[Plugin] Import OBJ with Materials v2.1 20131118

Janice

Hi,

I am using Sketchup 2013 and installed obj_importer_v2.2.rbz. I am trying to import a .obj file in to Sketchup.

I installed by going to Window > Preferences and then clicking Extensions. The Extensions panel is displayed and then I clicked the Install Extension button.

Then I restarted sketchup.

Then I select import and the file format for obj still doesn't appear.

I was hoping you might now what I am doing wrong. Should I be importing a different way?

Thanks in advance.

TIG

This tool is NOT an importer that is listed under the File menu...
That would need a special kind of coding...

This tool makes its entries in the Plugins menu...

komeyl

@chris fullmer said:

And thanks!

how to import materials obj?

TIG

@komeyl said:

@chris fullmer said:

And thanks!

how to import materials obj?
Help us to help you... You question is useless
Let's assume you have the plugin's RB file correctly installed in the Plugins folder and you have restarted SketchUp...
And also that you have an OBJ file, and it related MTL file defining materials - this must be kept with the OBJ file.
If there are textures specified they come as image-files inside a subfolder that is kept with the MTL file [its exact name varies - open the MTL in notepad to see the expected folder-name/relative-path...]

Run the Import OBJ tool from its Plugins menu item [I assume you'll want 'with Textures'].
Answer the dialog prompts [if you don't know the original units accept the default 'inches'], then wait as it is processed.

Answer the prompt at the end - you will probably want to flip the imported geometry upright.
You should now have the imported object using the specified materials and textures.

To see progress watch the status bar.
If you have the Ruby Console open rare error-message might appear...

If the geometry is exceptionally tiny and arrives with 'holes', then try reimporting it as 'meters' [scaling down to the real size later] - that way you'll avoid the known tolerance issues, where very tiny edges are not created by SketchUp when it considers their ends 'coincident' [~/1000"], then the related face is lost because it has a gap in its edge-loop - tiny geometry can 'exist' [say after scaling down] but it can't be 'created'.

Should you need further help, please come back and ask concisely and clearly, ...

bagatelo

The inverse option, for export obj files from SU is possible?
Thanks anyway....

sketchorro

Hi,

Let me start by saying thanks for this plugin, it's great.

I've started using it to import models from Structure Sensor.

I decided to do a little hacking to make my life easier; basically setting the units to default to metres and taking a look at how to bulk import mesh models (todo). I also discovered that when the models were loading in the background/covered by another window, they loaded much faster (I'm on OSX/'14 Make).

The reason for this is because the UI is getting hammered with several tens/hundreds of thousands of repaints (1 per obj file line) to updated the status bar from this:

	 Sketchup.set_status_text("Processing line #{line_cnt} of #{lines.length}")

I took a crack at fixing this by making the status line update on a change in percentage. I obviously screwed it up not being a ruby coder, but in the process discovered my 40K+ line (991kb) models loaded in about 2 seconds.

It still slows down when you get really big models; I have a 13.2MB file that starts to grind after about 90%, but I suspect this is a memory/swap bottleneck.

Anyway, I fixed my update code and it looks like this:

Initialize the percentage variables before the looping starts


 old_percentage=-1
 new_percentage=0

 ### trap in case of a missing 'g'
 lines=["g OBJ\n"]+lines

Update the status and force sketchup to repaint once per percentage point.


 # Sketchup.set_status_text("Processing line #{line_cnt} of #{lines.length}")
 new_percentage = ((line_cnt * 100.0)/lines.length).round;
 if old_percentage != new_percentage
   Sketchup.set_status_text("Importing Model - #{new_percentage}% (#{line_cnt} of #{lines.length})")
 end#if
 old_percentage = new_percentage

Probably something that would help others enjoy this plugin a little more.

-G

enuminous

I've just installed Import OBJ with Materials 2.1 and am running into the same problem, with materials being replaced with white/grey. I'm exporting from Poser, and the .obj and .mtl files are in a folder, with a Textures subfolder containing the generated PNG files. I've also tried it with the PNG materials in the same folder at the .obj and .mtl files. Neither works. I'm running Sketchup2015 64 in Yosemite on a 5K Retina iMac if that helps. Any suggestions?

storm2000

@enuminous said:

I've just installed Import OBJ with Materials 2.1 and am running into the same problem, with materials being replaced with white/grey. I'm exporting from Poser, and the .obj and .mtl files are in a folder, with a Textures subfolder containing the generated PNG files. I've also tried it with the PNG materials in the same folder at the .obj and .mtl files. Neither works. I'm running Sketchup2015 64 in Yosemite on a 5K Retina iMac if that helps. Any suggestions?

Same for me here, on SketchUp 2014 on Windows, OBJ + MTL textures. All textures are gray. Any solution to make it working welcome

TIG

Please make a ZIP of the OBJ, MTL and textures-subfolder [including its image-files].
Then either attach it to a post here, or onto a Private Message sent to me.

Any messages in the Ruby Console ?
If the OBJ refers to the MTL, and that MTL refers to the texture image files then it should work...

aclark

Will this plugin work with SU2015? I have a large .obj with 219 different UV textures, and so far this hasn't worked (fails to import). Or do I need to be using 2013 in order for the importing and mapping to work appropriately? I get this file to import correctly using SimLab's plugin, but the materials are all wonky because the mapping is incorrect. Any help would be appreciated.

TIG

It works in all currently available SketchUp versions.

Without the OBJ/MTL/Textures it's difficult to say what your issue is.
Sometimes OBJ files do not follow the prescribed format and are awkward to parse [e.g. -ve vertex referencing] - although those main variants are catered for already in its code...
If it ZIPs to <= ~4Mb you can attach it to a Post or a Private-Message...
Or use a Dropdown etc and PM me a link...

BUT alternatively you could think about getting Blender [free], importing the OBJ into that, exporting from that as a DAE and finally importing that into your SKP using the native Collada Importer ??
See if that helps.
But if that OBJ/MTL/Tetxures is inherently flaky - as your SimLab experience suggests - then perhaps it's inevitable ?

fluid

We just released FluidImporter 3.1.0. You can get it here.

Here's what's new:

Faster import
FluidImporter is now a full .rbz extension, with a single file for Windows/OSX
You can access FluidImporter funtionality through the menu Extensions -> FluidImporter
Added edge smooth option
Options are now saved so you don't lose your settings when closing SkechUp

Mike Amos

I have tried with obj files this week, the import with materials fails to bring all the geometry across and import as geometry loses faces but at least keeps the lines for the geometry. Is there something I can do to get all the geometry?

Link to models. http://www.colacola.se
Link to topic http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=81%26amp;t=62675

TIG

I've only looked at one downloadable model.
The most recently added OBJ [bazze...] is poorly set up.
There is no units 'clue' in its header.
There is no call to an MTL file inside the OBJ.
There is no MTL file - which would be used to define Materials.
The two images are not referenced, as there is no MTL file to call them - also they typically go inside a subfolder with the OBJ and MTL files...

So using that you will never get materials included.
If you guess the units to be 'meters' then all of the geometry might get made...
With smaller units, any tiny edges will not get created, and any reliant faces will also no make it through...

Mike Amos

Thanks TIG, I am guessing that as the modeller is European that metres is the correct scale, especially as the subject is reasonably large. I have SOME of the models translated with Turbocad but the older aircraft tend to be more complex and that is where the problems lie.

Mike Amos

It worked after a few attempts, very slow but that is understandable with all the detail. I will have to work out how to wrap the textures next. Thanks againTIG, I appreciate your quick response.

erkan

Hi TIG,

I've been using this wonderful plugin for quite a long time, apparently it wouldn't work nicely in 2016 Make (I haven't tested in 2016 Pro) but it's working like a charm in 2015 Pro. So is there a plan to make it work under 2016 Make?

When I say it wouldn't work it's not bringing all the geometry, just some random faces from the whole model.

Cheers
erkan

TIG

I'm unsure why you are having issues with v2016...
It should be compatible, even though its RBZ hasn't yet been signed to run in all v2016's security-policies...
I haven't tested it though !
So, is the exact same OBJ working differently in v2015 and v2016 ?
Can you ZIP the OBJ etc, and PM it to me, so I can test it here...

faBcn

Hi TIG!
Thank you so much for the plugin.
I finally installed old frecle Tree[D] that I had downloaded when still available... I think it's great and easy to use to generate 3d trees, so your plugin is perfect to be able to import OBJ + Material into my sketchup 2016.
Tree[D] is still a MUST HAVE in 2016 or there´s new stuff? vs 3D Tree Maker? Free is better...

Bob James

I purchased a model in .obj format from Turbosquid. Within the OBJ folder are .obj files and .mtl files. In addition to the OBJ folder there is a TEXTURES folder containing .tif files.
I've tried several ways to import the model into SU. The only time anything was actually imported was when I used "Import as Mesh", but some of the model was missing (size=feet) and there were no textures or materials.
OBJ folder content

The Cortaderia_variant1.obj file contains identification of the .mtl file:

==========================================================================

Wavefront OBJ format exported by Red-i Productions' "Riptide Pro"

(a commercial plugin for Cinema 4D PC & Mac, R9.6 or later)

Red-i Productions

http://skinprops.com

==========================================================================

mtllib Cortaderia_variant1.mtl
o si3d_0031_leaf01
v -0.00283137 0.010224 0.114454
v -0.000566467 0.00851267 0.116015
v 0.00263311 0.00845039 0.116518
v -0.0110162 0.0498717 0.168671
v -0.00835776 0.0478127 0.170411
v -0.00461871 0.0477404 0.171001
v -0.0204793 0.0850494.....................

The mtllib Cortaderia_variant1.mtl file contains:

==========================================================================

Wavefront Material file

Exported by Red-i Productions' "Riptide Pro"

(a commercial plugin for Cinema 4D PC & Mac, R9.6 or later)

Red-i Productions

http://skinprops.com

==========================================================================

newmtl default_Mat
illum 2
Kd 0.800000 0.800000 0.800000

newmtl si3d_0031_leaf01
Ns 50.781250
illum 2
Kd 0.800000 0.800000 0.800000
map_Kd si3d_0031_leaf01.tif
bump si3d_0031_leaf01_rel.tif
map_d si3d_0031_leaf01_a.tif

newmtl si3d_0031_leaf02
Ns 50.781250
illum 2
Kd 0.800000 0.800000 0.800000
map_Kd si3d_0031_leaf02.tif
bump si3d_0031_leaf01_rel.tif
map_d si3d_0031_leaf01_a.tif

etc,
.
.
.
.
.

The textures folder contains:
Pampas textures.PNG