Exporting OBJ files on MAC
Stipple
Posts: 0
Hi all,
Having real problems exporting OBJ files from a Mac - get 2 files (OBJ and MTL file) with the OBJ file being TXT. This won't load into any other software - trying to get into Blender to use the Render Settings. Also tried exporting DAZ collada for loading into DAZ 4,6 thinking I could output from there -- it loads in but with no shaders and is really screwed up.
Was wondering if I am missing something obvious - or is it a known issue with Mac formats etc.
Any help gratefully received.
Thanks.
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I don't think your issue is Mac-specific. This is not a bug, these are limits to 3D file formats. None of them are designed quite the same way and ALL have limits when it comes to their assigned shaders (materials).
If you have Carrara 8.5 try the FBX format - that is the latest 3D format that tries to keep as much data as possible, but be aware all 3D programs will treat their objects and shaders a little differently and it has been a slow evolution of interchange formats. OBJ is not the best format as it only contains geometry and UV mapping (and I think color), but not rigging, animation, or imagemap assignments.
I think it can retain the image map assignments, but there may be options in the export dialogue to do this. The .obj file does look like a text file. T o use it in other apps, you may need to use the Import option as opposed to an Open option. Your mileage may vary.
The .mtl file is a list of the materials the object uses if I recall. I believe any image maps you use need to be in the same directory as the object file and mtl file. It's been quite awhile since I did any exporting to .obj, so I could be remembering it wrong.
FWIW, both Holly and I use Macs. From what I gather, Holly has newer hardware and OS than I. I'm still on a PPC G5 using C7.2 Pro.
I am on a mac too and am trying both OBJ and FBX exports. Although I have more success with all textures with FBX it does not export the pose (it defaults to zero pose) the way it does with an OBJ. My render program accepts both although FBX tends to be more accurate. If you have any thoughts on the pose retention it would be helpful.
That's easy for .obj. Make sure the Export objects with morphs and skinning checkbox is enabled.
This will not export the rig, rather it will export the object in the shape and position it is in at the time of export.
I don't have any experience with it, but for animation, fbx is what you'll want to use. Wendy is the resident fbx guru here.
One of the things that FBX does (that OBJ can't?) is export the rigged model… Perhaps try an "animated FBX" as that would be the model and rig plus(?) the rig's pose… This is a little out of my depth. Agree with Evil, maybe ask Wendy, she is the super guru of import export. She's done it all and seen it all...
Hi,
Thanks for all the clues and good to hear it is not a mac specific problem.
One aspect that I am confused about though is there is plenty of correspondence about OBJ exports from Carrara and reading into blender for use with Casual's scripts for reassigning textures etc -- according to this it should be very straightforward so not sure why it is not working for me!.
As stated before, can use FBX but all posing has gone.
Appreciate your thoughts.
Not sure why you can't import a .obj into Blender. You say it looks like a text document? Is the file extension just .obj?
The input is SO appreciated. I think the export dialogue boxes have changed a bit in 4.6 on a mac so there are no checkboxes for morphs and skinning but with those concepts I was able to export a pose with the right colors etc. Here is the quick render of my cusccess. I am still trying to figure out the scale of the image maps for the eyes to avoid that zombie look. I guess FBX is next. Thanks for helping an uninitiated member!
Hi Evilproducer
Thanks for your help -- yes, the file does have the suffix .obj (+ there is another file (.mtl) saved also). What I mean by txt file is if I double click on it, it opens as an editable file. All other .obj files I have created using other software (blender, Daz ....) are uneditable if double clicked i.e. it prompts you for what application you want to open the file with.
Does this make sense - am I missing something obvious ?
MediaArchitect .... can I ask how you export out of Carrara ?
Do you use "save as" or "export" ? What options to you select ? Appreciate it greatly if you could let me know how you get such good results when I can't even load the file in !
Keep up the good work.
Most of these formats are basically "just text" - even a jpg and a gif are "just text" if your computer doesn't know how to treat them or assign them to a parent program. People sometimes go into these files and "hack" them with a text editor. It's basically describing where every vertice is in 3D space.... The MTL file was a late addition as a way to try to include (if an external file can be called including) instructions for how the image files are applied. It wasn't in the original OBJ instructions, I believe.
Once you assign a parent program to the OBJ filetipe, osX will change all the icons to match the program's icons.... It's a cosmetic fix really. I can't think why I would want a specific program to open by double clicking an OBJ, since I use those models in many different programs....
Thanks for this and that was my understanding too. My confusion comes from the fact that .Obj files from Carrara open as text whereas .Obj files created by Daz, Blender etc do not (-- I thought associations were linked to the extensions independent of which software created them). I haven't ever set a preference for these filetypes as I am not clever enough to be able to hack them --- just happy if they work, which unfortunately isn't the case here. I was just thinking that this was an indication of something I was doing wrong. Oh well, thanks for your thoughts and will keep plugging away.
The thing with the eyes is a lack of an alpha image map, or trans (as in transparency) map. It's a black and white image map which defines opaque and clear areas. Shades of gray define partially clear areas. I don't think a .mtl file contains all the texture information, such as alphas. Just the basics like the texture maps that define color and maybe bump. If you have the image maps for the alphas and specular effects, you should be able to load those maps into the appropriate shader channel in your rendering program.
Personally, I prefer Carrara's renderer. It's fast and versatile. There's also a Lux plugin that you can use to convert your scene to render in Lux Render or something. No need to export .obj files as far as I know.
Thats interesting EP, thanks; I was trying .pngs with a transparent background to no avail.
Dbat i hope to be helpful once I get into the program more. This forum has already been an encouragement. I am primarily working in DS to create the "talent" and then bringing them into my more complex models. This is already showing promise (and its fun) so I look forward to hearing everyones continued input in the future. If you're interested my company is at mediaportfolio.org. Thanks!
What software are you using to render your figures in?
Using Artlantis 5 since my company does a lot of architectural rendering. Since it has a really intuitive interface I also use it to do some of our media work for corporate clients. I have DS and poser but have yet to make either one of them part of our workflow. I am optimistic with the new 4.6 in combination with Artlantis.
I was curious. This is the Carrara forum, so I'm used to Carrara-centric users. The discussion is still relevant, so I wouldn't worry about the forum. I was just a little confused is all. It's a state I find myself in more as I age. ;-)
So, in Artlantis, do you have access to multi-channel or complex shaders? If so, you can fix the eyelash thing by looking for the transparency maps in your Textures folder and loading it into Artlantis. The UVs and shading domains for the figure should be intact on the .obj, but I don't know about the domain names. If they are intact, look for thee eyelashes domain and try and load the eyelashes alpha map into an alpha or transparency slot/channel. If that makes sense. ;-)