Direct 3D Export

General

• Typical extension *.x, ASCII Format, MESH and FRAME format.
• Zoom factor for entire scene, automatic indenting.
• Rename texture name to any extension.
• Texture information (UV coordinates and texture names)
• Texture channels: Color, Luminance, Specular, Reflectance, Specular Color, Transparency, environment.

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.

Format

Direct3D is a text format. To facilitate manual editing of the file, this option formats the whole file automatically. This increases the file size.

Save Templates

When enabled, the template header is written to the file.

Export Textures

When enabled, all texture information is saved for all objects. This includes creating UV coordinates for each object.

Adapt Textures
Suffix

DirectX uses mainly the PPM (portable pixel map) graphics format, but also BMP (Windows bitmap). Cinema 4D does not recognize the former, which means that textures need to be converted. This can easily be done using most image editors. But what about adapting the names?

If you enable this option, all texture filename extensions of scene materials are automatically changed when they are exported (so that image.jpg becomes image.ppm). This has the benefit that you don’t have to check if renaming is required for each material and attribute.

DirectX can only process graphics measuring 2n pixels (textures need to be 2x2, 4x4, 8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64,128x128, 256x256 and so on).

Save Normals

If this option is enabled, normal vectors are created for all surfaces. If not, the calculation of the normals is left to Direct3D.

Generate Mesh

Direct3D works with two types of models: Frame and Mesh.

Frames, as with Cinema 4D, consist of objects arranged in a hierarchical structure. Objects remain encapsulated. In a Mesh, on the other hand, all objects are on the same level. The hierarchy disappears.

Adapt Textures
Suffix

DirectX uses mainly the PPM (portable pixel map) graphics format, but also BMP (Windows bitmap). Cinema 4D does not recognize the former, which means that textures need to be converted. This can easily be done using most image editors. But what about adapting the names?

If you enable this option, all texture filename extensions of scene materials are automatically changed when they are exported (so that image.jpg becomes image.ppm). This has the benefit that you don’t have to check if renaming is required for each material and attribute.

DirectX can only process graphics measuring 2n pixels (textures need to be 2x2, 4x4, 8x8, 16x16, 32x32, 64x64,128x128, 256x256 and so on).