Hello fellow SketchUp users!

There's something that puzzles me, that I haven't been able to figure out or find any information about it.

Before I started using SketchUp, I used to create models using AutoCAD. These DWG files, I would xref them into 3ds max. In 3ds max I would assign materials based on layers. Since the model was xrefed, I could keep making changes and simply reload the file in 3ds max. Upon reload, the parts (or layers) that were not affected by change would maintain their materials. I could keep doing this over and over, and most of the model would keep the applied materials.

My question is, How can I do this when exporting DWG from SketchUp?

When exporting DWGs from SketchUp, I can also apply materials based on layers. But even the smallest change to the model, makes the entire model lose its applied materials upon reload of xref. I can understand if SketchUp doesn't create the exact type of DWG as AutoCAD, but is there no better way to xref files created by SketchUp in 3d max?

Please help. Any advice or suggestion would be greatly appreciate it!. Thanks.