Problems Importing 3DS Files

Support Basics & Interface
#1

So, I’m trying to import more LEGO pieces from LDraw for my mini-figure model to use, such as weapons, tools, etc, but oddly enough, the ones that I have tried so far won’t import. I say “odd” because I was able to other LEGO pieces such as bricks without any problem, but these ones just won’t import. I’m thinking maybe it has to do with the higher amount of objects involved (the LDraw pieces always import as multiple objects, and I have to merge them all after importing) due to the more complex detail, or this (maybe a combination), which I pulled from the console after trying to import:

Importing 3DS: “/Users/New/Desktop/3959.3ds”
Traceback (most recent call last):File “/Users/New/Desktop/blender-2.49b-OSX-10.5-py2.5-intel/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/3ds_import.py”, line 882, in load_3ds
process_next_chunk(file, current_chunk, importedObjects, IMAGE_SEARCH)
File “/Users/New/Desktop/blender-2.49b-OSX-10.5-py2.5-intel/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/3ds_import.py”, line 464, in process_next_chunk
process_next_chunk(file, new_chunk, importedObjects, IMAGE_SEARCH)
File “/Users/New/Desktop/blender-2.49b-OSX-10.5-py2.5-intel/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/3ds_import.py”, line 473, in process_next_chunk
putContextMesh(contextMesh_vertls, contextMesh_facels, contextMeshMaterials)
File “/Users/New/Desktop/blender-2.49b-OSX-10.5-py2.5-intel/blender.app/Contents/MacOS/.blender/scripts/3ds_import.py”, line 429, in putContextMesh
if len(materialFaces)!=len(myContextMesh_facels):
TypeError: object of type ‘NoneType’ has no len()

I think the thing that’s causing it is that last line, but I’m not sure how to fix it.

#2

Try a different format. I have found .3DS and .DAE to be flaky. LWO and OB are more reliable formats for getting models into Blender.

#3

Well, 3DS is the only format the LDraw files will export to with the software I have, and I’m not sure where to find any others. There are some LDraw to Blender exporters floating around on the internet, but they all seem pretty old, and I never could get them properly installed before.

#4

You just need to find a converter. Lots of programs can do it.

Have you tried wings?
http://www.wings3d.com/

#5

That worked. Thanks.