glTF exports fallback materials

[VectorFrankenstein]

Hello,

since a couple of days I'm not longer able to export to glTF correctly. All the exported materials appear in black. 

If I open the glTF file in an editor, the material is exported as a "fallback material". 

This behavior happens for me when I use the glTF or the PBR material in 3ds max without any texture map, just using an albedo color.

  "materials": [
    {
      "name": "fallback Material",
      "pbrMetallicRoughness": {
        "baseColorFactor": [
          0.0,
          0.0,
          0.0,
          1.0
        ]
      }
    }
  ],

And this happens also with the official provided test scene "patio_example.max", like in the attached screenshot.

 

Does anybody has an idea, what could be the problem?

I use 3ds Max 2023.3 / Windows 10 and the latest V-Ray version.

Thanks in advance,

Guido

[chios3SLTP]

Hello, did you fix this? I have the same problem

[raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs]

Any updates? using 3dsMax 2025 I was able to create some *.glb files working perfectly, but 2 weeks later when I resume the project, it only export black models. Also now creates a *.log file along the *.glb and the *.glb file size is suspiciously low. Any workarounds?

[DanielCantin]

Hi @raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs, have you installed new plugins in the period between glTF working and not working, or anything else that could have happen on your system in that period?
Could you share the .log file of a problematic export?

[raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs]

Hi @DanielCantin thank you for the reply and interest.
About the log file I'm afraid that due company security measures can't send any type of files over internet, but if there's a way in which I can paste the text inside the log file? (I can do it in the forum, but maybe is too much). Or tell me if there's a specific thing I should I look on it?
About the in-between period, there wasn't any change either in the computer or the 3dsMax software. But thinking about that, There's a way to restart or deactivate/activate that plugin in 3dsMax?

[raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs]

Found a workaround.
Export and *.fbx, open it in Miscrosoft Paint 3D and export from there as *.glb.
I test using Standard (Legacy) material, the Physical Material doesn't work.
Still wanted to know how to export directly from 3dsMax, though. 

[DanielCantin]

Any Errors in the log, some Warnings (invalid shader node warnings are expected for example)

[raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs]

Hi @DanielCantin thanks for the input.

Looking carefully in the log, can't found anything related to invalid or shader, but I found a line saying:

<e class_id="10" class_name="ExceptionEvent" tracking_level="0" version="0">

(sorry not to share the whole thing but shows files directories) which makes me think that maybe the problem is something related with the Max Project settings because when I do Reset or change the Project setting to Max default in the same line now appears:

e class_id="10" class_name="GeneralWarningEvent" tracking_level="0" version="0">
<ObjectProcessEvent class_id="11" tracking_level="0" version="1">
<Event></Event>
<m_role>3</m_role>
<m_eventSeverity>3</m_eventSeverity>
<m_objectId>
<strData></strData>
</m_objectId>
<m_startTime class_id="12" tracking_level="0" version="0">
<timestamp></timestamp>
</m_startTime>
<m_endTime>
<timestamp></timestamp>
</m_endTime>
</ObjectProcessEvent>
<message>
<strData>got document version: 1.38, upgrading to 1.38...</strData>
</message>

And this time there's not showing a file directory. By the way the last string of the file directory it seems to points towards the material "temporal" file.
This info helps?

I'll continue later doing some more research to see if I found something, and let you know if I found something worthy. 

[DanielCantin]

Can you reproduce with a simple box with base glTF material with a customize color like previously mentioned. This should simplify reading the log and avoid showing directories.

Do you have any plugins installed? could you try without them (uninstalled) to find if one of them cause a conflict?

[raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs]

Hi @DanielCantin thank you for your continue interest in this matter.
I did the test as you suggested but didn't work.
I'm not too familiar with the concept of projects inside 3dsMax but it seems to me that no matter what you do, it has to be associated with a project, if you start a new scene, it will continue with the previously used "directory logic" until you change to another project or reset (default 3dsMax directory), also it seems that the export utility uses that directory logic, that's my guess because the results I get now are the same as the ones I did in my previous post, also I try the "patio_example.max" scene and I have the same problem that @VectorFrankenstein mentioned.
In other words, when I reset the exported the *.glb log file will show the "GeneralWarningEvent" and not showing any directory path, but if you export with any other project, "ExceptionEvent" warning and directory path will appear.
About the plugin uninstall.
I didn't install anything, indeed I don't have Administrative privileges to install neither modify program files therefore there's nothing I could do in that regard, but if there's a way to reset, restart the GLB importer/exporter it may works, but I don't know where to look nor how to do it.
Thank you.

[DanielCantin]

Hi, glTF is not a plugin that you can reset/reinstall, next suggestions:

1. Reset your user settings (will create restorable backup), here the instructions: Problems Created by Corrupted User Settings
2. if that doesn't work, you could try resetting (moving to another location to restore if that doesn't help) those extra user settings found in C:\Users\<username>\Autodesk\3ds Max 2025\User Settings
3. re-installing 3ds Max is also something to try if possible

[raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs]

Hello @DanielCantin Thank you for the suggestions and effort in solve this issue.
I did the reset of the user settings as you tell me but the problem still persist. The reinstall to fixing thing is more a guess than a certainty so I think the risk reward doesn't compensate the hurdle, I really appreciate the interest and commitment to solve this problem but I think I better leave it and avoid the whole glTF thing.
Thank you.

[raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs]

It's me again, I been having quite a journey with this subject and I want to share some findings that may help, spoiler, "still have problem with the exporter"
Not going to explain the whole thing just the important points that I found.
1. Be aware if you computer administrative privileges, some troubleshoots require privileges and trying to implement them without privileges granted may 3dsMax behave weirder, in other words DONT restore Factory settings under non administrative rights granted environment.
2. If you use the "Support case" service you'll be suggested to reinstall drivers and MAXtoA Plugin. Drivers didn't make any effect but MAXtoA fix the random freeze in the 3dsMax when boot.
3. The GLB problem is always fixed either restoring factory settings* or uninstalling/installing MAXtoA (*under administrative privileges) but after using 3dsMax for a bit it get corrupted again.

4. I think the problem would be related with projects folders hierarchy or something related with files and folder path management.
5. Never try to reinstall 3dsMax and I think is not necessary.

Since Paint 3D its going to disappear I have to come back and see  if there's a solution for this.

[DanielCantin]

Hi @raineiroandres_coboscastro_qs 

Thanks for sharing your findings.

Which version(s) of MAXtoA is this happening with?
Have you tried with different versions, more recent if you are on an older version?