Ok..something has gone wonky with 3ds max. I can export obj files all day long...but the minutes I attempt to export with material assigns intact, it crashes and I get a file full of nothingness. (which makes me want to tear my hair out while creating things for Poser...less frustrating than before I knew what was messed up..but still)

So on a simple little test model, I exported the obj file, and a mtl file. Now how do I manage to combine the two realtively painlessly (if there is such a process) so I can have my nice material zones in Poser? Assuming I'm correct and the mtl file knows which polys go with which material...

Because I'm not going to fight with the damn group editor in Poser because frankly, I hate it. I do all my base work in Max because it's a great deal less frustrating. I know I can also add in materials with UVmapper...but sometimes when I'm creating something quick for myself and am just going to use shaders I don't always take the time to worry about setting up my UVs for proper texturing.

The MTL file doesn't identify which facets go with each material.  That is
done inside the OBJ file.  In the OBJ, each 'usemtl' line starts a set of facets
that go with this material.

So the OBJ file might have:

g floor
usemtl wood
f 460/673 459/676 457/696 458/695
f 462/674 461/675 459/676 460/673
f 464/677 463/702 465/678 466/679
f 466/679 465/678 467/680 468/681
f 457/682 459/683 465/684 463/706
... and so on .......

Then the MTL file gives some of the colors and texture maps for
each material. 

newmtl wood
Ns 50
Ka 0 0 0
Kd 1 1 1
Ks 0.198791 0.0783166 0.104556
map_Kd Wood-h.jpg

The Kd corresponds to Diffuse color in Poser; Ks is specular color; Ka is ambient color;
and the map is the diffuse map.  MTL files don't include any of the newer features of
materials such as shaders.

When you import an OBJ file, Poser will read the MTL, but because it's
so basic, it doesn't give you much of a head start .... in most cases you'll
do just as well starting the materials from scratch inside Poser.

Farg.....there went that idea then. x_X

Guess I'll have to move to plan B and go with assigning material zones with UV mapper then. (This quick & easy project just got a whole lot longer) But now that I know what's going on, won't take too much to adjust the work process.

Thanks ockham. =)

The mtl zones should still be on the model, you just have to attach a poser material to them in Poser, you should not need to regroup anything .

They're not. (I've tried) The only way I can get Max to export to obj format without crashing and giving me a file of 0 bytes is to uncheck all matieral options. It's not giving me any ifs, ands or butts. (not sure why, couple weeks ago everything was fine...then last week it started doing this)

I'm not regrouping things, I'm having to assign the materials after export because of whatever thing that's gone wonky on my machine. Just means I have to be very diligent in planning out and setting up my UV maps. Then just go through and assign the materials in UV mapper. My project for today worked out fine...just hadn't wanted to spend the extra time on the UVs....

I can get everything intact just as needed if I export out as .3ds....but that's a very very messy mesh, and only did one thing that way for a quicky dynamic oufit.

I had thought UVmapper was able to manipulate groups/material zones within OBJ files, don't know if this really helps you but may be worth a look.

http://www.uvmapper.com/downloads.html