I'm sure there's a quick answer to this but I haven't found one in the documentation. I'm using Poser 11. I imported an OBJ file I created in 3DS Max. I had assigned materials in Max. The model imported correctly with the material groups intact. However in the Poser material room the materials have names like "wire_006135006." I'd like to change those names back to something useful like "table top." How do I do this? As a workaround I created new material groups from the old ones and gave them useful names. However the original "wire_006135006" and friends are still cluttering up the dropdown list and I can't get rid of them. Thanks for your help.

What are the material groups named in 3ds Max? Poser used the names it finds in the import.

In Max the material groups were named "table top," etc. And the materials themselves similarly "TableMarble" etc. In Poser's grouping tool panel the Max groups show up with the proper names, but in the material room they have the weird alphanumeric names.

That is very odd!!
You can "change" Material names in the grouping tool by Adding new material names and assigning them to the correct group. Then removing the incorrect material.
Out of curiosity, what are the materials named in the MTL file?
I'm asking cause software does not have free will, and won't assign names willy nilly. It has to get the data from somewhere!

(you can also modify the poser files by hand.... which is a great way to irreparably MESS STUFF UP!!! Back up your backup before you begin!)

Easiest and fastest method is to open the .obj file in a text editor and search usemtl. That's the header for each material definition in obj. Change each name as needed, Save file. You can also edit your group names this way by finding each g definition.

It's a little more tricky once obj is referenced by pp2 or cr2.

Thanks for your responses. I've tried both methods successfully, so that settles it. Still don't know where "wire..." came from. I will blame it on the Wavefront Gremlins.

Thank you, too.

I've been doing a lot of 'rummaging around' in OBJ+MTL files. OBJ with Wordpad, usually to change a group's usemtl "" to usemtl group-name (after Noesis), or to change the MTL path to same as OBJ so Poser finds it (RM's RE rips). MTL with Notepad, usually to change texture paths to match texture folder. Sometimes, 'Plan_B' needs all eg PNG etc calls changing to JPG, then the PNGs bulk-converted using free Irfan View...