Help a noob apply textures to a .obj model

jamescollins2

Hey guys.  I posted here once before and really appreciate the community help. I am the opposite of artistic but have discovered DAZ as a very cool way to accomplish a specific project goal. After a lot of reading and trial, I know my way around the basics but now I'm running up against a wall in trying to use a model made outside the DAZ ecosystem.

I bought a 3D model from Turbosquid *(because no such model was available in DAZ), and now I'm trying to import it into DAZ.  Here's the file: http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/max-frequency-x-ray-machine/715443. The zip file I downloaded contains the following formats: 3ds, blend, c4d, dae, dxf, fbx, Iwo, Ixo, obj, scn.

For instance, inside the .obj folder, we have several jpgs, and some png files, presumably for textures, as well as a .obj file and a .obj.mtl file. 

I have tried importing all of the included file types and the only one that seems to successfully import to DAZ is .obj. However, an odd thing happens. The .obj file results in two identical objects (two xray machines sitting side by side). There does not seem to be a way to delete the extraneous one of the models...if I select one xray machine I also am forced to select the other. Is this a flaw in the model and can I somehow delete the second one?

My final question is how to rig an imported model. I see a lot of documentation on how to rig character models but not much on how to rig the surfaces of other objects. Can anyone suggest a support article that deals with how to apply JPEG or PNG textures to surfaces of imported .obj models?

Thanks in advance!

James

JimmyC_2009

I have never seen an OBJ load two models side by side.   The OBJ file comes with a MTL file, which holds the material information for the model.   Are you using File > Import when trying to load this?   You may need to apply the materials yourself using the Surfaces pane, select the model in the Scene pane, then go to the Surfaces pane and you should see any surface areas listed.    You can also use the Surface Selection Tool (Alt+Shift+M) and when you mouse over a surface, it should turn yellow.   Click the left mouse button, and that will select the surface in the Surfaces pane.

Can you please post a screenshot of what you are seeing when you load the OBJ as a new Scene?

My final question is how to rig an imported model. I see a lot of documentation on how to rig character models but not much on how to rig the surfaces of other objects. Can anyone suggest a support article that deals with how to apply JPEG or PNG textures to surfaces of imported .obj models?

You may be a little confused on the terminology, 'rigging' is when bones are added to models to allow them to move and pose, it has nothing to do with surfaces or applying textures.   I don't know of any tutorials on apply textures, it is really quite simple (once you know how of course).   There is usually a Diffuse texture with all the colours and details which is applied to the Diffuse channel.   There may also be Bump or Specular maps which are alos applied to the appropriate channel in the Surfaces pane.

See if you can get a bit further with loading the OBJ.   Are you certain that you are using File > New each time before you load the OBJ to get a new blank scene in DS?

Ken OBanion

It does indeed sound like a flaw in the geometry file (the *.obj).

Are you familiar with Blender?  Or Hexagon?  If so, you can import the .obj into either of those programs and poke around a bit.  If there are duplicate objects in those programs, then that is definitely your problem.

I know how to correct that situation in Blender, but I haven't used Hexagon in years, so I'm a bit rusty.

If you're feeling brave (or merely foolhardy), there are scads of Blender Mavens here in the forums who would be more than willing to talk you through just about anything you might want to attempt.