Problem Adding Color/Texture to imported objects

jamesn320 · 23 Sept 2015, 15:38

Hi,

I have imported models from Tekla Structures into SkethchUP. The model comes in looking great and each assembly is a component group. I have attached a sample of this exactly as Tekla exports it. What I want to do is select different components and apply a texture or color to all the surfaces so I can produce a render. So for example selecting all the columns and adding a Galv finish. But it will not let me, I can select the texture I want but when I click on the component is does nothing. If I do an 'Entry Info' on the component it shows the texture? If I explode the component I can add the texture to the surfaces but I don't want to explode the components as there are thousands of them in a big job. If I draw a new cube and make it a component I can add the texture. So what is different about the imports?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, James.

Test.skp

Box · 23 Sept 2015, 17:43

The imports have a material applied to the faces of the raw geometry. Painting the component won't override that.
You can go to the actual material using the eyedropper or entity info etc and edit it throughout the model.
Or one of the material plugins might be what you need to change things.

JQL · 23 Sept 2015, 19:41

I think the best way would be to double click the component several times until you have selected the faces you want to paint.

With this you have been able to edit the component.

That is the context you want to apply the new material, applying it to the faces inside the component instead painting the component.

The difference is that when you paint a component, only the faces that inside the component AND have no material assigned, receive the new material. All faces inside the component that have a material directly assigned, will ignore the component's material as box described.