Importing textures/materials with downloaded 3D objects

[RiffRaffMama]

Sometimes I download 3D objects (this is almost always people) and they are all white when I import them, but they have an image file which downloads with them which is basically a texture/"skin" for the object.

The problem I'm having is that when I import them I have the option of course to select a colour for them, but not a texture file, so although they have imported, I have to change their materials every time I want to use them in a new project. Is there any way I can import/save them with the "skin" already in place?

[Gildaniel]

I usually download and import 3d not directly in Collada, but in SketchUp format.
After you open it in Sketchup, (correct and delete some parts if needed) and then export to Collada dae format - you get correct textures in SweetHome

[RiffRaffMama]

Thanks Gildaniel, I was afraid the answer would be something like this. I've never used Collada or SketchUp and the 3DS files are nothing like Revit families which I am familiar with.
I know the answer to this is very subjective, but are they difficult programs to grasp?
Thanks.

And if anyone else still has an easier solution, I'm all ears!

[alaX]

Import 3d model, apply texture/color, 3d view > Export to OBJ format, import.

[Puybaret]

It could be images at a format not supported by Sweet Home 3D, like TGA.
The trick consists of changing them to PNG or JPEG format but keeping the same file name (i.e. keep the .tga extension).

[RiffRaffMama]

Thank you Alax! I had tried to do this in the past but found that the entire project exported. I see now that the default button selected is not the one I am looking for. I just tried it out with one such file and it seems to have worked quite flawlessly.

[RiffRaffMama]

Thank you Emmanuel. Alax's solution seems to have done the trick. These files are always 3DS files. Here is the original zip file I downloaded, which I just managed to export and reimport the way Alax suggested, in case you would like to better see the file type I have problems with.

And I want to say thank you too for always seeming to chime in on any questions people have on this forum. I imagine you are a busy man, but nobody knows this program better than you, so I think it is invaluable that you are able to contribute to the forum quite a lot, and I can't say I have ever seen any other software developer do the same.
I find your program to be so easy and intuitive to use. I am an architecture student and I love SH3D because although I still have to use Revit in class, I find SH3D so much easier and the renders (photos) it produces far superior to those Revit creates and so SH3D images feature quite prominently in my assignments and presentations. Even my teacher was impressed by a photo I had produced in SH3D and asked what program I had used.

[Puybaret]

Thanks Tracy [:">]