Sketchup to 3ds workflow issue

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have a problem importing a model made in Sketchup to 3ds 2017.

The model has metal balustrade elements made by more than 18.000 objects in the same layer.

Once I import in 3ds every single metal bar (which become meshes in 3ds) from the balustrade is a separate object slowing down a lot the handling speed of the max file (the max file takes 20 mins to just open). Everything is fine if I merge all the bars in one geometry but this process takes ages.

Is there any way I can import all the elements in the same layer in just one object???????

You can find here a screenshot to show how the metal bars have different wire colors because they are independent objects to each other, also you can find a screenshot with import settings.

Many thanks!

[darawork]

Hi,

I have been working with big SketchUp models the last few weeks, importing into max.

You can get some more flexibility if you export the .skp to a .dwg or .3ds first.

When you say 'merge', do you merge in SketchUp or 3DSMax?

[Anonymous]

I merge the elements in 3ds with the ATTACH LIST but I cannot do it in once otherwise, the file crashes for sure.

[darawork]

Try exporting a .3ds from SketchUp and take a look at the 'export by' options, I can't remember which type I used but one of the 'export by' functions grouped objects by layer. I can't check now because all the floating licences for SketchUp Pro are being used here, if someone frees a licence up I will check.

[Anonymous]

I tried to import as dwg or 3ds and the metal bars stay independent from each other.

[darawork]

Ok,

So that didn't work.

You say that the scene is quicker when the objects are merged, but that the process is really slow.

'Slow' as in it takes ages for the computer to perform the merge process, or 'slow' as in it takes ages to select all the balustrades?

If the answer is 'slow' it takes ages to select them; Do the balustrades all have the same material applied in SketchUp?

Have you tried selecting them all by material in 3DSMax? E.g. Eyedropper tool one of them to get the material, then right-click the material (I use the Slate Material Editor, it might be a different process in the Compact Material Editor) and pick -> Select... -> by material.

I've not used Attach List before, would 'Group...' achieve the same result? You say that trying to ATTACH them all at once crashes 3DSMax. 18,000 six sided boxes does not seem that many, in the greater scheme of things. Perhaps if your PC is grinding you could Group them in their own separate scene and merge them into your main scene afterwards?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

3dsmax always has difficulties with a large number of elements 3dsmax prefers less elements with an equivalent number of polygons 🙂

In sketchup are the elements not components?

3dsmax up date?

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Is this still an issue for you?  You're running into the hard limits of Max object handling.  I wouldn't try to have more than 8000 objects in a Max scene, let alone 18000.  Is there no way Sketchup can attach these on the way out?  

My best advice here is to not try to attach all 18000 objects at once, or it would take forever as you've noted.  Try attaching 300-500 objects at a time, it'll be much faster the the entire process may only take a few minutes.  Ideally, these are considered 1 object before exporting from Sketchup though.  I am not sure how possible that is.  

Another option is to export obj because when Max imports OBJ it can combine things all to 1 mesh.  Might not work well with that many objects but it's worth a try.  

Best Regards,

[brentscannell]

hi @Anonymous

I'm on the product team for 3ds Max, responsible for interop workflows. Would you be willing to supply the source Sketchup file to us? We have some research planned for Sketchup to Max interop and this could be a good "problem to solve" example.

Thanks!

-Brent

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

I just wanted to follow up here, any thoughts on my previous post? Thanks for the update!

Best Regards,