hi all!

when importing an object that will used as a prop, i want to be able to go into the material tab in poser and be able to assign a different material to each obj.

for instance: my prop is forearm armour, and in my 3d program it is made up of 4 different parts...armour, buckles, straps, strap anchor. i want to be able to go into the poser material tab and assign a texture/map to each one of those items that make up the forearm armour.

how would i do that?

i don't know how i did it earlier but i imported an obj prop that was made up of two items (buckle, belt) and it imported as one obj file...but when i went into the material tab i was able to click on the different parts of the belt.obj (ie; the belt and the buckle) and assign different maps to those. now i cannot replicate that happy accident! lol!

when i export from my 3d program i export as a obj and by groups. though i am not sure if i need my seperate parts that make up the obj file "grouped" or just as seperate polys...i've tried both ways.

thanks all!

Which modeling program are you using?

Open the model either in your modeling program, or in UVMapper, and select each part and assign it to a material zone (exactly how to do that depends on which modeling program you're using).

thanks for responding. i'm using 3ds max. i know it can be done because i have an imported obj file in poser that will let me access 2 different groupings in that obj file, in the material room. understand? in max i export the obj file and export with groupings (should be able to access groupings in poser), in poser i import w/ groups and should be able to access each group within the obj import.

i don't want to import a buckle.obj, and then a strap.obj, and then a forearm.obj into poser...i should be able to import to poser 1 obj file that will still have the internal groupings available for use in the material room.

Hi, mrpeabody..

I know exactly what you want to do, but since I don't have access to 3ds max I can't advise you too well..

But what martian_manhunter suggested would probably solve your problem.

Background: In the majority of 3D apps that I know of (limited, but non-the-less spans a fair few), the separate objects of a model, when exported as .obj files, are consolidated into a single mesh.

Unless anything in the export options allows you to "make each object into a different group" (or similar wording) then the result will be a .obj file with no groups.
You have to assign the groups in the modelling app (one to each object you have in your case) before exporting.

The easiest way (again, in the apps that I have) is to give each object a different colour. It doesn't matter what the colours are, just so long as they're different. The app should then, on export, create the groups for the colours in the .obj file.

Then, after importing the resulting .obj file into Poser, the groups should be available in the Mat room. Exactly what they'll be called will depend on a) how the app decides to name them and b) whether the app allows you to rename material groups...

Of course, all of the above may be totally redundant if I'm barking up the wrong tree, 'cos I can't test it out - but...

Cheers anyway,
Diolma

ahhh i figured it out.

import obj with "groupings"...then go into the setup room and create groups (auto group)...and then "assign material" to each group, thus giving it it's own map...so it will read as one obj file in poser (forearm armour) but you will be able to assign maps to the following groups that you created and assigned materials to. (buckles, leather, strap, metal)

i'm making some cool armour, it's my first attempt here but all is coming along nice...slow and steady, save aften.