New FBX Exporter in 2017.2

[vkovec]

@tufeixp

please! make it runtime! and importer too!

Hi @tufeixp ,

I’ll pass on the request.

Best,
Viktoria

[olix4242]

Great plugin. Here is my request for future versions:
-Possibility to export UVW coordinates (as it seems, right now it expoorts only UV). I know that standard UV mapping is done via Vector 2, but Unity internally can use Vector3 or Vector4. Exporting Vector4 probably isn’t supported by FBX format, but having atleast Vector3 as output would mean much.
-Possibility to export all UV channels supported by unity mesh: UV0, UV1, UV2 and UV3.

Why?
We are currently using a system that generates dynamic mesh in editor, and it has to write to those adittional channels in Vector3 format (for later use with shaders). Because of it’s dynamic nature, it would be great to be able to export mesh to a file for later usage as final mesh. Also, having a possibility to export mesh as it is inside unity would be more consistent way of doing it (with all limits that apply from a file format).

[vkovec]

@olix4242

Great plugin. Here is my request for future versions:
-Possibility to export UVW coordinates (as it seems, right now it expoorts only UV). I know that standard UV mapping is done via Vector 2, but Unity internally can use Vector3 or Vector4. Exporting Vector4 probably isn’t supported by FBX format, but having atleast Vector3 as output would mean much.

Hi @olix4242 ,

Thank you for the request, we’ll add this in a future version.

@olix4242

-Possibility to export all UV channels supported by unity mesh: UV0, UV1, UV2 and UV3.

The FBX exporter should already be exporting all populated UV channels in the mesh. Are you seeing only one being exported even though you have several set?

Best,
Viktoria

[olix4242]

@vkovec

The FBX exporter should already be exporting all populated UV channels in the mesh. Are you seeing only one being exported even though you have several set?

Good to know. I was exporting with UV3 set to Vector4, so probably, as it isn’t implemented, it discarded that channel.

BTW, one question that seems important in this case: does Unity importer supports UVW (vector3) coordinates? (I haven’t had a time to test this yet)

[imgspc]

Hi Olix,

The FBX file format only supports UV (vector2) values and this is the only source UV data used by the Unity FBX Importer and Exporter.

I’ve seen it handled in other 3d application by sending the UVW values to the vertex color map but that would require a change to both the importer and exporter code.

You said you’re using the UVW values for ‘later’ use by a shader. Does that mean you’re reading the UVW values from a texture image? If so, a workaround would be for you to create sidecar image file, on FBX export, containing the UVW values encoded into the RGB values - would that work?

Simon

[Shodan0101]

3ds max close? “please say yes… 2 weeks now…”

[Jamroah]

Hi there,

Is it on the roadmap at all to preserve skinned mesh renderers and their bones when exporting?

Ben

[ans_unity]

@Shodan0101

3ds max close? “please say yes… 2 weeks now…”

This week

[Shodan0101]

@ans_unity

This week

Yes!!! Thank you Sir!!

[ans_unity]

Hi everyone,

The one button import/export is now available in Beta for 3DsMax 2017 and up. You will now find the exact same simplified workflow that was available in the Maya version of the FBX Exporter. Have a try and let us know what you think!

The following improvements have been made to the package:

• Added 3Ds Max Unity integration (supported versions are 2017 and 2018)
• Fix so Object references aren’t lost when using Convert to Linked Prefab Instance
• Fix Maya Integration dropdown not appearing in the Export Settings

There’s a known issue with the axis convention if you start an FBX in 3ds Max, import to Unity, then export it back to Max. What works is if you start in Unity, export to Max, and re-import to Unity.

Installation

• Download the package in the proper folder.
• Make sure your 3D software is closed.
• Once in Unity, you can click “Edit > Project Settings > FBX Exporter”
• There, you have a drop-down menu that will automatically show each compatible 3D tool you have installed- for example, “3DS Max 2018, Maya 2017, Maya 2018”
  You choose the one you wish to work with, then click “Install Integration”
  This auto-opens the 3D tool (ie, 3DsMax 2018), installs the plugin, and auto-closes it

Maya LT one button import/export is going to be next on our roadmap, we are aiming at a December Beta release.

You can download the package here.

Note: The FBX Exporter is a “Restricted Asset” under the Asset Store End User License Agreement and is subject to the Unity Companion License 1.0. Further, use of the Autodesk FBX SDK is subject to your acceptance of and agreement to the FBX SDK License and Service Agreement terms.

[vkovec]

@Jamroah

Hi there,

Is it on the roadmap at all to preserve skinned mesh renderers and their bones when exporting?

Ben

Hi Ben,

Yes it’s planned

[Shodan0101]

Yes!!! Thank You guys!!

[olix4242]

@imgspc

You said you’re using the UVW values for ‘later’ use by a shader. Does that mean you’re reading the UVW values from a texture image? If so, a workaround would be for you to create sidecar image file, on FBX export, containing the UVW values encoded into the RGB values - would that work?

I don’t think that this could work. As it would require another texture sampling in a shader (and many more instructions). also, a problem is that I have to export few milions of vertices that make thousands of meshes - so, some pre processing would be required on exporting and importing. Not having free UV sets makes this mostly impossible to do that way.

[pojoih1]

Are there any plans to export materials as stingray shader? Exporting already finished assets from Unity to Maya and switching the shaders from lambert/phong to stingray breaks all the texture connections which is a hassle.

[bblumberg]

I am having a problem using the fbx exporter with 3js. The problem can be demonstrated by exporting a simple cube and then importing it into the threejs editor. The problem seems to be in the exported LayerElementColor. Threejs is expecting a Color property as well as the ColorIndex. Since the cube is all one color I can imagine that there is a flag that is set somewhere to handle this in the fbx file or in the exporter.

If you can provide any assistance that would be great. Thanks!!!

LayerElementColor: 0 {
Version: 101
Name: “VertexColors”
MappingInformationType: “ByPolygonVertex”
ReferenceInformationType: “IndexToDirect”
ColorIndex: *36 {
a: 0,3,2,0,1,3,8,5,4,8,9,5,10,7,6,10,11,7,12,14,13,12,15,14,16,18,17,16,19,18,20,22,21,20,23,22
}
}

[RobertoM]

Hi guys,

Thanks for new great Unity functionality!
Would be possible export any dynamically runtime generated mesh in coming future?
It will be really useful.

It currently throws error:
dexOutOfRangeException: Array index is out of range.
FbxExporters.Editor.ModelExporter+MeshInfo.get_Binormals ()
FbxExporters.Editor.ModelExporter.ExportComponentAttributes (FbxExporters.Editor.MeshInfo mesh, Unity.FbxSdk.FbxMesh fbxMesh, System.Int32[ ] unmergedTriangles)
…

Thanks!!

[vkovec]

@pojoih1

Are there any plans to export materials as stingray shader? Exporting already finished assets from Unity to Maya and switching the shaders from lambert/phong to stingray breaks all the texture connections which is a hassle.

Hi pojoih,

No plans at the moment.

Best,
Viktoria

[vkovec]

@bblumberg

I am having a problem using the fbx exporter with 3js. The problem can be demonstrated by exporting a simple cube and then importing it into the threejs editor. The problem seems to be in the exported LayerElementColor. Threejs is expecting a Color property as well as the ColorIndex. Since the cube is all one color I can imagine that there is a flag that is set somewhere to handle this in the fbx file or in the exporter.

If you can provide any assistance that would be great. Thanks!!!

LayerElementColor: 0 {
Version: 101
Name: “VertexColors”
MappingInformationType: “ByPolygonVertex”
ReferenceInformationType: “IndexToDirect”
ColorIndex: *36 {
a: 0,3,2,0,1,3,8,5,4,8,9,5,10,7,6,10,11,7,12,14,13,12,15,14,16,18,17,16,19,18,20,22,21,20,23,22
}
}

Hi bblumberg,

I tried to reproduce the issue and got the following error:

TypeError: ColorNode.subNodes.Colors is undefined

Is this the error message you get?
If not, or if you get any other errors, could you please send them?

It does indeed seem to be a problem with the exported vertex colors.

Best,
Viktoria

[vkovec]

@RobertoM

Hi guys,

Thanks for new great Unity functionality!
Would be possible export any dynamically runtime generated mesh in coming future?
It will be really useful.

It currently throws error:
dexOutOfRangeException: Array index is out of range.
FbxExporters.Editor.ModelExporter+MeshInfo.get_Binormals ()
FbxExporters.Editor.ModelExporter.ExportComponentAttributes (FbxExporters.Editor.MeshInfo mesh, Unity.FbxSdk.FbxMesh fbxMesh, System.Int32[ ] unmergedTriangles)
…

Thanks!!

Hi RobertoM,

Glad you are enjoying the exporter

Does your mesh have normals and tangents assigned to it?

This error is usually caused by missing normals and/or tangents.
In the next release export of meshes without normals or tangents will be supported.

Best,
Viktoria

[pojoih1]

Feature request:
Would be cool to export instances of meshes as well. Currently when importing a lot of the same meshes, Unity exports them as duplicates and breaks GPU instancing on reimport.