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Home > Supported File Formats > PDB to Houdini


How to convert PDB (Protein Database) 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.

     

PDB

If you are coming here looking for information about the Microsoft .pdb file format then this is the wrong place. Those .pdb files define a 'program database file' that contains debugging information for a compiled executable (EXE/DLL). PDB files are generated by Microsoft Compilers when an application program is compiled in debug mode.

Rather, this page describes the 'Protein Database' 3D file format which uses the .pdb file extension.

The Protein Databank (PDB) is an archive of experimentally determined three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules, serving a global community of researchers, educators, and students. The archives contain atomic coordinates, bibliographic citations, primary and secondary structure information, as well as crystallographic structure factors and NMR experimental data.

The database is constantly updated as new structures are deposited by the international scientific community. As described on a PDB database WEB page, most of the three-dimensional macromolecular structure data in the Protein Data Bank were obtained by one of three methods: X-ray crystallography (over 80%), solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) (about 16%) or theoretical modeling (2%).

The PDB file format is a text-based file format that is designed to convey information about the structure of molecules; namely organic compounds such as proteins. This information consists of atomic co-ordinates, element composition, chain and grouping characteristics and bonding information.

     

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.