[REQ] FBX Import

thomthom

I wish for one too.

Though making a ruby plugin it for it would not be easy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBX

The FBX file format is proprietary and is not documented. Autodesk provides a C++ FBX SDK that can read, write, and convert to/from FBX files.

TIG

I think that this http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=7851697
will convert fbx to other file formats that can then be imported into Sketchup, and vice versa ?

thomthom

Is that the latest one? It says 6...
The latest seem to be 2010.2 - http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775855

TIG

You are right - my link is out of date - yours is the most recent version...

chrisjk

If you have a Mac available and not too much money then Cheetah 3D will import FBX and export in formats that SU can use.Likewse Rhino can do this - certainly in the Windows version but on my Mac the function seems to crash the program (it's only in Beta for the Mac). The Evaluation version of Rhino will let you save 25 times before demanding money..

thomthom

Rhino exports .skp files? When did they start doing that?

chrisjk

I meant that Rhino could import FBX and export something that SU could use rather than a native SU file - ditto Cheetah thus using these programs as intermediaries only.

troyhome

@pixero said:

I know it's been asked before but a working FBX import would really make life easier.
I would pay for having this. Please!

This would be nice- i know you can convert with FBX conversion program, but to natively support this format would be useful.

xrok1

would be nice for sending baked textures into SU using lightup. does anyone know why adam choose this format for lightup anyway. would have been nicer to have something that could be imported for baking???

Pixero

I know that there are workarounds that kind of works, but workflow wise they are a nightmare.
Now when 3dsMax can open skp files natively without problem a fbx importer plugin/script that actually works with textures and all would open up many possibilities. Importing Revit files as dwgs doesnt work great so fbx would be the best format for that also.
Last week I sat with some Autodesk people that told me that they have more developers just for fbx than any competing software has for their entire software.

If any developer reads this I strongly believe a fbx importer for SU would sell commercially, so go for it!

Pixero

@xrok1 said:

would be nice for sending baked textures into SU using lightup. does anyone know why adam choose this format for lightup anyway. would have been nicer to have something that could be imported for baking???

FBX works great with for example Unity real time engine.

thomthom

I often use 3DSMax to generate terrains - then export for SU. But both DWG and 3DS limits the max number of faces in one object to 32K. So I have to split it up. FBX don't have this limitation, does it?

xrok1

yes, it works great with walkabout3D too. maybe adam could provide an fbx importer as part of lightup since he exports to it and obviously has a handle on the format.