I use 3ds or vob ,but all are  not  good.
map or model just is wrong.

I can not work.

Would be good to know which version of Vue you are using,
Models created with Max can look wrong in Vue, those that use arrays or symmetry won't work when exported in a generic file format (3ds, obj...)
If you use Vue Infinite, there is a plug in called the "max to vue exporter", but it only deals with animated meshes.
Now about the mapping: there should ne problem with mapping when imported in Vue. But I really mean mapping, not procedural shaders, these won't import, just as Vue shaders won't export to Max, they are different and not exchangeable between apps.

Export as a wavefront obj and import into Vue. Alternatively, export as an obj, import into poser, add materials and save as a pz3 and then import into vue, or, export from Max as a 3ds and import into vue.

I have a related question, I think.

When I export from 3ds as a .3ds file none of the bumps or transmaps are being carried over when I import into Vue. All of the files are there, but Vue isn't loading them. And I can't figure out how to apply a jpg bump in Vue 6 Infinite, it's expecting a function file.

Any ideas?

The thing with 3ds is that each component of the object and each texture name is allowed 8 digit/letters only, so chances are the names were truncated, and Vue couldn't find the textures. Vue would be looking for  e.g. redwood0, the 8 digits saved within the 3ds object, but the texture's real name is redwood01.
But Vue will tell you that it can't find redwood0, and asks you to find the texture yourself. Do you get this message when loading your object, Jeff?
If not, it means that the program you used for modelling/texturing the object didn't save the textures.
To assign a bitmap to the bump/colour/transparency, whatever material channel in Vue, just right click the sphere and choose edit function.
Then in the function editor click the "add texture" button on the left of the editor, and click on the arrow at the bottom of the newly created black square at the bottom of the editor, called "image"

Thanks for the reply.

Vue doesn't ask t find any of the textures. It seems like it doesn't know about them. I suspect my export from 3ds is missing something, but don't know how to fix that. I can only assume that all the texture maps would be exported properly along with transparencies and bumps.

Well, texturesshould indeed export, even if with new names. Could you open the file in another app to see how it goes?

I did, tried in Poser and got the same results. Only the base color is being applied, no textures or bump maps. And Poser doesn't ask to find the image files either.

Check the filenames. I often had problems with long texture filenames when using models from max, these were gone after renaming the textures to short 8 char filenames and saving in max again, then exporting to 3ds. Well i must admit i also had several issues with importing max models since Vue 4, the format with the least problems was .obj for me.

All of the filenames are already 8.3... But these files already existed from the cd, they weren't exported from me opening the .max file and exporting to .3ds or .obj.

Frustrating.

I did manage to start mapping textures to the object in Vue, but there's no way in this cosmos that I'm going to do that by hand for each piece of each object for 5000 objects, some with hundreds of pieces. There has to be something else I'm missing, lol. No to mention trying to determine which piece of an object goes with which map file...

only thing I can say is send me one of your 3ds files and I'll see what is up. Or max file if 7.0 or earlier.

As i hear "5000 objects"... Is that by any chance the De Espona collection? I got the "low budget" version on the 2 books with 500 models each, but didnt have any problems importing into vue 4. Havent used them in Vue 6 however, i should tidy up and search the discs.  =)

Yes indeed it is the De Espona collection. Vue doesn't recognize the .max extension, otherwise I wouldn't need to export.

Ranman, where can I send it?

randywren@hotmail.com  also send me the max file, I will delete it when I am done.

Sent. Thanks!

ok, first thing, the model you sent uses both multi/subobject and double sided textures. Those textures are max specific, and cannot be read by vue correctly. These models are very max friendly, and very everything else unfriendly. I had to revise the way I made models and textures for this very reason. So, in short, these models are meant to be used and rendered in max. Doing anything else becomes difficult.

Hmm, I see. Difficult, but impossible?

well, it is impossible for it to be easy lol. I would change the way materials are applied to the model in max. Forget the double sided stuff and just apply the jpegs to the model as a standard bitmap material with the jpeg in the diffuse slot. Personally, i would remap it all, but that is just me.

Unfortunately I'm not at all well versed in Max. Are there any tutorials you could point me to?

Thanks very much for all your help, BTW!

3dtotal.com under free stuff, under texturing?  3dlinks.com free stuff.  http://www.3dtutorials.sk/ has some mapping stuff.  And of course th tutorials that come with max are the best place to start. there is a whole series on mapping.