Reimporting Content Into Twinmotion

After importing a 3D model or scene into Twinmotion, occasionally you will need to adjust or fine-tune it. For example, you might need to modify the geometry of objects, change the materials applied to them, or transform their position, rotation, and scale. When you make modifications in your DCC application, in Twinmotion, or in both, and then reimport the source file into Twinmotion, the results might differ from the previous import. This depends on the following factors:

• The type of changes you make to the content in your DCC application before you reimport it.

• The overrides you have already made to the imported content in Twinmotion.

• The import options you choose on reimport.

This page provides information on what to expect when you reimport a source file into Twinmotion after the content has been modified in your DCC application, in Twinmotion, or in both.

Reimport Methods

You can reimport content into Twinmotion by using the Refresh icon or the Import window. 

• Refresh icon: Reimport using the same source file and import options you previously used.

• Import window: Reimport using the same source file, or a new file, and use the same import options you previously used, or select new import options.

Refresh Icon

To reimport with the Refresh icon, do as follows:

• Hover over the file in the Import dock, and click the Refresh icon that appears above the file. 

  

Import Window

To reimport with the Import window, do as follows:

1. Hover over the file in the Import dock, and click the ellipsis (...) that appears above the file.

   

2. In the menu that appears, select File settings.

   

   The Import window opens.

   

3. You can keep the same source file or select a new file.

   To select a new file, select the file path in the Your file(s) field.

   

4. You can keep the same import options or select new ones.

   To select new import options, change the settings under Options.

   

5. Click OK.

Reimport Rules

When you import content from a DCC application into Twinmotion, Twinmotion organizes each element into a parent-and-child hierarchy. Elements at a higher level in the hierarchy are considered to be the parents of lower-level items. For example, the image below  illustrates what a hierarchy can look like. 

After you import content into Twinmotion, you can change the content in your DCC application, and also override the content in Twinmotion. For example, you could modify a material or its properties, or transform an object's scale, position, or rotation. Any type of modification you make to imported content in Twinmotion is considered to be an override to the imported content. 

The hierarchy of objects and properties determines whether or not the changes you make in your DCC application, or the overrides you make in Twinmotion, are kept when you reimport the content. 

Reimporting follows two rules:

• Twinmotion preserves child properties that are overridden in Twinmotion. 

• Twinmotion applies parent-level changes from the DCC application, unless you override the parent in Twinmotion. 

You can reset the overrides you make in Twinmotion and retrieve the original import properties of objects by selecting them and choosing Reset transform on selection, Reset materials on selection, or Reset properties on selection.

Twinmotion Overrides

If you make overrides to the content in Twinmotion, and then reimport the source file into Twinmotion, the Twinmotion overrides are preserved, unless:

• The parent was changed in the DCC application. For example:

Modification	Expected results
Import an object into Twinmotion. In Twinmotion, override the properties of a material on the object. In the DCC application, change the material on the same object. Reimport the object.	On reimport, the Twinmotion overrides are lost.

DCC Application Changes

If you make changes to the content in your DCC application, and then reimport the source file into Twinmotion, all the changes are applied, unless:

• The same property was overridden in Twinmotion. For example:

Modifications	Expected results
Import an object into Twinmotion. In Twinmotion, override the scale of the object. In the DCC application, change the rotation and the scale of the same object. Reimport the object.	On reimport: The Twinmotion override is preserved. The DCC application rotation change is applied, but the scale change is lost.

• The parent was overridden in Twinmotion. For example: 

Modifications	Expected results
Import an object into Twinmotion. In Twinmotion, override the material on the object. In the DCC application, change the properties of the material on the object. Reimport the object.	On reimport: The Twinmotion override is preserved. The DCC material property changes are disregarded.