Explode SketchUp
I found when exporting from Sketchup in 3DS format I tended to use 'Export: Objects in Heirachy' which keeps the names of the objects in the transfer.
In Max - the top of the heirachy is 'Model'. If you delete 'Model' and move the objects they tend to not keep their register. The implementation maintains a heirachy in MAX which can be broken. The link objects are 'editable meshes' with no geometry.
I have written a MAXscript to explode the heirachy.
Installation:
1. Click Maxscript / Run Script and choose wherever you downloaded this file to... It will seem like nothing happened but that's exactly what it should do - you now need to assign a shortcut in order to execute it.
2. Click Customize / Customize User Interface / Menus (tab)
3. Change the Category to 'BillWood_Tools'
4. Expand the menu category (click the + sign) you want the script in on the right hand side of the dialog (example: MAXScript)
5. Click 'Explode SketchUp' and drag it over into the expanded menu category.
6. Click Save and save your custom UI settings to a file - do yourself a favor and don't use the default.
7. That's it - you'll now find the script in the menu you added it to...
Comments
HELP Downloaded your script
HELP
Downloaded your script and all went according to plan but doesnt seem to work when i try to explode the sketch up model in 3d max8. can only apply one material which covers the entire model!
what am i doing wrong?
thanks, 4arc
We use SketchUp all the time
We use SketchUp all the time here at HMC. Our workflow typically is the designers build the model in SketchUp then we export to 3ds for rendering.
The first thing I do on every project after importing is to use this script then apply random colors. This is totally a part of my daily workflow. Thanks so much for your efforts!