TechNote

Imported 3D models are partially invisible or don't display in Photoshop CS4 Extended

Issue

When you import Google warehouse files (.kmz) or other Collada files (.dae) into Photoshop CS4 Extended, materials look like they haven't been imported with the model, or models appear to be partially or completely invisible.

Solution

Do one of the following solutions:

Solution 1: Install the script into your Scripts folder, so it is accessible via the File > Scripts menu in Photoshop.

Close Photoshop CS4 Extended.
Copy or move the 3D Invert Opacity.jsx file into your Adobe Photoshop CS4/Presets/Scripts folder.
Restart Photoshop.
Open your 3D model in Photoshop.
Choose File > Scripts > 3D Invert Opacity.

Solution 2: Run the attached script to set opacity appropriately on your file.

Download 3D_Invert_Opacity.jsx to your desktop or another location on your hard disk and rename it to 3D Invert Opacity.jsx.
Open Photoshop CS4 Extended.
Open the 3D model in Photoshop.
Double cick the 3D Invert Opacity.jsx file to run the script on that 3D model.

Additional Information

A number of 3D Collada files (.kmz, .dae) have the Opacity materials setting inverted. For examples, materials that are 100% opaque are imported into Photoshop as 0% opaque (fully transparent), and materials that are 80% opaque are imported as 20% opaque, or partially invisible.

This occurs when Collada exporters write their transparency modes in a certain way, which Photoshop does not recognize, and therefore cannot correct.