ZBrushCentral

Importing MTL materials

What is the process to import MTL materials?

Material -> Load… :small_orange_diamond:

Material->Load loads ZMT files not MTL files…

I think I’ve even seen ZBrush generate a MTL file when you export a mesh to OBJ that had a material.

Is there a script to reimport the material, or is it automatic when you import the OBJ?

The mtl file will not give you a ZB material back when you import that file again. It’s rather meant to give another app a glimpse of an idea what you assigned in ZB. I saw colors being transported rather well… but then all the rest… cough cough. Materials are not exchanged well between apps… to say the least.

ZB native .ZTL files (Tool save not export) are the only way to save ZB materials and then retrieve them later…

LemonNado

I generated the MTL files via Modo, not ZBrush… I was trying to import those materials into ZBrush.

Same thing. I was not successfull in any way to get anything usefull out of the .mtl files when I transfer. Would be nice so… At least to get something assigned which remotely resembles the characteristics defined in the .mtl file… XSI is doing a ‘reasonable’ job BUT, of course, can’t match the original.
I have to script. But then it’s working fine…

Lemo

Blender and wings 3d can open the material just fine. I think the OBJ references the MTL file. ZBrush must be ignoring this chunk.

ZBrush will use the material zones to assign polygroups. Import your object and in Edit mode press Shift+F. It may be that ZB doesn’t recognize all variaties of material file. I had no trouble with materials zones applied in Wings but Carrara exported obj didn’t show.