I'm still having problems importing files from 3dMAX into Vue 4 Pro via 3DS files. I don't get some of the objects in... specially if they were created as instances in MAX. Is there a tutorial that shows the right way to do it? the dos and donts, etc. Thanks

My feeling is that this is more a question for the 3DMax forum. How to export files so that other applications can read them. BTW, there is another limitation in Max. It cuts down texture names to the "good" old DOS thing. Eight characters + 3 for extention. I had a lot of fun with that too - i bought by accident a wonderful looking model, but for Max only and asked a friend to convert it for me. Tons of materials, all names were cut down and without knowing the model very well, you are lost! Have you tried to export the objects as Wavefront format (obj) ? There is a plugin out there for Max to make that possible. And as i understood, free. Maybe this gives you better results.

What part of my reply (the previous time you asked this) was confusing?

I see you asked about applying materials when attaching all objects together (in the first option I gave you). The easiest way is to have all the objects textured before attaching them. Max will automatically make a multi/sub-object material for you.

You said you didn't understand the second option I gave you (the one I use all the time, by the way). Since it always works for me, I'll try to explain again, more explicitly:

In Max:

1. Select all you objects.
2. Go to the Utilities tab (the tab with the hammer icon), click "reset xforms" and then "reset selected".
3. With all your objects still selected, right click, select "convert to editable mesh" (this will collapse modifier stack).
4. Object by object, check to see if the pivots of your objects are in reasonable places (preferably, in the center of each object, usually). If not, center the pivots.
5. Link the objects into a heirarchy. If you don't know how to do that, check Max's online help.
6. Make sure all your textures are named according to DOS conventions (eight characters only).
7. Export 3ds file.

This has worked 100% for me.

steve (kongorilla)

I'm trying the export to .Obj plugin. Seems to work very well as far as the objects and their placement location. I dont seem to export the material textures and aligment. Can I export material with the obj as you can with 3DS? Thanks again

I don't know what format the materials are in in MAX (never used it) but you might need to re-UV map it once you export the obj.

"normally" yes you can - but i dont know anything about Max. Beside it is more or less a dead end. Anyway, you can look with an editor into the mtl-file if there is one when you export to obj. And tell us what is there!