Sketchup to 3DS Max viewport problem

halroach · 28 Aug 2011, 10:41

Hi,

I've exported a sketchup model into 3ds format for importing into 3D Max 2009 with the final intention of rendering with Vray for Max.

After importing into Max, when I try to orbit or zoom, in and out of the model, it jumps in real large increments and I am unable to zoom in on little objects, if it's a window sill or a door nob, or things like that...
My model units in sketchup and in max are in cm. The model dimensions are rather large, ~280x280m (I need the buildings in the background), but sketchup doesn't have any serious clipping problems... only in max.

I believe the problem is with the geometry I am importing. If I build native max geometry in the same dimensions of my model, and then erase the imported model, the zooming and orbiting is rather fine...

What do I need to do to be able to zoom in and out and orbit normally like in sketchup?
Is there a good tutorial for a good work flow of sketchup to 3dmax+vray?

thanks!

brodie · 29 Aug 2011, 17:39

Sorry if this is terribly unhelpful. One thing I've noticed is that 3ds Max's clipping seems to depend a lot on how large the area your viewing is (that's a bit unclea I know). Typically, I just select an object and Zoom Extents, that seems to reset things to the appropriate scale and help with clipping issues. I can't think of anything inherent in the geometry itself which would cause this but have you tried exporting to something besides .3ds just to check?

-Brodie

halroach · 30 Aug 2011, 11:30

Thanks!
I guess it's not the geometry. I tried importing a DWG and it was the same.
The Zoom Extents method works, by pressing Z. But you have to know how and when to press it for it work properly. (when I posted the first post I wasn't using it right I guess) Now I got it to work well by selecting the smallest geometry I could find...

But what if I didn't have that gemotry to begin with? then what!?!
Ahhhh the 3DS MAX interface is so crappy and unfriendly! When will Autodesk figure out the sketchup camera movement?

@unknownuser said:

Sorry if this is terribly unhelpful. One thing I've noticed is that 3ds Max's clipping seems to depend a lot on how large the area your viewing is (that's a bit unclea I know). Typically, I just select an object and Zoom Extents, that seems to reset things to the appropriate scale and help with clipping issues. I can't think of anything inherent in the geometry itself which would cause this but have you tried exporting to something besides .3ds just to check?

-Brodie

halroach · 30 Aug 2011, 12:02

As weird as it would sound it actually seems to be a problem with the type of geometry imported.

I imported a DWG (units in cm) (of the same sketchup model) and zooming, panning and orbiting is fine - almost like in sketchup
When I import the 3DS (units in cm) It gives me problems. Pressing Z for zoom extents may help but zooming with the scroll wheel still goes wild. first click of scroll wheel it goes back like one meter, the second click of the scroll wheel goes like 10-50m back... it's ridiculous!

@unknownuser said:

Sorry if this is terribly unhelpful. One thing I've noticed is that 3ds Max's clipping seems to depend a lot on how large the area your viewing is (that's a bit unclea I know). Typically, I just select an object and Zoom Extents, that seems to reset things to the appropriate scale and help with clipping issues. I can't think of anything inherent in the geometry itself which would cause this but have you tried exporting to something besides .3ds just to check?

-Brodie

halroach · 30 Aug 2011, 12:17

I found that the difference between the 3DS import and DWG is that the 3DS was importing the sketchup cameras. For some reason the cameras that are imported are target cameras where the target is kilometers away from the model, which may be causing the zoom problems. When I delete the cameras it works like with the DWG import! good!!!

But why on earth would the cameras be created with the target so far away? I think that when I solve that, things will work better!

@unknownuser said:

As weird as it would sound it actually seems to be a problem with the type of geometry imported.

I imported a DWG (units in cm) (of the same sketchup model) and zooming, panning and orbiting is fine - almost like in sketchup

When I import the 3DS (units in cm) It gives me problems. Pressing Z for zoom extents may help but zooming with the scroll wheel still goes wild. first click of scroll wheel it goes back like one meter, the second click of the scroll wheel goes like 10-50m back... it's ridiculous!

EarthMover · 30 Aug 2011, 13:22

Generally in Max, I use the cameras to save "scenes" like in sketchup. For general navigation I use the perspective view, which can be toggled by pressing "p" on the keyboard. In perspective view, navigation is very similar to sketchup. To set a camera, use the shortcut CTRL C while in perspective mode, then P again to toggle back to perspective to go and set another camera. It's like setting up scenes that you can toggle to for rendering. If you are having issues still, sometimes, switching to Orthographic view will resolve the zoom issue. There is also a setting to change the zoom increment in preferences. As a general rule, (while in perspective) max will use the selected item as it's orbit center, so keep that in mind. You can also turn off the camera export in the .3ds setting from sketchup. If you can upgrade at any point to Max 2011-12, the .skp import support does away with a lot of problems associated with .3ds import.

brodie · 30 Aug 2011, 13:31

I probably wouldn't trust a generically created sketchup camera too much. If you were in ortho mode or 2 point perspective that could certainly throw things way off. Even if not, though, there's nothing native within SU to determine where the focus point should be. And even if you find a way to get a focus point, will that translate through a .3ds file? I don't know. SU's ACT camera plugin doesn't have an option for focal distance. I can set a focal distance with my Maxwell render plugin but it doesn't translate through .3ds.

-Brodie

Edit: I agree wholeheartedly with Earthmover. You should be using perspective to navigate. And 3ds Max's SU importer is quite nice. It preserves all of your components as 3ds Max instances and textures translate very well. There was a SU importer for 2010 but I think it had to be downloaded separately whereas it's integrated into 2011.