3D Studio Import

General

• These files are loaded:
– 3DS (regular 3DS files)

– PRJ (3DS project files)

– MLI (3DS materials libraries).

• The object hierarchy is copied 1:1, referenced objects are duplicated in Cinema 4D.
• The following material channels are imported: environment light, specular color, specular settings (which are recalculated), transparency, luminance, color texture, specular texture, transparency texture, environment texture, relief (bump) texture, luminance texture.
• UV mapping is copied.
• Animation.
• Position, scaling, rotation and light sequences are adjusted to suit Cinema 4D.
• Textures can be renamed automatically on loading.
• Target objects loaded from 3DS (from cameras and light sources) become axes (null objects) and are given the extension t, which is added to their object name.
• 3DS files are binary files and are not recognized by their extensions but by their identifier.

Scale

This factor can be found at numerous locations throughout Cinema 4D when importing or exporting foreign formats. Therefore, don’t be surprised if the term ,export’ is used if this factor is seen in an import function (this factor is explained as a whole here).

This factor lets you scale files upon import/export, i.e., practically all relevant numerical values saved in the file or those to be saved will be multiplied by this factor and then saved - or interpreted when loaded.

The unit at the right in turn defines how upon

• Import the numerical value saved in the file is converted to the current Cinema 4D unit. Example: if an X value of 1 is saved in the file and you define Feet, the X value will be converted to 30.48 cm in Cinema 4D (if centimeters are defined by default in Cinema 4D).
• Export numerical values are saved in the file. Example: an X value is set to 100 cm in Cinema 4D. If you define Feet for export, the exported file will save a numerical value of 3.281 (1 meter = 3.281 feet).

More information about units and scaling can be found in the Project Scale section.

Adapt Textures
Suffix

3D Studio does not support as many graphics file formats for textures etc. as Cinema 4D. Its main format is TIFF. If you enable this option, all texture filename extensions are changed to that which you have specified in the Suffix box (for example frame.jpg becomes frame.tif).

This option is for import only. Only the name is changed. You still need to convert the image, which can, for example, be done in the Picture Viewer.