So, I have a few issues. I am trying to export the result of a decently large SOP network as an FBX file instead of .OBJ. OBJ has no material (mtl) support out of Houdini AFAIK it would seem so I am wanting to try to use FBX.

My first issue is FBX 2016, which I believe is the default file type in houdini 15.5.(523) I have nothing that can currently open that new a version of FBX.

Is there a way to set FBX 2014 as the default? I have set the file>export>filmbox to be 2014.. I have also set filmboxfbx ropnet node to use FBX 2014 by default. However when I use my sop - Rop output driver.. and make the extension .fbx the file I get is UN-importable by any DCC I have, so I assume it is fbx 2016. The file size looks good though.. a few K different from the OBJ version.

This must be user error on my part.. but when I use the explicit file>export>Filmbox fbx dialogue box.. and set to 2014, in ascii.. I get a tiny 17k file that is nothing but a few named nulls and no geo. I get the same thing using the FBX ropnet. I can open them but they are empty. The output driver looks to make a proper file I cannot open

Is there a way to force the SOP output driver to use FBX 2014?

Is there something special I need to do in the file>export>Filmbox fbx dialogue box to actually get me geo out of my network and use the renderflag i have set. It seems I can only pick at the OBJ level of the network.

Thanks.

It worked for me exporting non-ASCII with material to FBX 2014. Then I imported that file into Blender and I got my geometry and basic colors.

Make sure you have everything selected before you invoke the File/Export dialog. Move you mouse into Network view and try CTRL-A to select all.

Typically you have to re-work your materials anyway. While materials themselves are not actually saved with OBJ format, the material groups are so you can re-assign materials in the importing app.

The FBX export in Houdini doesn't use the node selection. If you have a object network specified on the exporter, then it'll only export that node and the stuff inside it.