How can I split an object into many parts, and saving them seperately as different obj files?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I'm new here, so if I did anything wrong please tell me, thank you.

Now I have a obj file, it's a human model:
http://thefree3dmodels.com/stuff/characters/claire/14-1-0-2561

I want to split this model into several obj files,
for example, into Left_Forearm.obj, Left_Upper_Arm.obj, Right_Thigh.obj, ..., and so on.

I successfully imported the obj file of the whole human body,
but then I don't know how to select the part I want and export it as an obj file!

I can only select by "group" !
But the group division defined in the obj file is not in the form I need,
for example, two arms are in the same group.

If any of you experts can help me with this, I would be very very grateful!!
Thank you for reading my post!

[Steve_Curley]

Select the group, on the Main Menu go to Groups > Ungroup. You should then be able to select the individual parts and export them.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the reply!!

But the "Ungroup" button is in the dim font and could not be clicked.
I've tried selecting a few groups first to see if the "Ungroup" button would be available, but it didn't work.
When I'm not selecting any group, the button is still dim.
What can I do then?

Thanks again!

[Steve_Curley]

Ok, so I had to d/l the file. They aren't Groups, they're simply parts (Elements) of a larger Mesh.

Select "5". Hit Alt+Q (to Isolate it). Go to the Element Sub-Object level and click on the various parts. 2 arms, 2 thumbs, 8 fingers, 2 "gaps" on the backs of the hands and a waistband.

To extract the parts you want you'll have to select those Elements of the object and Detach them to separate objects. Repeat for the other imported objects. Then, quite probably, re-attach them together so you get the left hand, thumb, fingers and glove all in one object whch you can then export.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Thank you very much for even bothering to actually edit it! I succeeded!
By your instruction, I found out that the critical step is to "detach" the part I selected by faces as a new object!
Sorry for wrongly refering to the "parts/elements" as "groups". I referred so because that's the term used in obj file format. It seems that the naming in 3ds max is different.


To help others with the same proplem,
here is how I cut a forearm apart and export it as a new obj file :

Select the element ( or object, or in terms of obj format : group ) containing the forearm you want,
then right-click the mouse on the element/object, and choose "convert to editable mesh".

Now the right panel will show several selection units for you to choose,
choose the unit as "face" by clicking a triangle icon there.

Drag-select the forearm to make it red, then right-click on it , select "detach".
A window pops out asking you to name the new object, which is the forearm.
After this, the forearm would be isolated from the old element/object and become a new object itself.

Select the forearm object, and click the most top-left button on the 3ds max window,
select "export" -> "export selected", and choose the file type as obj. Done.

Sorry for writting in such details,
because I assume that people who have the same problem as me would be as unfamiliar with 3ds max as me, HaHa.

Thank you again!