Sketch up to zbrush (or wherever)

[estelleparnall ID:estellep]

Has anyone successfully exported an obj from sketchup to zbrush (or even max or blender)

the plan is to do rough-ups in sketchup and then refine them in zbrush.

When I get them to zb they go nuts if i divide them or try to unwrap them.

I have tried flipping the normals, closing the holes, making a unified skin..but I still get a UV map on speed.

[Damgori ID:Damgori]

I am unsure if it is possible but there are a few things to try first..

Do you get the import dialog (convert to quads and tris or convert to symmetrical tris only) when importing the sketchup obj to ZBrush?
If so, choose symmetrical tris only, then go to the import subheading under the tools menu, max the weld number and hit import right there and bring in your model again.
To subdivide without losing the "hard" edges, hide a single edge face and hit crease in the geometry subheading under tools (turn polyframe on to view the added crease edges) rinse and repeat for each edge you do not want to deform on subdivide.

I do not use Sketchup , but have checked it out in the past and I think the topology is a little weird for ZBrush, plus I'd suggest uv mapping your obj outside ZBrush which will enable you to "auto group with uv" and show/hide parts easily inside ZBrush.

[baknight ID:baknight]

Haven't tried this myself either (going to give it a shot later though), but have you tried applying a material to all of the faces in the Sketchup model before exporting? I seem to remember that models exported from Sketchup without a material assignment do not produce vertex normal information.

[estelleparnall ID:estellep]

Do you get the import dialog (convert to quads and tris or convert to symmetrical tris only) when importing the sketchup obj to ZBrush?
If so, choose symmetrical tris only, then go to the import subheading under the tools menu, max the weld number and hit import right there and bring in your model again.

I dont get a dialog but the second time I use the import option lower down in the tools menu with the weld and tri to quad option. I maxed the weld and had the tri to quad set at 50...and it seemed to work...not perfect..but good enough..and got a workable uv.

To subdivide without losing the "hard" edges, hide a single edge face and hit crease in the geometry subheading under tools (turn polyframe on to view the added crease edges) rinse and repeat for each edge you do not want to deform on subdivide.

did that, but what does "rinse" mean

Haven't tried this myself either (going to give it a shot later though), but have you tried applying a material to all of the faces in the Sketchup model before exporting

already did that..the editors also have a tantrum if you dont have materials on everything.

Thanks for your help bryce

Thanks Damon too but the uv option in zbrush is sooo nice i dont want to change this part of my workflow.

[Damgori ID:Damgori]

To subdivide without losing the "hard" edges, hide a single edge face and hit crease in the geometry subheading under tools (turn polyframe on to view the added crease edges) rinse and repeat for each edge you do not want to deform on subdivide.

did that, but what does "rinse" mean

Like it says on the side of the shampoo bottle, "massage well into scalp, rinse and repeat"

I hear you with not wanting to change your workflow out of ZBrush ( ZBrush 4 is ready to be released in a few days ), and it does have the makings of some powerful UV layout tools right in there.