Hello everyone, I am very new to Poser, and have downloaded some wonderful files here, but I have no idea where to put the 3DS files. I have looked in all the folders to see where other 3DS files are, but I haven't found any. Thanks Moonbow

Poser doesn't really use 3ds unless they are just props. You can import them into a scene but they don't really belong in any files in Poser. Sharen

After you've imported them, you can save them in Poser format. Wireframes usually end up in the Runtime/Geometries folders.

Just create your own folder, named 3DS files if you like. The best place is probably outside the Runtime folder but in the Poser folder. To get the prop into a Poser scene, go to the file menu, select import/3D Studio.

Attached Link: http://www.uvmapper.com/

The Import function is under the File menu at the top left of your poser screen. you'll often need to scale a prop up or down after importing. Once they've been imported, you can save them as props into one of your props folders (or as a PZ3 file). To save as a prop, make certain you have the whole object selected, or you'll actually only be saving the portion that's selected. Try deleting the original from your scene & re-loading it from your saved prop to be sure. Many imported files have odd invisible portions that are the result of "flipped normals" (just means poser is confused about wheather a particular area is an inside surface or outside surface - inside surfaces are often invisible, or only visible from certain angles) you can expirament with the import parameters (File-Import-3DS) to minimize this, or you can use a utility like the "make double sided" utility in the free stuff. Or run it thru the excellent UV-Mapper utility. Most Imported 3DS files also have no texturing. UV-Mapper can also be used to remedy this. (Lots of tutorials for this). If you're importing a complex model, like a furnished house from the Great Buidings site, you'll have to bear in mind it will be one static prop - the doors & windows won'tr open, and the furniture can't be moved around without additional work on the model. - lots of tutorials for that, too. Good Luck!

Thank you all so much:)

To save as a prop, make certain you have the whole object selected Just an addendum to that. If you have something that is a multiple prop, such as Maclean's head scarf. You have the option in Poser when adding a prop to the library of selecting a "subset". Essentially this is a small version of the heirarchy editor and when you add a prop to the library the first dialogue box will have "select subset" on a button. If you click on that you will see a list of items and objects that you currently have in the Poser workspace. If you then click in the little boxes next to the items you want to add as a prop Poser will stick the whole lot into a prop file so that the next time you load them, they all come back in together. This is especially useful if you assemble something like candles in a candleholder or a feather in a cap and want to keep them together. This is particularly useful if you have a set of props that are all either parented to each other or that need to be loaded as a single item. I haven't tried it with multiple smart props such as jewellery but I don't see why it wouldn't work with those.

Leather-Guy, you mentioned a "make double sided utility in the free stuff" to deal with the problem of inverted normals when importing 3DS and OBJ files into Poser. I just searched the Free Stuff with "double sided" and didn't find anything, but I found "Twoface version 4.0" by scrolling. Is this the utility you referred to? Finally, when an artist supplies both an OBJ and an RDS, which one do you prefer? - Ricky

Ricky Java, thats the progam but I wouldn't use it to just fix reversed normals beacuase it makes the file size larger. Its good for when you've created a single side object that you don't want have to model a back side. To fix reversed normals theres a "make polygon normals consitant" option when importing in Poser. If that doesn't work, you can use the grouping tool to flip the normals piece by piece.

Yes, Twoface is what I should have said :-((. Cybermonk shows a lot more experience with fixing normals than I have :-)) - If you have a choice in mesh types, I always prefer OBJ format - I don't think Poser even imports RayDream files directly. You'd need an external program to convert. If it's only avail in RDS or another incompatible format, check out 3D Exploration (shareware, available from Right Hemisphere - Has a great browser-type preview screen, & converts between several 3D formats. I've heard of another called (I think?) Crossroads, that converts, but I have no experience with it, as I came across 3D Exploration first, & it does nearly everything I needed (A bit Pricey to register, though). Good Luck!

3D Exploration doesn't support RDS files. I've looked all on the web and never found a converter that did. I think preferably use OBJ, 3DS if the modeler doesn't export OBJ.

I have to apologize. I wrote "RDS" format when I actually meant "3DS." Since I cut my teeth on Ray Dream Studio some years ago, I guess I have it on the brain. Sorry. An example of the OBJ/3DS thing is the bathtub created by Anthony Hernandez (aka Nosfiratu), which is available in FreeStuff. The Zip file includes: bathtub.obj bathtub.3ds Based on the advice given here, I plan to use Twoface4.exe with the OBJ file to get the bathtub into Poser with visible exterior surfaces. Thanks again for all of the help. - Richard