Google Warehouse buildings in xplane..(scenery question)?

[Geofa 108]

Maybe because the last programming I did was in the machine language days but shouldn't it be possible to forgo the end user interface-tear apart the sketch up file-find the textures which are already correct-batch them into one texture file-then translate all into the obj file and since the buildings are already georeferenced place them in the scenery-all in a transparent step for the end user? It seems to me ultimately this would be the way to go-if the end user has to fuss with the texture files in this matter it may be too overwhelming which I am finding the case. Placing the untextured buildings was cake-and boy does it add to the sim!

[Honnli 69]

@Glen, it seems you've painted the texture onto the whole object instead of the individual faces. Before you paint it, double click on it, or select Edit Component in the context menu to "open up" the model. Then you can select individual faces and paint on them. Another thing, before painting a curved surface, remember to activate Hidden Geometry in the View menu. This will allow you to paint on individual faces that makes up the curve. Painting straight onto a curved surface will not work. Remember, texture positioning only works on a single face.@Geofa, hmm, I've thought about that, though I haven't tried it. In theory, it should work. However, the way an object references the texture file, or specific locations in the file, might pose a problem. By translating the texture file into the obj file, you mean pointing the texture definition to the texture file?

[Geofa 108]

Yep-all dreams right now-but there has to be a way to do it..

[Muskoka 104]

Thanks Honnli, think I've got it...butThere are way too many faces on the model to texture, I'll be at it for days. You can see in the picture I've textured the one section, there must be hundreds more. I marked one of them. Way too time consuming for what it's worth. I'm with Geof, there needs to be a easier solution. I suppose I could learn to make my own models with less "faces". I know nothing about sketchup. Could those round sections be just one face??Glen

[Benny_ 3]

I think that there is a way to convert those sections as a polygon, and wrap a texture on it.

[Honnli 69]

Or instead of converting them to polygon, you can try creating a vertical rectangular polygon strip that's the same height as the cylinder, paint and position your texture on it, enable Projection mode, use the eye dropper tool on this rectangular strip, then paint it onto the cylinder (you'll have to uncheck Hidden Geometry in the view menu before painting the cylinder). Basically wrapping the texture that's on the rectangle polygon onto the cylinder. Not sure how well this will work though.

[Geofa 108]

I just found out something very interesting. If you take your sketchup file-export it as a kmz file-it is a zip file and you can open it with an unzipper.Open it up and there is a nice little directory with all the textures.I'm not going to have the time for a while-but what if we deleted the textures and replaced with one-saved it as a zip-renamed it to kmz-put it back in sketchup and saved as an xplane file.... I don't actually care that every window is modelled perfectly (though that would be ideal)-just a general building look with windows and right shape...

[jasonX 24]

Thanks Honnli, think I've got it...butThere are way too many faces on the model to texture, I'll be at it for days. You can see in the picture I've textured the one section, there must be hundreds more. ....Glen

Sounds like over kill. There should be few faces for these kind of models and the detail in the texture instead. Maybe some of the buildings need work.Pete

[Geofa 108]

It worked-at least this time(I think)!!! Don't ask me how-cause I am gonna have to retry and refine it (I didn't think it worked at first but I think I forgot to reboot the sim).See the building with the arrow on it-all I did was remove all but one of the believable textures in the kmz directory-reload it into sketcher and exported to xplane.Now it doesn't look as nice as the original building-but at least for me it is good enough-right shape of the real building, some texture and unless I am gonna go up close and inspect-good enough rendition in a whole metropolis of real looking buildings. Now the process of getting something like this in the sim may be down to 1-2 minutes! I'll work on the other buildings later today and see if I just got lucky!

[Simmo W 24]

Guys, need some guidance...I have removed the textures from the model I downloaded, prior to that I exported a 2d image. When I get to the point of painting, that works, and I have hundreds of little towers painted onto the single tower, but when in the video he goes to the context menu and selects "Texture" and "Position" I don't have that option. Any suggestions.Glen

Nice tower!Glen, you need to 'edit component' first to unlock the mesh ready for texture editing. There is a fairly quick way to texture those curvy sections with many faces, can't quite remember now as not on my pc, google the 'projection' method, I could do a quick vid on the weekend if needed.

[Muskoka 104]

Thanks for the help / suggestions,This really seems to be going nowhere. These must be something odd about the model I downloaded. In the pictures, you can see where I have applied the textures, then selected the area, and I right click for the contect menu, only one "face" is giving me the option to "Texture" / "Position". I don't know enough about Sketchup to sort it out, never used it until yesterday. I really don't think this model is going to work in this case.Glen

[Simmo W 24]

Glen, you probably need more time to learn sketchup. I think u need to hold shift down and select more faces- or learn Blender!

[Muskoka 104]

Ya, wouldn't hurt to learn Sketchup. I still don't understand why on that model there are some faces that after the texture is applied I can't position it, the context menu option isn't there, on others it is. I could send you the sketchup file if you have time, and you can try to apply some textures and then position them, you'll see what I mean, hopefully? Still think it's a waste of time trying to texture a model that has hundreds of faces. Let me know, and I'm downloading Blender.Glen

[Simmo W 24]

I'll look at the file if u send it, but pls. be patient.Ah blender... There is a slight learning curve :-) worth it in the very long run. You'll see what I mean!

[Muskoka 104]

Thanks, I have all the time in the world, no worries.I just tried to pm you the sketchup file and the system won't let me. Can't post it here either?Glen