Wavefront OBJ Import and Export

When importing or exporting Wavefront OBJ files, material and UV information can also be handled.

Importing from OBJ Format

From the menu bar, select File > Import > Wavefront OBJ.
In the Open dialog, select the OBJ file you wish to import into Shade3D.
The Wavefront OBJ Import Settings dialog box appears. Import options can be specified here.
After confirming that each of the import settings is correct, click the OK button to import the OBJ file.

Wavefront OBJ Import Settings Dialog

Coordinate Transformation Group

Scale: Sets the size of the imported object in Shade3D.
Coordinates Preview Box: Shows a preview of the coordinates orientation as specified by the Invert and Swap buttons.
Invert Buttons (X, Y, Z): Inverts the specified axis. Changes will be reflected in the Coordinates Preview box.
Swap Buttons (X-Y, Y-Z, Z-X): Swaps the specified axes. Changes will be reflected in the Coordinates Preview box.
Reset Button: Resets the Invert and Swap buttons and returns the orientation of the axes to the default settings.

Wavefront OBJ Import Settings

Units: Shapes can be exported in mm, cm, m, km, inches, feet, yards, miles, or Poser units.
Use Group Name: The group names will be used for the names of objects. When unchecked, objects' original names are written.
Group Tag: Groups in the imported file can be processed by one of two methods, Convert to Face Group or Separate Shapes By Group.
UV Value: Loads polygon mesh UV values.
When loading data with UV values, leave this checkbox on.
Invert V Value: Inverts the V value information.
Material File: Loads a material file (.mtl) which is applied as surface attributes.
Material Naming Pop-up Menu: Imported surface attributes are loaded as master surfaces.
If Use Object Name is selected, the object name will be assigned to the master surface.
If Use Material Name is selected, the material name will be assigned to the master surface.
Materials assigned as face groups use the material name for the master surface.

Exporting to OBJ Format

Select File > Export > Wavefront OBJ.
The Export dialog box opens. Options when exporting to OBJ files can be specified here.
Clicking the OK button after making any necessary changes will bring up a Save dialog in which a file name and destination can be chosen.
If saving mapping images, a textures folder and material file (objectname.mtl) are saved in the same location.

Export Dialog

The various options for exporting OBJ files can be specified here. Adjust the settings based on the 3D CG tool where the OBJ file will be used.

Basic Settings Group

Text File Pop-up Menu: Specifies the text encoding for the exported file.
In most cases it is not necessary to change the default setting, but if problems occur on the import-side (in another 3D tool) try changing the settings to match your system.
Output Pop-up Menu: Select either Selected Objects or All Objects to export.
Choosing Selected Objects will export only the objects selected in the Browser.
Choosing All Objects will export all the objects in the scene.
Surface Subdivision Pop-up Menu: The level of surface subdivision for the exported objects can be set to No subdivision, Coarse, Regular, Fine, and Very Fine.
Finer subdivisions result in higher quality surfaces but increase the data size.
Binary / Text Pop-up Menu: This option is not used in the OBJ Exporter
Surface Attributes Checkbox: This option is not used in the OBJ Exporter.
Surface attribute settings for OBJ export can be found in the Wavefront OBJ Export Settings group.

Wavefront OBJ Export Settings

Units Pop-up Menu: Shapes can be exported in mm, cm, m, km, inches, feet, yards, miles, or Poser units.
Max Vertices Per Face Pop-up Menu: Selecting 3-Sided (Triangles) will subdivide polygons with four or more sides during the OBJ export. The other options are 4-Sided (Rectangles) and Unlimited.
Double Sided Faces: Choose whether to make polygons double-sided before export.
If enabled, an opposite-facing face is added to each polygon before export.
Normals (Smoothing): Preserves normal information when exporting to OBJ.
UV Value: Determines whether or not the exported objects are given UV values.
If mapping will be done on the exported objects it is necessary to export the UV information set in Shade3D.
Invert V Value: When checked, inverts the V value information.
Material File: When exporting an OBJ file, writes a material file (.mtl) at the same time.
By selecting this option, surface attributes applied in Shade3D will be exported in addition to the OBJ file, and can be transferred into supporting 3D tools.

Material Options

The Material Options become active when the Material File checkbox is selected.

Create Texture Folder

Creates a folder called "textures" in the same location and hierarchy as the saved object, within which image files that are mapped to objects are saved.

OS Pop-up Menu

Specifies the OS in which the exported OBJ will be used. Select Windows, Mac, or Custom.

Windows: The following settings are automatically selected.
Image format: BMP
Path format: Unix "./xxx"
Mac: The following settings are automatically selected.
Image format: PNG
Path format: Unix "./xxx"

Image Format Pop-up Menu

Selects the image format used when exporting the mapped images.
According to the OS selected in the OS pop-up menu, the following settings are used.

Alpha Channel

Enables the alpha channel when selected.

Path Format Pop-up Menu

Selects the path format used for the textures, described by material files (.mtl).
According to the OS selected in the OS pop-up menu, the following settings are used.

Windows: The Path Format pop-up menu becomes inactive, and "Unix ". /xxx"" is automatically selected.
Mac: The Path Format pop-up menu becomes inactive, and "Unix ". /xxx"" is automatically selected.
Custom: The Path Format pop-up menu becomes active, and either "Unix ". /xxx"" or "Mac Classic ". :xxx"" can be selected.

Material Naming Pop-up Menu

Selects the nomenclature used for the material name.
If no surface attributes are specified for the object, the material "mtl_default" is used.
If an identical material name already exists, an index number will be appended to the name starting with the second file, such as: "materialname/materialname_001/materialname_002"
If the material name includes spaces or ¥/:?"<>| characters, an underscore is used instead.

Use Object Name: If surface attributes are applied to the object, the object name is used as the material name.
If a master surface is specified for the face group of each face, the master surface name is used as the material name.
Use Material Name: If a master surface is specified for surface attributes, the master surface name is used as the material name.
If a master surface is not used for the surface attributes, "mtl" is used for the first material name, and an index number is added to subsequent materials, such as "mtl_001" and "mtl_002".
Use Index: An index number is used for the material names, such as "mtl_001"/mtl_002".

Convert To Poser Units

Converts the objects to Poser units before exporting. This helps maintain proper scaling when importing an OBJ file into Poser.

Data Converted during OBJ Export

Objects Converted during Export

Shade3D Object	Notes
Closed line object	If the closed line object does not lie on a plane in Shade3D it is subdivided into triangles. The Object Info Hole checkbox is not supported
Revolved line object	The Closed checkbox and the Revolve Begin/End parameters in the Object Info window are supported for revolved line objects in Shade3D.
Extruded line object
Disk
Revolved disk	The Closed checkbox and the Revolve Begin/End parameters in the Object Info Window are supported for revolved disks in Shade3D.
Extruded disk	The Closed checkbox and the Revolve Begin/End parameters in the Object Info Window are supported for extruded disks in Shade3D.
Sphere
Polygon mesh	Round Edge is supported for polygon meshes.
Meta-mesh
Curved surface
Link object

Note: Boolean modeling is not supported.

Surface Attributes Converted aduring Export

Surface Attribute	Notes
Diffuse color	The diffuse color and diffuse reflection slider are multiplied before exporting. If texture mapping is applied, white is exported unconditionally.
Ambient color	Exports the ambient light.
Specular color	Exports Specular 1.
Specular size	The Specular 1 slider value is multiplied by 100, then exported.
Transparency	Exports the Transparency slider value.
Refraction index	Exports the Refraction slider value.
Texture mapping	- One layer is exported for each mapping. The youngest layer number (the image lowest in the hierarchy when rendering) is exported. - Repeat, Invert, White Key Mask, Black Key Mask, Flip Horizontally, Flip Vertically, Swap Vertical and Horizontal Axes supported
Bump mapping	- One layer is exported for each mapping. The youngest layer number (the image lowest in the hierarchy when rendering) is exported. - Repeat, Invert, White Key Mask, Black Key Mask, Flip Horizontally, Flip Vertically, Swap Vertical and Horizontal Axes supported