File Import/Export

Answers in this category:

1. Which 3D file formats does Blender support
2. Can Blender work with Renderman or BMRT?
3. Is there any way to output files in the PLY file format?
4. Is it possible to import models and animations from Blender into Macromedia Director 8.5?
5. Can Blender export to a DirectX compatable format?
6. How can I import a DXF file
7. Can Blender automatically add filename extensions when saving images?
8. How do I import textured models and animations into Blender from 3D studio Max and Alias Maya ?
9. How can I export to Lightflow?
10. How do I clean up imported DXF files?

1 - Which 3D file formats does Blender support

Contributed by anonymous.

Blender supports the following 3D file formats:

- VRML
- DXF (Autocad)
- Videoscape
- Inventor (read only)

Several users are working on export scripts written in Python. For more information, visit the Python & Plugins discussion group.

To export a VRML file, press CTRL+F2.

To export a DXF file, press SHIFT+F2.

To export a Videoscape file, press ALT+W.

To load these file formats, use the normal file load screen (F1).

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2 - Can Blender work with Renderman or BMRT?

Contributed by Daniel Jircik.

Yes
And by way of explanation,
BMRT stands for BLUE MOON RENDERING TOOLS
https://www.exluna.com/bmrt/
which all though not officially, it is a compatible derivitave of Pixars industry
standard and renowned Renderman . BMRT is free.

Requires Python 2.0 and you can read all about it here.
https://www.blender.nl/showitem.php?id=157

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3 - Is there any way to output files in the PLY file format?

Contributed by B@rt.

Blender does not support this file format. If you want to output to .PLY you will have to write your own export module in _Python_.

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4 - Is it possible to import models and animations from Blender into Macromedia Director 8.5?

Contributed by B@rt.

Blender does not export to Director's own fileformat nor can Director read .blend files. You can import sequences of rendered images or Blender's .avi files though.

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5 - Can Blender export to a DirectX compatable format?

Contributed by B@rt.

At the moment of writing Blender (v 2.20) exports to VRML and DXF only.

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6 - How can I import a DXF file

Contributed by B@rt.

You can load a DXF or VRML 1.0 file by using the File Load window (F1). The files will be merged into your current scene.

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7 - Can Blender automatically add filename extensions when saving images?

Contributed by B@rt.

Sure :)

Select the 'Extensions' button in the Display Buttons window (F10) and Blender will add the appropriate filetype extensions to your saved images or animations.

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8 - How do I import textured models and animations into Blender from 3D studio Max and Alias Maya ?

Contributed by B@rt.

There is no functionality for this yet; the best you can do is use a file conversion utility like _3dto3d_ and load the geometry into Blender as a DXF or VRML file. So far, I'm not aware of utilities that can convert textures, materials or animations.

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9 - How can I export to Lightflow?

Contributed by Tomer Vromen.

There are currently two export scripts for LightFlow.

The first is MontZ's, which looks like a very good script, but it's developement was discontinued because of a very unfortunate HD crash.
Download it at https://www.zone.ee/MontZ/LFexport_Beta.py.

Another export script for LightFlow is shredder's, which can be found at https://shredder.xoasis.com/lightflow.htm. This script is missing some functions, but has the needed documentaion that MontZ's script is missing.

Also, a search for LightFlow on the discussion boards might help you find some more info.

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10 - How do I clean up imported DXF files?

Contributed by anonymous.

When you open a dxf 3d face file with blender you will have to remove doubled vertices before you can do much editing to it.
Select the object and enter edit mode, press "a" to select all vertices, then go to the edit buttons and press "remove doubles". You don't need to do this with dxf polylines. (Hint: You know it's a 3d face format when you grab a vertex in edit mode and it only seems to affect one face.)

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