need help with an .obj file

CWalkthroughs

Ok, so a friend of mine sent me his model for a pistol, and I was going to modify it a little. Turns out, Blender sucks (for me). So I was just wondering, what is a good app/way to open .obj files?

Revel

What is your question actually?...obj is the standard 3d object file type, so every 3d apps should be able to open it.

PS: Saying a software "sucks" is a bad thing (for you) to say. Every software is "just" a piece of a program and whether it useful or not depends on the user.

_Revel

nezach

What version of Blender are you using? IIRC Blender uses Python for the import modules. Make sure that you have the correct version of Python installed.

I vaguely remember that some early versions of 2.5 had some issues with importers due to the API being in heavy flux, but otherwise I've never had trouble with it.

In fact that's one of the reasons I looked at Blender in the first place. The amount of formats that people coded import/export modules for in 2.4x made it a pretty good mesh translation app, among other things.

CWalkthroughs

I am using the latest version, of Blender.

jrs100000

CWalkthroughs wrote: »

I am using the latest version, of Blender.

Which latest version? 2.49A, the latest official 2.5 beta, or the latest 2.5 SVN build? Do you have the correct version of Python installed and is Blender finding it correctly? Exactly what error are you getting? Is the geometry messed up or does it simply refuse to open? If its a python error, what does the error message in console say? Have you verified that the .obj file itself is not corrupted or incomplete?

CWalkthroughs

jrs100000 wrote: »

Which latest version? 2.49A, the latest official 2.5 beta, or the latest 2.5 SVN build? Do you have the correct version of Python installed and is Blender finding it correctly? Exactly what error are you getting? Is the geometry messed up or does it simply refuse to open? If its a python error, what does the error message in console say? Have you verified that the .obj file itself is not corrupted or incomplete?

Blender 2.49

And everytime I import the .obj file, it just makes the main starting cube, a different colour, the colour of the original .obj

seth.

and you are sure that he didn't just send you an obj of a coloured cube....sounds like the sort of thing that one of my mates would do

CWalkthroughs

seth. wrote: »

and you are sure that he didn't just send you an obj of a coloured cube....sounds like the sort of thing that one of my mates would do

Yeah, I'm sure. I even have the .tga's to go with it. All I want to do is edit the .tga skin, but I cannot see a FULL project unless I have the .obj up and running to preview what my current progress is!

seth.

to offset the lack of help i was in my last post, you could download the marmoset trial if its just to get a look at the object while texturing?

DMRadford

If you have PhotoShop CS3+ Extended, load it into there to check your progress (if you only need to edit the texture). Otherwise, try Blender 2.53 Beta.

-David

CWalkthroughs

DMRadford wrote: »

If you have PhotoShop CS3+ Extended, load it into there to check your progress (if you only need to edit the texture). Otherwise, try Blender 2.53 Beta.

-David

Where is it possible for me to download the 2.53 version?

I dunno how, all I can find is 2.49

EDIT: Found it, just gonna test it. If there is any other solutions, feel free.

CWalkthroughs

Nope. 2.53 didn't work to open it.

Revel

Your friend using what software in doing that model before he pass it to you?
Sometimes when you jump between programs can cause data corrupt or some other issue.

_Revel

cryrid

Roadkill UV and Sculptri's are two free (and lightweight) programs that can import and export objs. If either of those along with Blender can't open the OBJ correctly, I'm guessing there's a problem with the obj itself.

jrs100000

This really sounds like a problem with the .obj. Whatever faults Blender has, opening .obj files isnt one of them.

Just in case, try opening it with Wings3d It wont work with the textures, but you can at least test that the geometry is readable.

nezach

I would say that trying with 2.49 and 2.53 are different enough give conformation that it's the obj. It couldn't help to try the other applications as suggested to further confirm that though.

Have you had your mate load the obj up on his end to verify it's not corrupt?

Wait, you said 2.53 didn't work to open it. Could you be more precise? Did it just error out, change cube color like in 2.49 (why don't you delete that sucker anyway?), or what?



Edit: I meant it couldn't hurt to try other apps...

salacious_Crumb

You've probably tried this, but have you made sure the scale isn't hugely different. If your friends made it in another app then .obj scales can sometimes be extremely small or huge.
One place I worked at I kept being told by this guy that there was nothing in the obj file, which was being imported/exported to different programs (polytrans i think). It turned out that the camera was inside the model, and the model was so large it was difficult to see it (due to camera clipping planes, etc).

Also, what size is the file? There is some data in it? Like someone said, when you jump between programs it can cause data corruption or some other issue.

You could always send it to someone here to take a look at. See if they can load it in there software.

Ben Apuna

You could also try opening it up with notepad. OBJs are basically just text files, if you don't see a whole lot of vertex data then your friend probably didn't export it properly.

Vrav

I use the OpenCTM converter / viewer to check and re-export busted objs. Quick and tiny app, opens high density meshes okay too. And if you save them in the super tiny .ctm format, it opens them up super quick!