following:

If the imported file has more than one object, select one of them.

If you were to look at the Texture tab first, there isn't any texture in the texture slot. I only mention this in case someone were to do this and think that there aren't any textures.

But, if you click on the Material tab first and then the Texture tab, there should now be a texture in the slot. In the Material tab there should be something showing in the material slot and the Preview render type should show, depending on the texture, a partial, or fully colored type.

Putting the 3D viewport in Texture view still shows an untextured object.

Switch from Object Mode to Edit Mode and select the object. (Press "A")

If one isn't open, open a UV/Image Editor window.

At the bottom of the window, put the mouse over the "thing" to the left of where it says "+ New". That will open a list of textures. If this is the first object, there will only be one texture in the list. Select the texture.

The texture will then appear on the selected object in the 3D viewport, if it is in Texture view.

For a model with as many textures as shown in the video, this method for making them visible would take a while.

Not knowing what is wanted to be done to the model in Blender, maybe this entire model doesn't need to be imported?

To summarize:
1. Select an object.
2. Click on the Material tab.
3. Click on the Texture tab to verify that the material has a texture.
4. Switch to Edit Mode and select the object.
5. At the bottom of the UV/Image Editor window, select the texture.

At some point put the 3D viewport in Texture view to see the textured object.

Another thing to remember is that if you are going to save this Blender file and want it textured when you reopen it, is to pack the images in it.

There are a few ways to do this. I like File->External Data->automatically pack into .blend

I hope there is something useful in all this.

 

[TheAxeman]

For what it's worth, you can import .skp files directly into Blender using an addon created by some kind soul on BlenderNation. It will import your entire scene including correctly mapped textures. It also preserves any groups you create in SketchUp.

 

[gfxpilot]

Just had a thought! (now I've a headache lol) I noted in some sketchup files when I've used textures that its possible on occasion (and I've no Idea why) that the texture is visible one side and the Invisible from the rear side. I know, because Ive used the command to make an unseen face of a component invisible that this can be created , but I found recently when I exported my DAE file for MCX that everything SU file I have loaded was there and then I could see , quite by accident that a face texture on a window of a tower disappeared. I went back to the original and could see when I placed myself at the right angle the same effect occurred. This was stuttering etc that can occur when SU has a texture ON a component face - Check also that the image used that seems to "disappear" is being applied as a texture during the import in to SU - Ive noted that on occasion flips a problem as well

Im going to try one of my dae files of ELLX airport tower and surrounding buildings today and import then in to blender to see if I can see something like your issue - If I do "I'll be back!"

 

[gfxpilot]

Hi - Aspireman

Ive just gone through a simple to the point import of the DAE in to Blender to see (or not as the case may be) if I can find areas where your issue might occur

So the import result in Image 1 is as expected - everything there .........

The lamp and camera are all at default but I deleted the default cube before I called the import

Did some unfocus (clicking off the eye ) on some of the components to speed up things having checked they were all there - lo and behold - the actual tower that should be visible direct in front axis of the XYZ marker didnt appear at all - completely lost in action yet were there in SU and in an addon to Su that clearly shows said tower so that's one for me to find later........


image - 2
You see the result of all the unfocus in Object mode - and method of display set to Solid.

image - 3
set the display mode to RENDERED - Black out time

image - 4 Changed the Display mode to TEXTURE - note we see the basic solid shape of component but the default lamp is about as useful as icecream fire door

Image - 5 changed the Display mode to MATERIAL and here we go some of the exported textures appear but the light remains a complete no go

I deleted the lamp and see image - 6

image 7 I went to "create" and set the HEMI to act as light source - so here we see all the textures (images) as they would be in Su

I now have to investigate why the tower column and Control room are not visible in blender - However, when I use my free to use addon render proggy ( Twilight Render) in SU I see the tower as well as all the other buildings
image - 8

I can only imagine that there is something we are not seeing (forgive the pun) in Su that Blender is ignoring as well, yet SU is happy to display - I think it has to be something around the textures as in my rendered image you'll see 2 columns one of which as a control tower on top. Perhaps its the algorithm used in SU on certain image/textures Ill have to change mine on the towers next to see it that makes a difference - interesting issue this

 

[gfxpilot]

Sorry GaryB just saw your input yesterday "Do any of the textures for the objects in question use transparency ?"

that's an interesting one as well as my tower has transparencies "attached to the area in the tower glass - .Have to check that something isn't associating settings in the texture used

 

[GaryGB]

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sketchup-to-blender-texture-and-multiple-objects-problem.442320/post-794250

@GaryGB

This isn't a texture problem in this sense,... changing the the format of the textures will do nothing. 3ds format within Blender isn't the same as in FS. Therefore, the settings are most likely not set correctly upon importing into Blender.

As gfxpilot mentioned above,... the textures will not appear when importing dae file into Blender because their isn't any light source within Blender, this is because the dae file being imported doesn't have a light source saved within. I'm assuming he wants to add a smoke effect to the cabin, through Blender... Otherwise not sure why the reason to import into Blender.

But, the only way to know for sure what is going on is by letting us look at the dae file, so that we can took a look what is going on (please include in the zip files the textures). Also, the texture names used and where... so that we don't have to look at the video over and over.

Hi Doug:

I agree that Chris should attach- or link to- the problematic example files so we can better troubleshoot the issues involved.


However, since Chris (aka "Aspireman") has recently been "jumping around" to explore options for creation of new 3D models and/or export of existing 3D models in Sketchup, GMAX and Blender, I'll stand by my recommendation that he consider the above procedures to convert textures with transparency to TIFF format to minimize potential complications with mapped Material texture images (and feature sets of different graphics applications used as editors), until he is more familiar with the requirements of working with various types of DXT BMPs and PNG files, as well as the limitations and internal variations of transparency encoding used within those graphical file formats.


Also to be considered in this thread is the actual file formats that Blender reportedly can work with:

https://www.blender.org/features/pipeline/


That said, as I have not studied the Blender 3D modeling platform, I should properly defer the greater balance of Chris' advisement
to those having substantial personal experience with Blender.


But while I am here posting, I shall also pass along a link to a pertinent online tutorial at a reputable website:

"Import SketchUp models into Blender"

https://www.katsbits.com/tutorials/blender/sketchup-import.php


...and a pertinent Sketchup forum explanation of how to configure Sketchup for export of a 3D model intended to be imported by Blender:

"Sketchup-to-Blender"

https://forums.sketchup.com/t/sketchup-to-blender/45205/5


...as well as a Blender forum explanation of how a textured Sketchup 3D model export may be imported into Blender with textures:

"Importing Sketchup models with textures (Cycles)"

https://blenderartists.org/forum/sh...orting-sketchup-models-with-textures-(Cycles)


BTW: Some additional options discovered via a Google search (...I'd better mention this, lest I miss out on a "inter-web cross-linking" opportunity ! )
http://www.jraces.com/s_sketchup+importer+for+blender/

Hope this helps Chris a bit more with the learning process.

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sketchup-to-blender-texture-and-multiple-objects-problem.442320/post-794250

I'm assuming he wants to add a smoke effect to the cabin, through Blender... Otherwise not sure why the reason to import into Blender.

I'm not following what post- by which thread participant- ...this refers to ?

GaryGB

 

[GaryGB]

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/t...d-multiple-objects-problem.442320/post-794266

For what it's worth, you can import .skp files directly into Blender using an addon created by some kind soul on BlenderNation. It will import your entire scene including correctly mapped textures. It also preserves any groups you create in SketchUp.

Hello:

Possibly you are referring to this thread and linked tutorial ?

https://www.blendernation.com/2008/01/29/from-sketchup-to-blender/

"From SketchUp to Blender"

https://sites.google.com/site/alexvaqp/sketchupblender


...or perhaps instead you are referring to something else at a different web site such as this ?

"Sketchup (SKP) importer"

https://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?360406-Sketchup-(SKP)-importer

https://github.com/martijnberger/pyslapi/releases/tag/0.15

https://github.com/martijnberger/pyslapi


Thanks for sharing the ideas !

GaryGB

 

[GaryGB]

Sorry GaryB just saw your input yesterday "Do any of the textures for the objects in question use transparency ?"

that's an interesting one as well as my tower has transparencies "attached to the area in the tower glass - .Have to check that something isn't associating settings in the texture used

Hi:

I thought I should mention that possibility, as I had problems with a FSX 3D model textured with DXT1 *.BMP texture materials in a working BGLComp-packaged scenery library BGL.

That BGL was imported to the January 29, 2018 version of MCX, then exported by MCX in *.3DS, *,DAE, and *.OBJ format.

When imported into Sketchup as either a *.3DS, *.DAE, or *.OBJ format , that 3D model did NOT display textures, until I converted them all into TIFF format and over-wrote the originals within the MDL inside MCX prior to export.


Hope this helps !

GaryGB

 

[Aspireman]

Ok, sorry that I haven't gotten back. I made another square test and saved it as a dae. All textures are showing but one. I noticed it's not in the power of 2. I'm still having multiple components that confuse me. Also, textures will not show up in Rendered Mode.

Here's what I have:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cCbbhZcaO5G9EUrQOueF32E1yK-3wduX

And a video:

 

[Aspireman]

For the most part I'm just trying to learn Blender and it's rendering capabilities. I know that I can design Bump and Specular Maps for MCX and apply them to my models. I'm not sure how to do that yet. But again I'm asking more about Blender for my own knowledgement of the program and not necessarily for FSX purposes. But maybe in the future I can use it for more complex models.

 

[Aspireman]

Here's the other test object. Again, lots of parts. The textures that don't show up in Texture Mode show up in Render Mode and visa versa. Very strange.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PIhxME-ADAZfXYZRCd3_w1QHVeJPnriD