I was trying to edit a complex OBJ+MTL scene file in my ($$) turboCAD 2016 x64.

Most of the other programs I'd tried either have an intractable UI or, legacy x32, simply 'fall over' due complexity.

I'd hoped to extract many fun props & widgets, split the complex set into 'scenes' that would not choke Poser.

Well, TC loaded the complex OBJ mesh okay, but did not read the MTL. Given there were dozens of textures referenced, this was a bit of a blow. Could I find any option to read an MTL ? No...

I played with a much simpler file, an aquarium. Again, the OBJ loaded, the MTL did not. I managed to disentangle the parts, tried to export them. OBJ appeared, sorta okay, though bloated, but NO MTL.

I put a query on the official TC forum. After a while, several members kindly responded. OBJ+MTL is not a common format in TC community, but they checked and confirmed my findings.

TC can neither read nor write an MTL for OBJs.

Seems MTL 'system' of materials and textures is completely different to TC's two types. They are both compatible with eg 3DS, with baked-in colours, which are what I used for P4, FP3D and that era's TC. Now, there's still no MTL support for OBJ.

No way, can't be done. Apple vs Android, chalk vs cheese, TSB;NFC...

And, given the lack of external texture calls, it means latest TC versions' FBX support is likely to be similarly flawed.

Which means there is  NO texture-calling format in common between TC and Poser_11...

Upside, I'm no longer tempted to upgrade my TC _2016 to '2020 or forthcoming '2021 before I've seen what's available in PPro_12.

Down-side, I feel a bit betrayed...

That's pain.

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I've found that to do well with any figure you really need to have a passion for that figure,

...and I hope you develop that passion for yours.

Though I'm new to the topic, I did wonder about it because I wanted to do the same thing, split a complex object into smaller parts... but I was concerned about, "How do I split the texture up as well, so that the 3D portion I split off will have the correct piece of texture with it?"

I don't know how to do this, but plan on learning.

If I do discover how to do this, I hope ViaCAD will be able to succeed with it because I like the videos I saw on YouTube of the application.

Hi !

IMHO, you must discover *exactly* what ViaCAD calls 'support' for OBJ textures. If I/O includes MTL, then you've hope. The lack of adequate info on-line, just advertising spiel, is unfortunate but far too common.

Second step is to figure if individual parts will retain their textures when the model is 'sliced & diced'.

If complex model is textured by 'wrapping' one detailed mega-texture, like draping vast Google Earth piccy over terrain, that is a BIG problem. IMHO, you will need to run split-out components through a UV UnWrap tool, copy/scale/paste texture sections onto their now-simpler UV map. I'm told it gets easier with practice...

Some CAD packages bundle such a tool, and there are various free unwrappers.

If each part already makes its own call to its eg 'blahblah016.jpg', and this is not lost, then things get a lot easier...
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I've just been informed by 'Andy' of AC3D Support that their OBJ import/export really, really does support MTL. Given my wariness expressed above, I'll need to invoke trial download, and dig deep...

Thank you kindly!

I appreciate the information!

Perhaps I'll try the free options first, like FreeCAD & BRL-CAD, & see what I can accomplish with those after some YouTube tutorials.

I have a 32-bit version of AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 but not a working 32-bit PC on which to use it at this time (as it doesn't run on Windows 10 64-bit).