Okino Knowledge Base and Frequently Asked Questions

You are here: Home » Support & Updates » FAQs and KB

F.A.Q: General 3D File Format Conversion Questions

This section provides common answers to issues relating to the import, optimization and export of 3D file formats.

1. When I convert a file I do not get the results I expect. What is happening?
2. What is the best format for importing or exporting 3d data?
3. When I export a file to 3DS MAX or DirectX some of the polygons are missing in the rendered model yet the same model looks fine when rendered with Lightwave. What is wrong?

1. When I convert a file I do not get the results I expect. What is happening? - Top

If you encounter a problem during a conversion then it is most likely due to the data itself, a limitation of the file formats being used, or in some cases a limitation of the conversion software. For example, the .3ds file format only allows texture map references of 8.3 characters which will end up truncating the references to the filenames on disk. If you have a question about converting a file, please send email to support@okino.com and we will provide a knowledgeable answer. If you can ZIP up your file which is causing problems then please also email that to support@okino.com (as long as the file is a reasonable size, such as less than 5MB).
- Updated: October 1, 2007

2. What is the best format for importing or exporting 3d data? - Top

This question has no absolute answer. There exists so many 3D file formats because each has benefits to the program or application for which it was developed.

- If you want to move data between 3DS MAX and Maya then Okino's .bdf (binary data file) format has the highest retension of date.
- VRML2 and QD3D are very nice and verbose file formats that (we feel) are highly underused in the world of 3D graphics. They can transfer meshes, materials, textures, hierarchy, lights, cameras and in specific cases animation (VRML2).
- The 3DS MAX (.3ds) format is also very common amongst 3D software packages, but it is limited to triangles and has a limitation of 64k polygons & vertices per object; nonetheless, the Okino .3ds reader/writer is full featured and well used.

Each file format has varying degrees of data retention capabilities; please email to support@okino.com and we can provide a good answer to the question of 'What is the best file format to go from program A to program B'.
- Updated: October 1, 2007

3. When I export a file to 3DS MAX or DirectX some of the polygons are missing in the rendered model yet the same model looks fine when rendered with Lightwave. What is wrong? - Top

The 'missing' polygons are in fact still within the exported file but their polygon orientations are 'reversed' from the orientations of the other visible polygons. Because these 'missing' polygons have a reverse orientation 3DS MAX and DirectX are not rendering them because the "Force 2-sided" rendering option button is not turned on in 3DS MAX. For DirectX, you can set D3DCULL_NONE render state via the Direct3D 9 API to force 2-sided rendering. 3DS MAX is basically culling these "back-facing" polygons. The solution to this problem is either to (1) Enable the "Force 2-sided" rendering option inside of 3DS MAX, or (2) select the 'missing' polygons and reverse their orientations inside of 3DS MAX.
- Updated: March 31, 2005

[e-Mail me the FAQs] - [Search our FAQs] - [Question Not Answered?]
This section provides common answers to issues relating to the import, optimization and export of 3D file formats. 1. When I convert a file I do not get the results I expect. What is happening? 2. What is the best format for importing or exporting 3d data? 3. When I export a file to 3DS MAX or DirectX some of the polygons are missing in the rendered model yet the same model looks fine when rendered with Lightwave. What is wrong?

1. When I convert a file I do not get the results I expect. What is happening? - Top

If you encounter a problem during a conversion then it is most likely due to the data itself, a limitation of the file formats being used, or in some cases a limitation of the conversion software. For example, the .3ds file format only allows texture map references of 8.3 characters which will end up truncating the references to the filenames on disk. If you have a question about converting a file, please send email to support@okino.com and we will provide a knowledgeable answer. If you can ZIP up your file which is causing problems then please also email that to support@okino.com (as long as the file is a reasonable size, such as less than 5MB).
- Updated: October 1, 2007

2. What is the best format for importing or exporting 3d data? - Top

This question has no absolute answer. There exists so many 3D file formats because each has benefits to the program or application for which it was developed.

- If you want to move data between 3DS MAX and Maya then Okino's .bdf (binary data file) format has the highest retension of date.
- VRML2 and QD3D are very nice and verbose file formats that (we feel) are highly underused in the world of 3D graphics. They can transfer meshes, materials, textures, hierarchy, lights, cameras and in specific cases animation (VRML2).
- The 3DS MAX (.3ds) format is also very common amongst 3D software packages, but it is limited to triangles and has a limitation of 64k polygons & vertices per object; nonetheless, the Okino .3ds reader/writer is full featured and well used.

Each file format has varying degrees of data retention capabilities; please email to support@okino.com and we can provide a good answer to the question of 'What is the best file format to go from program A to program B'.
- Updated: October 1, 2007

3. When I export a file to 3DS MAX or DirectX some of the polygons are missing in the rendered model yet the same model looks fine when rendered with Lightwave. What is wrong? - Top

The 'missing' polygons are in fact still within the exported file but their polygon orientations are 'reversed' from the orientations of the other visible polygons. Because these 'missing' polygons have a reverse orientation 3DS MAX and DirectX are not rendering them because the "Force 2-sided" rendering option button is not turned on in 3DS MAX. For DirectX, you can set D3DCULL_NONE render state via the Direct3D 9 API to force 2-sided rendering. 3DS MAX is basically culling these "back-facing" polygons. The solution to this problem is either to (1) Enable the "Force 2-sided" rendering option inside of 3DS MAX, or (2) select the 'missing' polygons and reverse their orientations inside of 3DS MAX.
- Updated: March 31, 2005

Contact Okino | Legal & Privacy | Products | Download Demos | Purchase