Hi,

I`m not sure if this question allready gone thru?
Is there coming vrml file export (colors in surfaces) to MoI3d or is it possible to save *.3ds in colors?

Thanks in advanced,

d3print

Hi d3print - currently I don't have any plans for VRML support, since it is a kind of obsolete and not often used format these days. It was initially intended to be used by web browsers a long time ago but it never really took off.

Is there some particular application that you're using that is focused on VRML instead of on the more commonly used OBJ format?

If so you may want to contact the program's authors and ask that they add in support for the OBJ file format, which is much more widely used by a lot of 3D programs these days.


> or is it possible to save *.3ds in colors?

Not yet - in MoI v2 it is possible to save color information to either the OBJ or LWO mesh file formats.

Possibly in MoI v3 I may be able to extend that to some additional file formats.

But 3DS is also another really old and pretty much obsolete format as well, it has quite a few limitations in it from the old 16-bit computing days, like there can't be more than about 65000 vertices in any single mesh since parts of the file format structure only use 16-bit integers. Also it supports only triangles and not many-sided polygons and it even has old fashioned file naming limitations like texture filenames limited to only 8 characters long as in old MS-DOS. Additionally it does not have any way to store vertex normal shading information so it is hard to avoid shading glitches.

So I kind of hate to spend much effort on it when there are better formats like OBJ that don't have all those kinds of limitations in them.

- Michael

Thanks for quick reply,

(my) need is to print out 3d objects in colors.
For example Zprint`s 3d printers software open those .vrml files
straight in colors for printing.
The printing software doesn`t support obj or lwo-files.
Think they (z-corporation) should add some more files to open...

Thanks,

d3

Hi d3, yes that is surprising to me that they don't support OBJ files, in general among 3D rendering software (which usually is focused on supporting colors and materials), OBJ files are much more commonly used than VRML.

In the meantime you can probably get the job done by using some other software to load in OBJ and export to VRML.

You might try 3DWin: http://www.tb-software.com/products_2.html

PolyTrans: http://www.okino.com/conv/conv.htm

or possibly Blender...


Hopefully Zprint will update their printer software in the future to directly open some more commonly used formats.

- Michael

Hi,

I agree with those new formats to Zprint software.
Going to ask from distributor have they any news of coming formats.

Thanks,

d3

I have to output VRML as well all the time as one my clients prints everything out in a ZCorp machine. It would be so nice if they accepted OBJ since that is a natural part of the making object to render workflow.

What is the software you use to put out wrml files?

I use Solidworks for that 90% of the time so my work flow is MOI / import .3dm to solidworks / save as .sldprt / save as vrml. I sometimes need the accuracy for assemblies and drawings so Solidworks is great for that.

For poly work objects I use Carrara 6.2 Pro which exports straight to vrml and works just fine. I've also done .obj from MOI to Carrara to vrml and that works as well. Carrara is really a little gem that is very functional for the price point, much like MOI.

a note on Carrara in case someone was looking to buy. I see (yes, I know I'm very late) that Carrara 6.2 pro is being offered for free on a cover disk again in the 3D artist March 2010 issue #12. If you're stateside that will be any day now at Barnes & Noble or Borders. You can also get Carrara 6.2 pro and Hexagon 2.5 on a cover disk of the Daz 3D book- Figures Characters and Avatars for around $20.00 plus shipping at Amazon. I just ordered one for the Carrara 6.2 pro since .. why not? I think it's just a tradition that I get each version at some point. Weird, huh?

I tought that in SolidEdge are lot of translators, but..., the vrml export is missing.
At this moment my choice are SC and MoI 3D for design softwares plus
one software where I can translate files in colors to 3d printers.
Any ideas for that third software?

Hi d3,

> Any ideas for that third software?

You might try 3DWin: http://www.tb-software.com/products_2.html

PolyTrans: http://www.okino.com/conv/conv.htm

or possibly Blender...

- Michael

Hi,

I checked out those softwares. I`m looking maybe more simple things, UI was little bit too
complicated for me.., searching more like Cad exchanger software!
Just import file ,choose format and export, thats it.

Cad exchanger could be one of the chose if it will support colors in vrml files.

My wish is to export a step file ( I`m using lot mcad`s) with colors and convert it with colors to
*.3ds or *.wrml extension and send it to 3d printer without any modifications more. It could not be so difficult could it?

Thanks,

d3

Ps. This MoI 3D Rocks more and more!

Hi d3, well in those ones I mentioned you will want to use OBJ files with them, not load CAD data directly into them.

So first export from MoI to an OBJ file (use the Output: Triangles only option when exporting from MoI for this case), then load the OBJ file into 3DWin, and export to VRML.

That's not too complicated and should get the job done for you.

The same process should work with PolyTrans - both 3DWin and Polytrans are focused on translating from one polygon mesh format into another polygon mesh format.

3DWin only costs 29 Euros, so probably give it a try first. The UI is somewhat unusual but not really too hard to figure out, to do the import, put the import type to "Alias Wavefront (*.obj)", and push the Import button, these 2 controls are located in the 3DWin dialog here:



Then set the export type to VRML (*.wrl) and push the Export button, those 2 controls are located here:




That should then convert the OBJ file into a VRML file like you need.

- Michael

Hi d3 - otherwise if that does not work for you, you could try Carrara as mentioned above.

http://www.daz3d.com/i/software/carrara

That would follow a similar process - export from MoI to an OBJ file, import the OBJ into Carrara then export to VRML.

- Michael

You could try an online translator for free also:

http://www.ocnus.com/translate.html

Must include the mtl file from obj export for the material read.

Thanks for help.
Try to get time to study.

Have somebody used Inovate software?
Looks like there are quite a choice for import and export.

-d3-