Importing .obj files into DAZ Studio with textures

RemiliaSutton

I have files in .obj which I can import into Daz Studio. But the textures are in .mtl how the heck do I import THAT? I want the textures AND the objects imported but the objects are grey without textures. So how do I get the textures to work?

TheKD

Generally you have to select the OBJ, apply the iray uber base material, then plug all the texture maps into the proper spots on the shader.

RemiliaSutton

It doesn't have maps just a single.mtl file for the textures. What do I do with that? How am I supposed to get the textures applied with that?

Bejaymac

The MTL is an ascii material settings file, it doesn't have any textures in it, instead it will have pathways that point to where the textures are "meant" to be.

Spacious

You could try to open the obj in something like Blender, and then export it using an option like "collect materials" or whatever it's called.  That will create a folder with the material image files if there are any.  Lots of stuff doesn't really have material files, and then it's like a puzzle to pick appropriate materials for each surface.

RemiliaSutton

Hmm interesting idea Spacious. I'm gonna try that today after my dentist appointment. Will blender 2.90 octane edition work or do I need to use 2.8? I have both. Personally I only use 2.9 octane for final renderings not for conversion so I guess I should be asking Will 2.8 work or do I need 2.9x?

RemiliaSutton

Also is there a way to import the textured scene in to blender and then export it to Daz without reapplying the textures in Daz? Because the size and complexity of this object is ginormous and very complex. It's literally a giant cyberpunk city with goodness knows how many HUNDREDS of buildings! Maybe 1000 for all I know! No I'm not gonna count them all. That alone would probably take a day or two. 

Catherine3678ab

1. Use a text editor such as NoteTab light [because large obj files bog down Notepad].

2. Open the .obj file in the text editor and in the top line or thereabout is the call for the .mtl file. Make sure said call is for "one_word-no-matter-how_long" ... save and close. Then rename the .mtl file to be exactly the same as that "one_word-no-matter-how_long" ... the textures either have to be in their collective folder INSIDE the same folder as the .obj OR loose in the same folder as the .obj. It's been awhile since I've done this. {obviously the calls in the .mtl to the textures have to be correct - not looking for them in somebody else's computer in a far away country someplace}

 

charles

Obj mtl are9 extremely limited and won't include anything but myabe albedo. You'll need to really any other maps. Usually I'll assign some similar shader and then assign associated maps. Color bump normal spec metal etc. ps I'm drunk in Mexico so excuse any typos or bs. ;$

RemiliaSutton

Catherine3678ab said:

1. Use a text editor such as NoteTab light [because large obj files bog down Notepad].

2. Open the .obj file in the text editor and in the top line or thereabout is the call for the .mtl file. Make sure said call is for "one_word-no-matter-how_long" ... save and close. Then rename the .mtl file to be exactly the same as that "one_word-no-matter-how_long" ... the textures either have to be in their collective folder INSIDE the same folder as the .obj OR loose in the same folder as the .obj. It's been awhile since I've done this. {obviously the calls in the .mtl to the textures have to be correct - not looking for them in somebody else's computer in a far away country someplace}

 

 That worked thanks and i didn't need to edit anything in notepad or whatever. the textures applied just fine no retexturing needed. Glad i learned that as that will save me a ton of work and time. i mean can you imagine applyijng textures to each individual surface on HUNDREDS of buildings and TENS of signs. i shudder at the thought. now i guess the final issue is how to scale it properly for daz studio. custom preset at 100% is too small but 3ds max preset is way too big. however these are not two story houses but towering skycrapers so maybe its working out just fine. We'll see now that i know how to import things with textures i can finally import the whole city. Time to put my beast of a workstation to the test! All that money in hardware a chassis and liquid cooling better be worth it ;) also not that bringing this up makes any difference at this point but its a .fbx and a .mtl that im importing into blender and a .obj and .mtl into daz. with texture files included of course.

Catherine3678ab

Happy to hear that you got it working :-)

Spacious

I want to thank you Catherine3678ab!  I should have guessed that I could text edit an obj file to fix the connection to it's mtl, it just didn't occur to me for some reason.

Catherine3678ab

No problem Spacious. This particular "how to" question cycles 'round and 'round over the years. In its hayday it was a big discovery!

RemiliaSutton

Now that I got the textures to import I have yet another question. Is there a way to illuminate a surface on a prop without overwriting aka replacing the texture itself? Let me elaborate. There are parts of the prop (hologram signs) that have images on it as part of the textures associated with the obj and mtl file . The whole object is one piece but with different textures in different parts of the object. I don't wanna retexture anything just make the specific surfaces I mentioned (the holograms) light up again without changing the texture itself. It's not a transparent object just FYI so putting a light to shine behind it wouldn't work 

charles

RemiliaSutton said:

Now that I got the textures to import I have yet another question. Is there a way to illuminate a surface on a prop without overwriting aka replacing the texture itself? Let me elaborate. There are parts of the prop (hologram signs) that have images on it as part of the textures associated with the obj and mtl file . The whole object is one piece but with different textures in different parts of the object. I don't wanna retexture anything just make the specific surfaces I mentioned (the holograms) light up again without changing the texture itself. It's not a transparent object just FYI so putting a light to shine behind it wouldn't work 

Create a shell. apply pbr to all surfaces to start and set opacity to 0. then for each material part you want an extra effect apply that to the specific material level. otherwise you'll need to use another program to convert it to something like fbx or split the obj as different parts. Or if the texture includes like the building and doors and stuff you can make a cutout template. make everything black except the windows and lights you want to glow and make them white and add the the right material on the shell.

RemiliaSutton

Charles I can make it into fbx but then we're back to square one with importing the object with the textures already applied before import right? So then what should I do about THAT? And then the hologram lighting?

charles

Like I said create a new geo shell of the obj. Does it have multiple materials or just one for the entire thing? I use Rhino a professional 3d program but blender can also convert and export to fbx.