Export triangulation

[JESTERRRRRR]

Hi, I am relatively new to sketchup. I am trying to export a textured model as an obj file. The triangulation it performs is causing me major problems though.

I have a large plane acting as a floor, and I import a 'crate', so just a cube, and place it on the floor. Upon exporting, it removes a section from the floor plane exactly where the crate sits on it, so the floor plane now becomes loads of triangles, instead of simply splitting it from opposite corners into 2 triangles.

Even if I import a model that I have already triangulated into sketchup, upon exporting it still triangulates it again, becoming an absolute mess (again the above problem comes into play).

Here is an image of the problem

1. (bottom left)shows the flat plane, with peices dissapearing where I put a crate on top
2. (top)shows the model imported after triangulation, does not have the bits of floor missing
3. shows the final result of exporting either 1 or 2, it triangulates the model again regardless, by taking out touching geometry (I guess?) and becomes a mess

Does anyone know how to avoid this? I have tried both the exporter in pro, and an exporter I downloaded for the free version. I really want to export it as an obj exactly as it is in picture 2

[Box]

Use groups and components to separate your geometry and make sure you don't tick, Triangulate all faces in the export options.

[JESTERRRRRR]

My model is one large component or group I believe, so I exploded it and tried making parts of it into seperate components or groups, but It still did the same thing unfortunatly. Turning off the option to triangulate faces in the pro exporter makes no difference whatsoever sadly

[mac1]

What exporter are you using, TIG's states by default all faces are triangulated, although it almost look like what you have is some auto folding. Do you have fix problems selected?
Can you post model here?

[Box]

If the floor is one group and the crate another it doesn't triangulate. If there is a hole in the floor where the crate is then it will triangulate.

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[JESTERRRRRR]

Thnaks for the help. You where right Box. I have another problem though, my model initially is already grouped, so exporting immediatly works without the triangulation going mad, but all the faces are reversed. To reverse the faces I have exploded the model, then with all of them selected right clicked and clicked reverse faces. But exploding it ungroups everything, which leads to my original problem.

Is there a way of reversing faces without exploding? (The model is quite large). Selecting every group within the model and clicking edit -> 791 groups -> reverse faces does not work. If I select edit each group individually it does work, but there are 791 of them so I'd like to avoid it

[JESTERRRRRR]

Nevermind, I managed to botch together some ruby to reverse all faces for me. Thanks for your explanation much appreciated

[cotty]

@jesterrrrrr said:

Is there a way of reversing faces without exploding?

You can have a look at the ReverseOrientFace tool (part of Fredo tools )