Have you created a new addon? It looks like you're trying to import things into the template addon, which is strictly for use as a template for creating new addons.

There's a bit more on this here:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/Environments/Getting_Started#Create_an_addon

More details on 'content' versus 'game' folders here (looks like you were also trying to import into the 'game' side of things):

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/Environments/Introduction#Addons.2C_and_the_Content_and_Game_Folders

Once you've done that and have started the workshop tools using with your new addon selected, you should be able to import your model into the appropriate place - in your case somewhere like this:

F:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\SteamVR\tools\steamvr_environments\content\steamtours_addons\your_addon_name\models

Hope that's of use!

Originally posted by Cargo Cult:

Have you created a new addon? It looks like you're trying to import things into the template addon, which is strictly for use as a template for creating new addons.

There's a bit more on this here:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/Environments/Getting_Started#Create_an_addon

More details on 'content' versus 'game' folders here (looks like you were also trying to import into the 'game' side of things):

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/Environments/Introduction#Addons.2C_and_the_Content_and_Game_Folders

Once you've done that and have started the workshop tools using with your new addon selected, you should be able to import your model into the appropriate place - in your case somewhere like this:

F:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\SteamVR\tools\steamvr_environments\content\steamtours_addons\your_addon_name\models

Hope that's of use!

Thanks a lot for your help! I've created a new addon but the error still persists.

Invalid model directory
F:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\SteamVR\tools\steamvr_environments\content\steamtours_addons\luxurycouch\models Model directory must be under 'models' in the current mod or addon content path

Try creating a new folder under 'models' - something like 'props_furniture' or similar?

(This is a pretty strict rule, but it means that for larger projects where there might be hundreds if not thousands of models, things get a bit more categorised.)

Ok I got that process working but when create New Mesh From File in the Model Editor it creates a .VMDL instead of .VMDL-C. Then the model editor crashes, when I re-open it the materials are labeled error and the material editor says "error.vmat_c Missing Content's Source. Asset System not finding source path. editing unavailable."

Tried following this and changing the textures from .tga to .jpg but no luck
https://steamcommunity.com/app/453170/discussions/0/358417008717810755/

Image: https://imgur.com/a/CGXoT4s
Guide: (under materials) https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/Environments/Importing_Tutorial#Importing_an_FBX_into_Workshop_tools

The Model Editor will automatically exit after creating a new model - not sure why, but this is normal. The '.vmdl' file is automatically compiled into a '.vmdl_c' behind the scenes.

For the materials, on import it should automatically create some appropriate '.vmat' files which define the surface properties. The model importer should have created some for you - the 'Source -> Destination' should show how things were remapped:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/File:Tutorial_objimport.png

If it's not doing that, them make sure your material assignments in Maya are correct, and that they're pointing to appropriate image files. The workshop tools understand quite a few different image formats - TGA, PSD, PNG are better choices than JPEG due to not using lossy compression.

I'm not sure if the tools like FBX files with embedded materials / textures - I've only ever used external texture files. I'm deeply unfamiliar with Maya as well, so can't particularly help you there!

There's a bit more on materials here, although it's less about getting the material assignments for a model correct and more about the material system itself:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/Environments/Environment_Tutorial:_Materials,_Details_and_Props

Thank you for this, you've really been a huge help!! I've gotten the model into the viewport and successfully made my first material (4k textures) but can't seem to drop it on to the model, the model seems to to be overridden by the error.vmat https://imgur.com/IBFkpNP which has the "Missing Content's Source" error https://imgur.com/9DlGVub.

The documentation here https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/Environments/Environment_Tutorial:_Materials,_Details_and_Props takes you from setting up textures to using materials on walls with "Find / Replace Textures" but I can't find out how to do this for objects.

The setup being described for wall materials is for Hammer geometry - essentially, Hammer is a modelling program in itself.

Externally authored geometry (such as your sofa) works a bit differently. It looks like the automatic material assignments aren't working - it's possible to override these using Material Remap settings in the Model Editor.

To add one of these, open your model in the Model Editor and select Model : Add Material Remap. This will add an entry into a new 'Material Remap List' in the outliner pane to the left. Expand the list, select the 'Material Remap 0' item and in the Property Editor to the right, select a material in 'Search Material' (these are the names of materials as seen in the model source file) and select the target material with 'Replace Material'.

Since your sofa has two separate materials, you'll want to add a second material remap item - then set things in a similar way for that one.

The tools should be doing much of this automatically - if you could upload your FBX and textures somewhere, I'd be able to get a better idea of where they're going wrong.

Hope that's of some use again!

It works! How can I write you a review!?

If you don't mind, could I ask how familiar you are with using and editing assets in pre-made environments? I'd like to take models like this and scale/adjust them in different environments. Unfortunately I'm not allowed to share the files.