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How to convert DWF (DWFx) to Houdini?

PolyTrans|CAD+DCC performs mathematically precise CAD, DCC/Animation, GIS and BIM 3D file conversions into all key downstream 3D packages and file formats. Okino software is used and trusted throughout the world by many tens of thousands of 3D professionals in mission & production critical environments, backed by respectable personal support directly from our core development team.

DWF

Okino knows of the DWF file format very well as we have been involved with its evolution since the year 2000. A DWF file is nothing other than a renamed "ZIP" file which contains other internal assets such as a HOOPS HSF 3D model file and several XML files used to describe meta data and other aspects of the model. You can rename the .dwf file to .zip and then open it in any ZIP handling software.

The HSF file format was created by Ithaca Software in the mid 1980's as an efficient, light weight, compressed 3D visualization format. Thereafter it was adapted and adopted by Tech Soft 3D in the early 2000s for use by Autodesk as a "3D variation" of its prior 2D-vector-centric DWF file format (and hence how HSF became DWF). DWF/HSF is considered a "polygonal mesh" file format and not a NURBS/solids MCAD file format.

DWF attained acceptable traction after 2006 when Autodesk made it a primary conduit to export high quality 3D visualization data from its main CAD products such as AutoCAD, Navisworks, Revit and Inventor. Okino considers DWF as one of its most important non-MCAD file formats to bring in very large 3D models (such as massive oil & gas rigs, 3D plants and refineries) from these 4 aforementioned Autodesk products as well as from AVEVA PDMS software.

Houdini

Houdini is a 3D animation software application developed by Toronto-based SideFX, who adapted it from the PRISMS software tools. Houdini is most commonly used for the creation of visual effects in film and television.

Being both from Toronto, Okino has known the original 3 developers of the PRISMS/Houdini software since 1991 and have kept a close relationship with some of them. Given the very niche markets into which Houdini has been sold since the mid 1990s, we do not get many requests for the conversion of data in or out of Houdini compared to our primary 3dsMax/Maya/Cinema-4D daily requests. Nevertheless, we developed our FBX and COLLADA converter modules to be compliant with the Houdini software.

DWF import converter's overview

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FBX export converter's overview