topic Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax in Collaboration with other software

Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:35:18 GMT

Before anyone even thinks about telling me to search these forums for an answer, please know that I HAVE searched these forums, I found some answers, but for some reason I still can't seem to get it to work.

OK here goes:

Using ArchiCAD 12 on a OSX 10.5, 2.4 Ghz Intel Core Duo iMac, 4Gb Ram.
Using 3DSM 9 on Bootcamp with Windows XP.

Very simple model, 6 walls, a couple of ArchiCAD 12 couch library parts, a table, 2 windows, a 4 panel sliding door. Hipped roof. Slab floor.

Internal view, Save As...
3DStudio file

Construct 3D Studio objects according to: Materials
Set drawing unit to: 1000mm

File saved to desktop, transfer to USB drive.

Restart iMac into Bootcamp Windows XP.

Open 3D Studio Max, and attempt to open saved 3DStudio file, but it will NOT OPEN.

Have tried this with the view in OpenGL, Internal shaded and Internal hidden lines.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Am I missing a simple part of the save process? Is anyone successful in doing what I am attempting, AC12 to 3DSM 9, iMac with Bootcamp etc?

Any help much appreciated.

Mike

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Erika Epstein — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:59:17 GMT

Fuzzy,
Why are you wanting to base your translation on Materials instead of the default archicad 3DS translation?

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:06:11 GMT

Erika,

are you referring to:

Construct 3D Studio objects according to: ArchiCAD objects (native output)? when saving the 3DStudio file?

If yes, then my answer is, because that is what I read on other, older, topics in this forum. People have suggested that by 'Materials' is the ONLY way to export successfully to 3DSM.

I will try the 'ArchiCAD objects (native output)' option, and the other options other than Materials, when I return to my other office were the 3DSM is set up.

Will keep you posted.

Mike

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:20:28 GMT

Ahhhh what you can find if you search AGAIN!!!

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=135868

This post suggests the following options selected when saving from ArchiCAD as a 3DStudio file:

Materials
1000mm
Object = group name (7 characters)

Will post my progress later today.

Mike

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:22:41 GMT

Thanks to sbrincat for this screenshot of their suggested settings.

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Erika Epstein — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:26:51 GMT

Mike,
The intent of my question was specifically why chose Materials based rules? What do you want to do with the model in the other program?

I went to the help menu in AC to see what the reasoning is behind the options:

3D Studio File (.3ds)
With the 3D window in front you can save 3D models of your projects in AutoDesk’s 3D Studio 3DS photorealistic rendering and animation file format.
The resulting document will include the following information:
•

3D model geometry: All surfaces and all edges.
•

Surface materials: All materials used in the project, including the name and the characteristics.
•

Light sources: Both the sun and the additional light sources are included. Sun will be handled as a spotlight very far away from the project.
•

3D projection: The current perspective settings and Fly Through paths are included.
•

Shadow casting information: The current shadow casting setup in the PhotoRendering Settings/Effects dialog box of ArchiCAD is included.
•

Smooth (welding) information: The smoothing setup in the PhotoRendering Settings/Effects dialog box of ArchiCAD is included.
After choosing the .3ds file format, click Save. The Save 3D as 3D Studio object dialog box opens:
•

Construct 3D Studio objects according to ArchiCAD objects: Click this button to create a 3D Studio file without grouping.
•

Construct 3D Studio objects according to Element types and Materials: Click this button to create a group in the 3D Studio file for each ArchiCAD construction element, and within these groups, create internal groups for each surface material.
•

Construct 3D Studio objects according to Layers and Materials: Click this button to create groups in the 3D Studio file for each ArchiCAD layer, and within these groups, create internal groups for each surface material.
•

Construct 3D Studio objects according to Materials: Click this button to create a group in the 3D Studio file for each surface material.
•

Drawing Unit: In this field, you can define the distance in the ArchiCAD project that will be translated into a drawing unit in 3D Studio. As ArchiCAD works with metric data internally, setting the drawing unit to 1 meter (=1000 mm) will result in a 1:1 model after the conversion.
•

Colors: You can choose either the ArchiCAD pen colors, or match the ArchiCAD colors to a similar 3D Studio color.
•

ArchiCAD texture information: You can select whether to include material texture information in the 3D Studio file.
•

Object = Group Name: You can select whether the object’s name should be a generated unique ID or the group’s name.
Note that 3D Studio works with names up to 10 characters. For names generated by ArchiCAD the convention is the following:
•

Chars 1 to 7: unique ID or clipped layer/material name.
•

Chars 8 to 9: used for a distinctive number to avoid identical names generated by clipping. Up to 100 variations of the same name are allowed this way.
•

Char 10: used for slicing information. 3D Studio can handle up to 65,536 polygons by object. If an object has multiple polygons, ArchiCAD will split the object into several objects and put the segment number into Char 10.

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:36:29 GMT

Hi Erika,

I am trying to learn how to use 3DSM and VRAY to produce rendered stills and animations, from ArchiCAD files.

I'm going to give the settings supplied by sbrincat a shot and go from there.

Nice work using the ArchiCAD help menu, I would never have thought of that!!!!!hehehhehe

Mike

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:20:45 GMT

Export by materials only!
If you work in cm, scale 1:1000! It's an AC bug.
Texture information - not needed! AC maps are bad, so you probably would like to apply new ones.
Object/group name if only for your help, otherwise they come as numbers.

Have a search for ml plugins for Max. They help you import in Max without the stupid AC fog.

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:51:57 GMT

kliment wrote:
Have a search for ml plugins for Max. They help you import in Max without the stupid AC fog.

Hi Kliment,

Could you please give more details about the "ml plugins" (an alternative name perhaps, the firm or person that is making them, ...), as I can't seem to find anything related to them on Google.

Thank you in advance,
Adrian Tudoreanu

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:42:28 GMT

ml is for Marc Lorenz. This is an old plug-in for Max. I don't know if it can be used with latest Max versions. I have downloaded it several years ago from somewhere but I cannot remember it.

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Erika Epstein — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:20:59 GMT

fuzzymike2002 wrote:
I am trying to learn how to use 3DSM and VRAY to produce rendered stills and animations, from ArchiCAD files.
Mike

Fuzzy Mike,
I can't help you with 3DSM and VRAY, others here might be able to. Perhaps these other programs also have some help menus?

I did notice that one of the sub choices when I used Material based translator created material bitmaps. These could then be loaded into your other program. Perhaps that is why others suggested this translator?

HTH

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:16:37 GMT

kliment wrote:
ml is for Marc Lorenz.

Kliment, thank you so much for this information. I've downloaded the plugin (from here http://plugins.angstraum.at/) and tried it on Max9. It works, but ... at a closer inspection, I've discovered that it tends to reduce the number of segments on curved parts (especially on complex models), thus altering the smoothness of the geometry. I've unchecked the "Weld Overlapping Vertices" box, but the result is the same. Are there any other options that I should take into acount?

Thank you,
Adrian Tudoreanu

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:05:58 GMT

OK I worked out my problem:

Using ArchiCAD 12 on a OSX 10.5, 2.4 Ghz Intel Core Duo iMac, 4Gb Ram.
Using 3DSM 9 on Bootcamp with Windows XP.

Very simple model, 6 walls, a couple of ArchiCAD 12 couch library parts, a table, 2 windows, a 4 panel sliding door. Hipped roof. Slab floor.

Internal view, Save As...
3DStudio file

Construct 3D Studio objects according to: Materials
Set drawing unit to: 1000mm

File saved to desktop, transfer to USB drive.

Restart iMac into Bootcamp Windows XP.

Open 3D Studio Max, and IMPORT saved 3DStudio file, I was trying to Open the file, but I needed to IMPORT the file!!!

Have a search for ml plugins for Max. They help you import in Max without the stupid AC fog.

Kliment, this fog you speak of, does this occur when you render in 3DSM? After I successfully IMPORTED my ArchiCAD house into a new 3DSM file, I was doing some basic Internal Lighting renders with VRay tutorials, but each time I rendered there was a dark grey fog over the image. But if I imported the same ArchiCAD house into the tutorials own 3DSM file it worked fine, ie no dark grey fog.

Mike

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:10:00 GMT

Erika wrote:
Mike,
The intent of my question was specifically why chose Materials based rules? What do you want to do with the model in the other program?

Erika, the reason behind the 'materials' option is for ease of use once in 3dsMax. the materials option keeps all your objects with the same material as one object - much easier to isolate that object and change things if you wish to do so.

other export options create 1 object for every little thing so it is harder to work on specific parts of your model in Max.

---------------------

adytc,

i think the fog may have something to do with the 'ambient light' within Max. press '8' (environment panel should come up) and check the environment light colour. this should be set to black.

regarding the model export, i set out on the same quest as you about a year ago and i find now that it is quicker to export the linework from your plans/elevations and quickly rebuild the model inside Max using the linework to snap to.

why? i've found that 'cleaning' and preparing a .3ds import for further editing takes longer than rebuilding from scratch. moreover, the .3ds file creates very messy geometry on all but the most basic forms (cubes with no holes) so trying to make changes can be a pain (try changing the shape of your window profile or smoothing your door and see what happens)

also, the geometry that AC exports can create render artifacts (shading errors etc) when some of the exported faces are very long and thin and triangulated where Max PREFERS (not always the case) regular sized, square faces.

if you want photoreal results you'll need to chamfer most things, add some 'noise' (irregularities) to your objects so they seem a bit more lifelike and give you the highlights that you will want to see.

BUT, by all means, start off with .3ds and start experimenting as only experience will tell you what you can and can't get away with.

HTH

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:29:33 GMT

Adrian, I think the number of segments on curved surfaces in an AC problem.

Mike, fog messes with the rendered image and I still haven't found a way to remove it. That is why I use ml plugins or copy the geometry to a new file.

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:33:33 GMT

the ml plugins are excellent. I have no fog, the 3Dstudio file comes in with no problems, well no problems to my untrained eye.

I also looked at his Occlusion plugin, I was disappointed at how EASY it made the process, hahahaha.

I did however have some problems with the ml GoCubix plug in, anyone using this plug in successfully? The program crashes on me every time I attempt to open the 6 tiff files.

Mike

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:09:20 GMT

I have also written a Max plugin to import AC models through 3ds format into 3dsMax, and be able to work with Max in the same way you do with Artlantis: I place materials, lights, UVWamp, displacement etc... in MAX, and update the model from Archicad as I progress in the project.
It can be downloaded here:
http://www.mirarkitektur.com/?menu=softwares&categorie=maxscript
Please give me feedback if you try it.

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:03:38 GMT

Thanks Oliver...
I will try your plugin... I'm having a problem with the convensional way to export to 3ds...
the beams with created profile and some walls are missing on 3d max

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:49:06 GMT

kliment wrote:
Adrian, I think the number of segments on curved surfaces in an AC problem.

I don't know what to say. After restarting Max and importing the same 3ds file using the ML Plugin, all seems fine.

Re: Exporting to 3DStudioMax

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:58:04 GMT

fabricfo wrote:
I'm having a problem with the convensional way to export to 3ds...

Hi Fabricio,

This looks like an AC12 bug that was reported several months ago. Please see this thread
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=130705&highlight=3ds+max#130705
(read Kliment's posts for a workaround).

Hope that helps,
Adrian Tudoreanu