Help with Xfrog export

[RAF Blackace]

Hello Chaps.

I am at my wits end and need to ask for help. No matter what I do I cant get any exported OBJ models to show up in terragen.

I have tried exporting in OBJ format, and both creating a material file, or creating a colour file or not creating either.

In all cases I just get a black shape with no textures. I even tried keeping the created file in the same folder as the original so the image files are where they should be with no luck. I get the following errors when I export in OBJ format and create a material file and then use the OBJ reader in terragen.

OBJReader: could not open mtlib. Attempted "C:\Program Files\Greenworks\Xfrog 3.5\Models\Trees Flowers and Cacti\Flowers 1 - Flamingo Lily\C:\Program" and "C:\Program"

Can anyone tell me what this means (why the "C:\Program" at the end?) and what I am doing wrong ?

[neuspadrin]

When you export the obj and it's material make sure they are going into the same folder, and always keep them together in the same folder (a long with any extra image files).  Also its best to not have any spaces in the filepath.  Try saving the object somewhere like:

C:/Objects/ (making the objects folder yourself).

Also have you tried running it through poseray?  It's a free program (should be top google response) that can take in files and then save them. Sometimes poseray fixes any issues within a file. 

[bobbystahr]

I'd recommend getting PoseRay and running them through that but XFROG models should show up no problem.
It might be the spaces in theses folder names:
\Trees Flowers and Cacti\Flowers 1 - Flamingo Lily\

[cyphyr]

Terragen has issues with file paths with spaces in them so "MyDocuments" works but "My Documents" dose not work.
Run your exported objects (no spaces in the name) through Poseray as Bobby and neuspadrin have said, your xfrog problems will disappear
Richard

[RAF Blackace]

OK the spaces in the path name were part of the problem. An object now opens in terragen from OBJ reader with no errors but the material file is still not right.

With some objects I still get some areas that are completely black despite ensuring that all image files are contained in the right places.

In files that do appear to have the correct textures there are areas that are completely white when they should be transparent. See image.

[RAF Blackace]

I've installed poseray. Not sure how to "run something through it" though.

[bobbystahr]

I've installed poseray. Not sure how to "run something through it" though.

go here
http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=9798.0

[RAF Blackace]

Tried poseray, followed the instructions and it made no difference at all. I still see black objects on the import.

If I don't use poseray some of the textures do show up, but there is the transparency issue as I said above.

Completely confused here.

[neuspadrin]

Perhaps the opacity setting on those images isn't being set properly on import into terragen?

Try going to the internal view of the parts shader that will be on your object.  Then check any shaders that need an opacity image being used, and set it there?

[bobbystahr]

Tried poseray, followed the instructions and it made no difference at all. I still see black objects on the import.

If I don't use poseray some of the textures do show up, but there is the transparency issue as I said above.

Completely confused here.

O K...I'm going to assume you don't know about the Node Network and how it works.
1. Load a model
2. Click Node Network[far right Tab]
3. In the left panel with a list scroll down till you see your object/model
4. Click the  + signs till it's fully expanded.
Each texture has 2 entries on the expanded list, eg: Window02 shader and Window02.
Window02 shade is a Default shader which processes your image maps.
Go through the ones you may have/want images on and using the File Button next to the Image/Translucency/Luminosity /Displacement/Opacity box, navigate to the textures directory...generally it goes there automatically and you just have to select.
I've found TG2 likes uncompressed .tif's and with an alpha channel in them does perfect transparency/masking.
Just load the file in the Opacity Tab and make sure to click the Use  alpha channel button.

Hope this helped

[dandelO]

Translucency, luminosity, specular/reflection, displacement and opacity image maps don't load automatically in Terragen 2 from Poseray.

After you've resaved the model in Poseray and brought it into TG2, though, you will be able to then edit the TG shaders for your model. Right-click the main object node and select 'internal network', and again, into the object's 'parts shader'.
There's your object's shaders inside. Your colour map should've imported correctly from Poseray. Simply manually browse and select each missing image into its correct field of the TG2 'default shader', for each 'object part' that needs it.

* Doh! I see that Bobby already posted pretty much the same thing I did, sorry.

[Dune]

And after you have it correct, save object as tgo for non-frustrating future use..

[RAF Blackace]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help. I'll let you know how I get on.

[RAF Blackace]

Ok I figured it out. This is the process I am going to use.

Export 3DS from Xfrog. Create the material file and copy all images to the same folder you saved the exported 3DS file.

Import into Smax, Check render and adjust if required. Export to OBJ format for use in terragen.

In terragen parts shader. Copy the image file name to the opacity tab and check the opacity box.

Job Done.

It was the opacity that was causing the problem. I did already know how to remap the images in the node network but had not realised that the opacity tab was unchecked and the file not loaded.

For some reason if you export from Xfrog in OBJ format the shaders are missing on import, no idea why. That is why I am exporting in 3ds format, doing that keeps the parts shaders when it is imported into terragen.

[bobbystahr]

Happy you've got it running...drove me nuts till I grokked PoseRay...you can repath textures and create the .mtl file from a .3DS in PoseRay as well[it opens .3DS], eliminating a step.. ...