FluidImporter free .obj importer Beta 1.0.5 Updated

[bizmen]

Which folder do I have to extract the fluidimporter file? I cannot see it under the plugins menu after extracting on its default folder.
Btw. I'm using Google sketch up v8 (free version) ,and should I install the fluid ray demo version before fluidimporter for sketchup appears?
If yes, which installer should I download? I'm using windows vista ultimate 64 bit, 4gb ram
FluidRay for SketchUp Win32 Demo (Version 1.1.2)
FluidRay for SketchUp Win32 SSE2 Demo (Version 1.1.2)
FluidRay for SketchUp Win64 SSE2 Demo (Version 1.1.2)
FluidRay for SketchUp Win64 SSE41 Demo (Version 1.1.2)

Thanks!

[TIG]

It's not a Plugin, it's a compiled 'Importer'.
It adds an additional Importer type 'Wavefront/OBJ' under the File > Import file-browser...
The same as other compiled importers/exporters - it's the Ruby based tools that are in other menus like Plugins...

[bizmen]

It's not a Plugin, it's a compiled 'Importer'.
It adds an additional Importer type 'Wavefront/OBJ' under the File > Import file-browser...
The same as other compiled importers/exporters - it's the Ruby based tools that are in other menus like Plugins...

Thanks TIG, you're the MAN!

[whoa]

Hello

I just installed your importer and I have no issue importing the .obj file, however I am not getting any textures?
Everything is just gray. I received the files from a furniture company, 4 seperate folders with several .obj files + .mtl and some jpgs that I guess are the textures. How do I add these into sketchup onto the objects?

Thank you

[TIG]

Hello

I just installed your importer and I have no issue importing the .obj file, however I am not getting any textures?
Everything is just gray. I received the files from a furniture company, 4 seperate folders with several .obj files + .mtl and some jpgs that I guess are the textures. How do I add these into sketchup onto the objects?

Thank you

You can read OBJ and MTL files in Notepad or equivalent.
The OBJ file defines the MTL file by name mtllib xxx.mtl.
The OBJ file usually expects the MTL file to be in the same folder as itself.
The MTL file defines materials.
They can be simple plain color like this (Kd values as %s =~[170,170,170]=~'mid-gray')
newmtl Color_003
Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Kd 0.666667 0.666667 0.666667
Ks 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
d 1.000000
or with a texture specified by an image-file it is like this
newmtl Wood_Floor
Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Kd 0.607843 0.411765 0.239216
Ks 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
d 1.000000
map_Kd MyModel/Wood_Floor.jpg

In this example the MTL file is expecting to find that material's texture's image-file called Wood_Floor.jpg in a subfolder that's in the MTL file's folder, that's named MyModel.
Note that many OBJ exporters use an image subfolder, but some do not - in that case the line might read
map_Kd Wood_Floor.jpg
and then the textures' image files should be in the same folder as the MTL file itself...
If an OBJ importer can't find the image file it usually skips using it, and just uses the color specified for the material - in the case of 'Wood_Floor' this would be an RGB color based on the Kd values, as percentages of 255 =~[155,105,61]=~'mid-brown'...

Note that the 'd' value is the opacity: where 1.000000 is solid and 0.500000 is 50% transparent etc... So you can adjust these prior to import if desired...

[emanshiu]

Thank you for writing this tool. But everyttime i try to load in an OBJ, the sketchup just crashes. It crashes on a very simple text file. I'm a bit confused at what I can do. Am I doing something wrong? These files are all exported from Maya. Thanks!

[TIG]

Thank you for writing this tool. But everyttime i try to load in an OBJ, the sketchup just crashes. It crashes on a very simple text file. I'm a bit confused at what I can do. Am I doing something wrong? These files are all exported from Maya. Thanks!

What are the error messages in the Ruby Console etc ?
Have you tried it with my [TIG] older/slower OBJimporter.rb ?
Any error messages there ?
CAN you zip the OBJ & MTL files... and image files [in a folder if specified in the MTL etc] and post them so we can test it...

[emanshiu]

Thank you for writing this tool. But everyttime i try to load in an OBJ, the sketchup just crashes. It crashes on a very simple text file. I'm a bit confused at what I can do. Am I doing something wrong? These files are all exported from Maya. Thanks!

What are the error messages in the Ruby Console etc ?
Have you tried it with my [TIG] older/slower OBJimporter.rb ?
Any error messages there ?
CAN you zip the OBJ & MTL files... and image files [in a folder if specified in the MTL etc] and post them so we can test it...

There are no error messages as it just crashes.

I'm sorry i was not aware theres an older one. I just tried to find it but can't where is it?

Also is there any way to import an obj and have it place at 0,0,0?

thanks so much for the help!

[TIG]

Search the Plugins-Index [here] for my OBJimporter.rb ...
That does place the geometry directly at it's original location.
The alternative, newer compiled version allows you to manually locate the geometry BUT it's easy enough to make that [0,0,0] ...

[emanshiu]

Search the Plugins-Index [here] for my OBJimporter.rb ...
That does place the geometry directly at it's original location.
The alternative, newer compiled version allows you to manually locate the geometry BUT it's easy enough to make that [0,0,0] ...

any idea on the crashing? it's really just a cube from maya.....

[TIG]

Search the Plugins-Index [here] for my OBJimporter.rb ...
That does place the geometry directly at it's original location.
The alternative, newer compiled version allows you to manually locate the geometry BUT it's easy enough to make that [0,0,0] ...

any idea on the crashing? it's really just a cube from maya.....

Unless you zip up the OBJ/MTL/Image-files and post them how can I know?
Have you tried the older importer.rb file ?
I haven't been directly involved in making the newer one BUT there might be clues in the way each one works...
Please post the files if we are to progress this issue anywhere...

[fluid]

Yep, if you post the file that is causing the crash, I'll be happy to test it on FluidImporter as well.

[Efrado]

HI ,TIG &NICOLA
WHAT ATEAM YOU ARE DOING
JUST A HUMBLE MAC USER WAITING TO TRY YOUR EFFORT IN THIS PLATFORM,PLEASE

[niks]

hi Fluid and Tig... thank you very much for this importer. tried it for a test and achieve great result

[blockade08]

Hello

I just installed your importer and I have no issue importing the .obj file, however I am not getting any textures?
Everything is just gray. I received the files from a furniture company, 4 seperate folders with several .obj files + .mtl and some jpgs that I guess are the textures. How do I add these into sketchup onto the objects?

Thank you

You can read OBJ and MTL files in Notepad or equivalent.
The OBJ file defines the MTL file by name mtllib xxx.mtl.
The OBJ file usually expects the MTL file to be in the same folder as itself.
The MTL file defines materials.
They can be simple plain color like this (Kd values as %s =~[170,170,170]=~'mid-gray')
newmtl Color_003
Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Kd 0.666667 0.666667 0.666667
Ks 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
d 1.000000
or with a texture specified by an image-file it is like this
newmtl Wood_Floor
Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Kd 0.607843 0.411765 0.239216
Ks 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
d 1.000000
map_Kd MyModel/Wood_Floor.jpg

In this example the MTL file is expecting to find that material's texture's image-file called Wood_Floor.jpg in a subfolder that's in the MTL file's folder, that's named MyModel.
Note that many OBJ exporters use an image subfolder, but some do not - in that case the line might read
map_Kd Wood_Floor.jpg
and then the textures' image files should be in the same folder as the MTL file itself...
If an OBJ importer can't find the image file it usually skips using it, and just uses the color specified for the material - in the case of 'Wood_Floor' this would be an RGB color based on the Kd values, as percentages of 255 =~[155,105,61]=~'mid-brown'...

Note that the 'd' value is the opacity: where 1.000000 is solid and 0.500000 is 50% transparent etc... So you can adjust these prior to import if desired...

Thank you so much TIG you just saved me from hours of trying to fix up the textures as normally happens when i try a new importer/exporter Thanks a bunch

BTW for anyone who also has this problem, my .OBJ said mtllib C:\......\*wheremyModelIs*\test.mtl
I changed it to mtllib test.mtl - took off the directory data and it worked like a charm

[chocochoc]

Hi there,

I tried to download the fluidimporter, but the website gives back a 500 error.

I couldn't find a mirror to download it. Is there someone who would send it to me or give me an available link ?

Thanks

[fluid]

Hi,

It should be fixed now.

Nicola

[somun]

hmm... We're having a tab bit of trouble importing a terrain mesh we've made... We keep running out of memory...

The file size on the obj file is 374mb.
Any solutions?

If importer cant be solved for it... any other way to get it into sketchup (perhaps in pieces?)

Not sure about the polygon count, but its a large number. Probably somewhere around 2m.

[Rich O Brien]

All i can say is try poly cruncher or deep exploration beforehand.

That's a pretty large .obj which probably increases inside SU also. Best of luck with it

[somun]

poly cruncher is a bit useless since the goal is to have a complex 3D terrain mesh, and deep exploration would not work... (wrong processor)

any way to chop up a 3D mesh into smaller segments?

[somun]

hmm... figured out the lack of cooperation... tried to import far too large meshes... worked better when going for a smaller mesh.

[wootwoots]

Hello, i tried the FluidImporter, and saddly, even for a simple cub i got a google sketchup 8 crach whatever i'am choosing as import option.

Does it because i'am using a 64bit window ?

Any help possible ?

thanks ^^

[Rich O Brien]

What app are you using to make the .obj file?

I find this plugin very robust in most cases.

[wootwoots]

I made thoses obj in the Cryengine 3.

I tried the Trial of the simlab soft Obj importer, and that work correctly except for the scale. and i only have problem with thoses ones.

[TIG]

You get to choose the units for the OBJ file as you import it, so there is no 'scale issue', just PEBCAC!

[Rich O Brien]

Trying to figure out what the first 'C' is?

I hope it's not what I'm thinking!

[TIG]

Problem Exists Between Computer And Chair

[wootwoots]

You get to choose the units for the OBJ file as you import it, so there is no 'scale issue', just PEBCAC!

Well yes, but the problem is that the simlab importer tool have a 30 import limit :/ and well, for just a personal and occasional use.. thats not so nice having to pay it.

After the other free Obj Importer didnt work at all with thoses object. Your didnt import anything, and the fluidImporter crash all the time :'( ( at least with .obj coming from the CryEngine3, didnt try .obj coming from other soft. )

[TIG]

Do you have a small example OBJ we could look at.
Some exporters do make an unusual format...
Did you try taking it into another Application and then export out again before the SKP?

[snorky]

fluidimporter doesn't work for me!
(works fine only in a in a previous installation of o.s.)

i try su7, su8, su8pro trial...