[Plugin] QuadFaceTools

gudio83 · 12 Mar 2018, 21:13

Hi everybody,
is anyone else who have a problem with importing .obj files?
When I convert .obj to skp with simlab composer, this take me a seconds. When I try with SU (Quad FaceTools) take me over 30min. I've tried on my laptop too, but the same result. Is it normal?

pilou · 12 Mar 2018, 22:39

Have you tried with an another OBJ Importer like the Tig One ?

And there is not native Import OBJ file with the SU Pro version ?
Can you post your OBJ file ?

gudio83 · 13 Mar 2018, 11:03

@pilou said:

Have you tried with an another OBJ Importer like the Tig One ?

And there is not native Import OBJ file with the SU Pro version ?
Can you post your OBJ file ?

No, I've never tried Tig One, but will try.
I have the same problem with all obj files. I've downloaded a lot of models, created on max or cinema4d and i've tried to convert them directly in sketchup, but its very slow.

Hieru · 13 Mar 2018, 14:13

@hornoxx said:

Like you, I couldn't get it to work. But now I've found a way to do it too - with one more simple step than in Box´s demonstration. Before I use QFT like Box did, I unsmoothed the entire geometry first. This worked !! so please give this way a try as well ...
( not a video though but my very first GIF here )

Isn't that just softening the triangulation? Box's demo seems to be removing the triangulation altogether and that's certainly something I can't replicate.

gudio83 · 16 Mar 2018, 17:37

@hieru said:

@hornoxx said:

Like you, I couldn't get it to work. But now I've found a way to do it too - with one more simple step than in Box´s demonstration. Before I use QFT like Box did, I unsmoothed the entire geometry first. This worked !! so please give this way a try as well ...
( not a video though but my very first GIF here )

Isn't that just softening the triangulation? Box's demo seems to be removing the triangulation altogether and that's certainly something I can't replicate.

How and where you unsmooth the geometry, when the problem its loading model?
With simlab composer its easy, but out of sketchup

HornOxx · 26 Mar 2018, 18:51

Hi All - I can't get the two functions Build Corners and Build Ends to run.
Hopefully someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong Thanks!

pilou · 26 Mar 2018, 20:43

Works for me!
in any orientations of the "plane"! (your is vertical) mine horizontal

Post your file! (V6) for a more large audience!
I suspect some overlaped lines or hidden lines trimed or not or...

HornOxx · 27 Mar 2018, 06:49

thanks Pilou - it´s running like yours on my SkUp 2016 Pro (in the company) but sadly not on my private SkUp 2015, 2016 or 2017 Make which is my Quad-SubD-things computer ...

pilou · 27 Mar 2018, 07:38

If you are sure of your drawings that is a big mystery!

optimaforever · 27 Mar 2018, 09:46

Hornoxx, what's sure is you only need to preselect an edge, not the surfaces along the edge.
You also need to be sure that the rim edges are continuous and not splitted, otherwise the quad making is impossible.

optimaforever · 1 Aug 2018, 10:14

hi Thom!

Is there a neat way of doing a offset of a loop towards the outside of a mesh?
I know your "hidden" offset loop function indeed offset loops but only inside an alreay defined mesh.
So long I use R Wilson's "extrude along path" and then delete the unneeded faces but it can quickly become a mess if the path is complex and not in an horizontal plane.

Is it difficult to program an offset of a loop along a predefined XY/YZ/XZ plane (each point of the loop is offset along a horizontal or vertical plane and then relinked to form an offset loop) ?

optimaforever · 29 Aug 2018, 20:50

Hi Thom,

I'm testing RizomUV (a powertool for UV unwrapping) and I have problems when importing QFT's quads OBJ.
The geometry is correct but it seems that 90% of the quads are detached.

I asked the developer if RizomUV was able to reattach the quads but it's not possible. This must be done on the modeling app side.

I tried to export the OBJ to 3dsmax first but max (while displaying the imported mesh as quads) seems to handle the geometry as tris and when I export the mesh as fbx or obj, the imported geometry in RizomUV is all tris.

I tried all the params when exporting my mesh from sketchup+QFT's export options but I never got attached quads in RizomUV.

Do you know how to export ATTACHED quads from SU?
Thanks in advance,

rv1974 · 30 Aug 2018, 08:03

in Max, import (dire straits) skp file, select all, attach all selected (script), detach by material (script)

optimaforever · 30 Aug 2018, 08:12

I can be wrong but when you import skp directly in Max, the geometry is handled as tris by default and not in quads. Quadify modifier doesn’t work as I expect as well.
The difficulty here is to keep the thomthom quads when exporting.

rv1974 · 30 Aug 2018, 11:01

jugging by RizomUV promo video, it works with tris like a beast. Doesn't it?

rv1974 · 30 Aug 2018, 11:08

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/detriangulator
http://www.scriptspot.com/search/apachesolr_search/detriangulate
tried this?

optimaforever · 30 Aug 2018, 12:30

@rv1974 said:

judging by RizomUV promo video, it works with tris like a beast. Doesn't it?

Well, all the tools in RizomUV are based to work with quad-based geometry. with tris, the selection of edges, loops are basically a nightmare.

And... if I can avoid going to 3dsMax, I'd prefer. I'd like to find a Sketchup-based workflow, otherwise I'd simply go the Max route from the beginning.

optimaforever · 4 Sept 2018, 10:29

For what it's worth, the dev of RizomUV says that the reattach command within RizomUV is on the TODO list.
http://forum.rizom-lab.com/thread/903/all-edges-borders-weld?page=1&scrollTo=2450

kaas · 7 Oct 2018, 08:57

Anyone knows if there's a way of exporting a quadFaceTools model to another program while keeping the quads logic intact - so you're not ending up with a standard triangle model? I expect not because it's a smart 'hack' by ThomThom...but hopefully I'm wrong.

I ask because apparently, in the next version of UnrealEngine they might/will support openSubDiv. If quads in SketchUp could be exported to UE that could be really nice for furniture, cars etc etc.

optimaforever · 7 Oct 2018, 09:06

@kaas said:

Anyone knows if there's a way of exporting a quadFaceTools model to another program while keeping the quads logic intact - so you're not ending up with a standard triangle model? I expect not because it's a smart 'hack' by ThomThom...but hopefully I'm wrong.

I ask because apparently, in the next version of UnrealEngine they might/will support openSubDiv. If quads in SketchUp could be exported to UE that could be really nice for furniture, cars etc etc.

Did you tried with
Tools>Quadface tools>Export>OBJ format
?