VRML 2.0 Mesh Export Format

[beardless2]

Hi,

For a future release, please could you consider adding VRML 2.0 (.wrl) file mesh export format?

At the moment to get the mesh into this format, I am having to export it from 3DF Zephyr as a .ply file, load it into MeshLab, then export it again from here - it would be great if I could avoid this step and do it straight from 3DF Zephyr Lite?

Thanks for some great software.

[Andrea Alessi]

Hi,

thank you for your kind words!

VRML is a pretty old format - while we can absolutetly consider adding it, may I ask you what is your use case and in which software do you need to bring your model is?

Maybe there is a more modern format that we already support (or that we can support) that can work with your workflow ?

[beardless2]

Hi Andrea,

I'd like to bring the meshes into Siemens NX.

I found a picture online which shows a list of supported import files if that helps with a more suitable format?

https://community.plm.automation.siemens.com/t5/NX-Design-Forum/Best-File-Type-Choice-For-Easy-Importing/td-p/494576

[Andrea Alessi]

Hi,

I am not familiar with Siemens NX but from the link you shared it looks like it's a software that works with vector data rather than triangular geometry.

From the list you sent it doesn't look like it supports VRML (unless i'm missing something). Can you maybe take a screenshot from your local installation so that we can check what is supported currently ?

Anyways, it seems like Siemens NX is more tailored for vector data rather than geometry.

You can create polylines in 3DF Zephyr Aerial (which is guided / semi manual ) and soon in the next version also surfaces from control points. I can send you a beta key if you'd like to try it

[beardless2]

Hi Andrea,

Thanks for getting back to me.

NX is similar to CATIA or AutoCAD.

The VRML option was listed in the 2nd photo (from the import menu - opposed to the open menu)

Would a STEP or STL file format be more up-to-date than VRML that would be more suitable to implement?

[Andrea Alessi]

Oh right, i missed it, sorry!

STL is already supported (export mesh thought, not export textured mesh - STL does not have texture information). From the same screenshot it also look like OBJ import is supported in NX too.

Have you tried it already? If NX has trouble loading OBJs generated with zephyr, my guess would be that you are feeding it OBJs with textures - in this case, try exporting just the mesh with no texture.

Let me know!

[beardless2]

Hi Andrea,

I tried all combinations of those you suggested (OBJ / STL with/without textures) and NX didn't like it unfortunately, I think I will need the VRML format if I am to avoid a 3rd party app to do the import i'm afraid.

[Andrea Alessi]

Well, the bad news is that if it doesn't support our generated OBJ/STL it most likely doesn't respect the format specifications by standard (or i'm missing something, probably), so there is no guarantee that if we were to implement the VRML format (which is pretty simple) it would be imported correctly.

Can you help us out? can you open a 3D model in Zephyr, export the PLY, convert it to a VRML file that you are 100% sure NX will read, and send us both ? It can be a toy example, so keep it super simple if you can.

We'll see what we can do then

[beardless2]

Hi Andrea, sure no problem - where can i send the files too? I tried to attach them to this post but it wouldn't let me upload those file types.

[Roberto]

Hi Beadless,

You can send it directly to support@3dflow.net. Alternatively, If the file size is big, upload it on wetransfer.com or dropbox and send us a link for the download.

Thanks!

[beardless2]

Thanks - i have emailed you the files you need.

[Roberto]

We have added the exporter, and we'll ship it in the next release:
https://www.3dscanninghacks.com/wiki...tus_(Blueberry)

[beardless2]

Roberto & Andrea - many thanks for listening and implementing this so quickly, that is truly excellent customer support. I look forward to using it, and all the other new features in the next release

[cam3d]

**Fun Fact: VRML2 is the file type projet660 full colour sandstone printers utilizes if you're using UV coords instead of vertex colours - I think they (might) store unit data for scaling (?) but I always found it a pretty awkward with super limited compatibility.

OBJ 4 LIFE