something is missing

[disturbed13]

how are you supposed to apply a material to the SU model in octane?
if you attempt to do this in octane it turns the whole SU model into that material
and the amazing looking textures are not available in SU
1 + 1 does not = 3

[TIG]

There is no way to apply a new material in Octane that then affects the SKP - it's a one-way-street!
You export the SKP's geometry, materials [OBJ/MTL/textures] and optionally the SKP's camera and sun-settings into Octane via files.
Within Octane itself you can adjust the materials, and also the camera and sun-settings etc.
You CAN'T export these from Octane back into the SKP...
You CAN sample materials from the Octane window and use those in the SKP, BUT there is not direct connection.
These are separate applications.

[disturbed13]

all im saying is that it would be nice to have the octane library available to use in SU
maybe not to the level of detail that octane does
but some sort of representation so that when you load the model into SU
the materials that you want are where you want them
then all you have to do is to fine tune the render and voila!

let me ask this
lets say that there is a color in the SU model
is it possible to change that color to a material in octane?
and if so how?
thanks for all of your help.

[TIG]

All materials used in the SKP are exported... and therefore imported into the OCS using the specified 'color', if they have a texture image that is used too.
They only thing that Octane [currently] fails to implement is the materials' alpha transparency - although it IS passed onto the OCS in the MTL file - BUT you can easily reset that for those materials within the first run of the OCS - it's remembered in the OCS and unaffected by changing the SKP later...

I don't understand your proposition otherwise ?

[disturbed13]

my propisition is to have a way of 'linking' the materials from the octane library
(which is something else that needs to happen)
to a representation in SU
that way you (or anyone) can still work with their model
but when they export it to octane it would already have the materials that you want
so all you have to do is center the camera
and Voila!!!! render till complete

[Burkhard]

I think he is referring to somethink like it is possible in Maxwell. You are able to link Sketchup Materials to mxm Materials.

But because of the file limitations in Sketchup, are these linked materials mostly as colours available. Otherwise you have to reduce the
texture file size seperately and use them in Sketchup.

Anyway, this should only work ( and make sence ), if you have access to a standalone Material Editor to change settings, UV's ...in Sketchup,
so that you are able to safe them also as Octane Material file, which can be linked to the Sketchup Material.

But linking textures to the Octane library is a a good idea in general

[disturbed13]

yes
you are getting close
for the SU materials to Octane link
i dont expect to see HDRI materials
nor do i want those
i want some way of representing them (in a very simple manner) in SU
i would like them to be very low resolution
so that when you load the file into Octane
it will see what surface has what material already
that way you can take you complex model and apply the materials that you want to each specific part
very easily

also on a side note
there needs to be a very easy way of saving any materials that are made in Octane
and all of the attached properties
in an easy to see and use library that can and should be saved on the local hard drive
that way everyone can make their own material library
as well as octane live