I was going to add this to a similar topic here but it's a bit different and seems like something all of you would come across all the time.

I have an object in Daz Studio (because it's a Poser prop I'm trying to convert) and my only real option is to export as obj.  Fine and good, but when it comes into XChange (which it does just fine) I have a separate part of it I need as a sub-prop to rotate.  The problem is there is no way to select the tiny little parts that XChange seems to break stuff up into in order to get it there.

I've never seen anything quite like what XChange does to an obj in any other program -- it seems to break things even across hierarchies with no rhyme or reason (not by material type, not by proximity -- seemingly just at random).  Because of this I can't even select those parts separate in XChange, as they are split across more than one object (in the obj file, not in XChange).  I *could* try bringing this obj into Blender and see if I can make some headway there (I even have an old copy of Max I might try as well) but first I thought if any of you had had this issue and resolved it.

XChange always seems to me not quite ready for prime time, and this is yet one more example.  My fallback position is to bring in the obj as two separate objects and link them in iClone, but that seems kind of kludgy to me.

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Alienware Aurora R12, Win 10, i9-119000KF, 3.5GHz CPU, 128GB RAM, RTX 3090 (24GB), Samsung 960 Pro 4TB M-2 SSD, TB+ Disk space
Mike "ex-genius" Kelley

I have SUCH a terrible habit of answering my own questions -- but rather than delete this, I thought I'd leave it in case it helps someone else.

I found out some settings in Daz Studio that will help -- the default export of group names (which seems logical -- you'd WANT your groups to have those names, right?) doesn't work with XChange, or at least it gives the crappy results I reported above.  You need to change it to object names, and then all is relatively fine (it comes in as you would then expect, whereas group names is one hot mess).

FBX export, in either Daz or Blender, has the same crappy results (didn't experiment enough in Blender to find out what would be the Daz equivalent of the export that works in Daz, because Blender basically drives me crazy -- worst interface I've EVER seen, without a doubt).

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Alienware Aurora R12, Win 10, i9-119000KF, 3.5GHz CPU, 128GB RAM, RTX 3090 (24GB), Samsung 960 Pro 4TB M-2 SSD, TB+ Disk space
Mike "ex-genius" Kelley

lol you and ziggy should talk (seriously you probably would make good friends) but i am interjecting here to say that as someone who does a mountain of fbx stuff back and forth between blender and iclone that fbx works actually very well.   

There are a few things that are either not right or not the right version of fbx but they dont affect the outcome... for instance the material button clicky thing does not work from blender to iclone 3dexchange (the one to preserve material colour) but I am fairly certain this is because of the version of fbx and its a minor issue because you end up messing with those settings inside iclone due to lighting needs.   However I can verify that all the important info transfers between blender and 3dexchange flawlessly.    I have also imported cc2 avatars from well cc2 into blender in fbx format and with the exception of the bone orientation on the right side of the body on the skeleton on the hips and finger tips (in all cases these are end bones which again dont entirely matter) everything works quite well.    

apologies for the buttons unfortunately i dont think that's gonna change a whole lot 

(and yes i haven't reported them cause they seem so minor i thought i would leave the reporting for things that matters like crashes and things)

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"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Dr. Seuss

Not quite sure what you mean by "the buttons" unless you're talking about Blender.  And I suspect there are setting there in that program that can make FBX export work just fine -- as I said, it's SUCH a crappy interface that I can't even begin to start to know what to do (I've been programming and using software for nearly half a century now, and I haven't even seen anything that comes close to such a mishmash of things that make absolutely zero sense in Blender -- I also have used hundreds of interfaces (and designed quite a few myself) and find myself baffled by even the simplest of things in that program).  I do know that without making some kind of changes in Blender, somewhere, FBX just didn't work for me at all, and the default settings in Daz export didn't either.

I'm not sure I know who Ziggy is -- I've been here a bit and know most of the major folks but perhaps I've just missed seeing or recognizing him.  If he's stumped by Blender then we are indeed kindred souls.

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Alienware Aurora R12, Win 10, i9-119000KF, 3.5GHz CPU, 128GB RAM, RTX 3090 (24GB), Samsung 960 Pro 4TB M-2 SSD, TB+ Disk space
Mike "ex-genius" Kelley

yeah blender buttons  
I was just making sure that you know the fbx does work well in blender but really if you dont need fbx then just use obj files.  Your post read to me that you were saying fbx is not working in daz and blender.  I dont use daz (dont like it.. hehe like blender though) but I use blender so just putting the info up there.   

edit: oh and ziggy is just a friend of mine you have the same likes/dislikes and in some cases interests was just me being silly not a very serious person i dont think i know how .. i am serious but always happy even when i am being serious.  

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"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Dr. Seuss

Kelleytoons, I have also been using various softwares for dozens of years, and I have NEVER seen such a dog's dinner of an UI that blender expects people to use.  If it wasn't free, I doubt anyone would use it.  I know all the blender fanboys (and girls) will hate me for saying it, but it's true - they've had years to address this (the number 1 complaint from new users) and have done nothing to help the situation, but instead made the UI even more unusable.  Even the font and icon size - I physically can't even see some of what the program is trying to show me (and you can't change it).  I know it's a powerful program, but when it's obscured by this 'explosion in a Scrabble factory' interface what's the point?  Iclone's interface is a joy to use by comparison, hell even 3dx is better and that's horrible!  And I know about blender sensei, but if you use that then none of the standard tutorials apply, so you're back to square one...

In short, I 100% agree with you Kelleytoons


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I've heard about the Blender Sensi stuff, which I assume is another kind of API interface overlay, and I do guess that some day I may have to install it (or whatever you do to make it work) just to see, although I don't really do enough 3D modeling nowadays to make the effort worthwhile (and I still have Max on my laptop, although it's an older version now).  But what surprises me is the Blender interface ended up the way it did -- it looks cobbled together, kind of life the old saw about how a camel is a horse designed by committee.  And, I suppose, that's exactly what happened, being an open source program (I guess) with tons of folks working on it but no clear direction.

My litmus test for almost any software is whether I can at least navigate through it without having to watch a 20 minute tutorial on the process.  Nearly all Windows software for the last 30 years has passed that test.  Blender fails.

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Alienware Aurora R12, Win 10, i9-119000KF, 3.5GHz CPU, 128GB RAM, RTX 3090 (24GB), Samsung 960 Pro 4TB M-2 SSD, TB+ Disk space
Mike "ex-genius" Kelley

Yup, I have a similar test - can I create a simple box and manipulate it?  The only program that stopped me in my tracks was blender - no matter how long I stared at that hideous black on grey mess, I could not work out to navigate to anything helpful.  I had to watch a tutorial to work out how to make a simple box, and even that was complicated!  I use 3D Coat now, but other (simpler) 3d packages like Hexagon and Silo and the like are all most people need to create custom objects.  The fact that most people willingly pay to use any other software rather than use blender for free speaks volumes, I think...

But to get back to the point - Xchange could do with a bit of facelift, yes


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