How to solve the problem "Invalid Texture Index" ?

[Anonymous]

Hi, why when i import an .obj file into 3DS Max 2018 appear the error message "Invalid Texture Index" ?

It's possible to solve this problem?

3DS Max 2012 import these .obj files without problems, but i want to use 3DS Max 2018

[spacefrog_]

can you post the file ?

As far i see this there has to be some error in the file ( there was another thread recently about this problem and i wasn't able to repoduce with my own models ). So the file in question would be interesting to analyze the problem

[Anonymous]

if it is possible then please show the file. If texture coordinates aren't required (just geometry), unchecking the "Texture Coordinates" box in the .obj importer may allow the file to load in 3ds Max 2018.

[revel68]

This is a really bad problem that only exists in 2018. The obj import will be fine on previous versions.  I really really hope they fix this! It stunts production greatly.

if you google around you will find an official autodesk post about this issue that actually tells you to use a previous version of max.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Error-...

The work around I've been using is Checking or Unchecking "Combine Objects" on import.  For non combined you can may be combined once in max BUT anybody working in high data sets and crazy detailed work can't be splitting things up. I built my workflow around 3dsmax 2014 and how all that works and my workflow has been t-boned by the particulars of 2018.  When this error pops up its a true hitch in productivity.

The other work around is I literally load an older version of Max and flush the object through that. 

As previously stated I believe you can untick the UV import and I think that can work. The problem is that a lot of times i need the UVs for example a human face that is pre-uv'd and coming back from ZBrush.  Also when you do this you might forget it next time you import something you need uvs on. So be careful. These settings stick for next import.  

[Anonymous]

in fact, now i have installed, 3ds max 2012, 3ds max 2017 and 3ds max 2018. But why this?

[revel68]

I just ran in to the issue again tonight.  100's of subtools that I have brought in to max for years and years the same method for my job and now I can't. I need the UVs from Zbrush for this project and I get a basic error with no help.

The workaround i'm using is dumping all of the objs out and then bringing them in to 3dsMax using a batch importer script.  You bring in a full folder of like 200 objs if you want.  

I think they should make it so you can batch import objs in max natively but they still do not have a solution for this.  

I got workarounds for workaround for workarounds going on in 2018.

[stephen.d.green]

I can't believe this is *still* broken in 2019.

No, wait it's Autodesk breaking proper import on one of the most commonly used formats, of course I can believe they can't be bothered fixing it.

Abysmal.

[rasmus.selker]

Still a problem in max2019.1.1 - Autodesk, fix this asap please !

SOLUTION: Just use GoZ! works like a charm...

[Anonymous]

Same here. Hello, anyone fixed this at autodesk?

[S2Martworx]

Same here ... 😞 I'm on 2019 with Update 3 ... Pls. FIX that!

[S2Martworx]

Hey just this minute i found a solution -  my obj works with using the single mesh option in the import dialogue. Hope this helps someone:-)

[revel68]

Yes true, one thing that can help is either trying to turn on, or off, "Import as Single Mesh".  I've used that.

The problem there is a lot of us are working with very large projects and lots of polys.  For instance I use Decimation Master to export entire characters (perhaps at a lower polycount) to work on in Max.    It is nice to have all the subtools seperate. When you combine, at best you are dealing with breaking them apart and at worst you have a huge problem with 1 super high poly piece and its incredibly hard to manage/deal with if at all.

So if you are bringing in a character of 35 pieces totaling 5 million triangles then you might still be better off trying to run it through an older version of max and then merging a file over to 2018.  It's been a real pain and I hope it gets fixed!

[john.sullivan4 · Accepted solution]

Thanks so much your idea of just importing as a single mesh worked!  Luckily I was done texturing and about to combine all the pieces into a single mesh anyway.  Hopefully they get this problem ironed out soon.  I miss 3ds 2016 I had so few problems with it, ever since it forced me to update to a newer version I've been pulling my hair out running into issues I've never had before.  2020 just kept crashing no matter how many updates I installed, 2019 has had its fair share of issues as well.  I'm also not a fan of how they re did just about all the UI buttons.  My brain was trained to click on certain colors at certain places to do things because thats just how it had always been.  Now the UI in spots looks completely different.  I miss 2016 so much.