Creating a proper f3d file

Hi,

I need to upload my model to Matlab in 3D Foundation environment. I need to upload it in f3d format. I created this file format

in Fusion, but Matlab won't open it for me. I get this error: "Not a binary MAT-file. Try load -ASCII to read as text."

When I try to open my model as text, I get this error: "Unable to read file 'robot_sestaven.f3d'. Input must be a MAT-file or

an ASCII file containing numeric data with same number of columns in each row."

Does anyone know how to create the correct f3d format for my model?

Thanks for the advice

Answer 1

[Jan Houska]

Hi Pavel-Jakub,

the F3D format used by 3D Foundation is not the same format as used in Fusion. This is just a name coincidence. You can import into 3D Foundation from another 3D format (like e.g. FBX, X3D, STL, ...), then save it to the F3D format from 3D Foundation.

Good Luck, Jan

[Pavel-Jakub Novotný]

Oh, I didn't know that. So could you advise me how to save it in matlab f3d format?

[Jan Houska]

You first use F3D.World.load or F3D.Actor.load to load the geometry to 3D Foundation, then you use F3D.World.save or F3D.Actor.save to save into the native F3D format. You use the World methods to load/save the entire world or the Actor methods to load/save the specified actor (and its children). For more information please see "help F3D.Actor.load" and "help F3D.Actor.save".

Good Luck, Jan

[Pavel-Jakub Novotný]

I uploaded my model as an stl and we saved it to an f3d (native) file. When I try to load it, an error pops up: Unsupported file format 'Robot_uz.f3d'. But it is written in the help that it is a fully supported format for all features. So what's wrong?

Thanks, PJ

[Jan Houska]

It would probably help if you post the functions you use for loading and saving the model - i.e. the sequence of functions that results in the error you describe above. Generally, the .f3d format should indeed support all features that you are able to import from other formats, so the problem is probably somwehere else.

Jan

[Pavel-Jakub Novotný]

I use this program to load model parts and then save them in f3d format.

MW = F3D.World('WestPoint')
initialize(MW, [80, -80, 80], [0 0 5]);
MW.AngleUnits = 'deg';
Floor = F3D.Geometry.templateFloor(MW.Root, [200 200 0.1]);
Body = addChild(MW.Root,'Body');
load(Body, 'Telo_sestaveno.stl');
Body.Location = [0 0 3];

%% first leg
stLeg_stJoint = addChild(Body,'stLeg_stJoint');
load(stLeg_stJoint,'noha_1_sestava2.stl');
stLeg_stJoint.Location = [8 0 2];
stLeg_stJoint.Rotation = [0 0 0];
stLeg_stJoint.Color = [1 0 0];

stLeg_ndJoint = addChild(stLeg_stJoint,'stLeg_ndJoint');
load(stLeg_ndJoint,'noha_2_sestava.stl');
stLeg_ndJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
stLeg_ndJoint.Rotation = [0 -30 0];

stLeg_rdJoint = addChild(stLeg_ndJoint,'stLeg_ndJoint');
load(stLeg_rdJoint,'noha_3_sestava.stl');
stLeg_rdJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
stLeg_rdJoint.Rotation = [0 90 0];

stLeg_paw = addChild(stLeg_rdJoint,'stLeg_paw');
load(stLeg_paw,'packa_sestava.stl');
stLeg_paw.Location = [8 0 0.5];
stLeg_paw.Rotation = [0 -60 0];

%% second leg
ndLeg_stJoint = addChild(Body,'ndLeg_stJoint');
load(ndLeg_stJoint,'noha_1_sestava2.stl');
ndLeg_stJoint.Location = [0 8 2];
ndLeg_stJoint.Rotation = [0 0 90];
ndLeg_stJoint.Color = [0 1 0];

ndLeg_ndJoint = addChild(ndLeg_stJoint,'ndLeg_ndJoint');
load(ndLeg_ndJoint,'noha_2_sestava.stl');
ndLeg_ndJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
ndLeg_ndJoint.Rotation = [0 -30 0];

ndLeg_rdJoint = addChild(ndLeg_ndJoint,'ndLeg_ndJoint');
load(ndLeg_rdJoint,'noha_3_sestava.stl');
ndLeg_rdJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
ndLeg_rdJoint.Rotation = [0 90 0];

ndLeg_paw = addChild(ndLeg_rdJoint,'ndLeg_paw');
load(ndLeg_paw,'packa_sestava.stl');
ndLeg_paw.Location = [8 0 0.5];
ndLeg_paw.Rotation = [0 -60 0];
%% Third leg
rdLeg_stJoint = addChild(Body,'rdLeg_stJoint');
load(rdLeg_stJoint,'noha_1_sestava2.stl');
rdLeg_stJoint.Location = [-8 0 2];
rdLeg_stJoint.Rotation = [0 0 180];

rdLeg_ndJoint = addChild(rdLeg_stJoint,'rdLeg_ndJoint');
load(rdLeg_ndJoint,'noha_2_sestava.stl');
rdLeg_ndJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
rdLeg_ndJoint.Rotation = [0 -30 0];

rdLeg_rdJoint = addChild(rdLeg_ndJoint,'rdLeg_ndJoint');
load(rdLeg_rdJoint,'noha_3_sestava.stl');
rdLeg_rdJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
rdLeg_rdJoint.Rotation = [0 90 0];

rdLeg_paw = addChild(rdLeg_rdJoint,'rdLeg_paw');
load(rdLeg_paw,'packa_sestava.stl');
rdLeg_paw.Location = [8 0 0.5];
rdLeg_paw.Rotation = [0 -60 0];

%% fourth leg
thLeg_stJoint = addChild(Body,'thLeg_stJoint');
load(thLeg_stJoint,'noha_1_sestava2.stl');
thLeg_stJoint.Location = [0 -8 2];
thLeg_stJoint.Rotation = [0 0 -90];

thLeg_ndJoint = addChild(thLeg_stJoint,'thLeg_ndJoint');
load(thLeg_ndJoint,'noha_2_sestava.stl');
thLeg_ndJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
thLeg_ndJoint.Rotation = [0 -30 0];

thLeg_rdJoint = addChild(thLeg_ndJoint,'thLeg_ndJoint');
load(thLeg_rdJoint,'noha_3_sestava.stl');
thLeg_rdJoint.Location = [7.5 0 0];
thLeg_rdJoint.Rotation = [0 90 0];

thLeg_paw = addChild(thLeg_rdJoint,'thLeg_paw');
load(thLeg_paw,'packa_sestava.stl');
thLeg_paw.Location = [8 0 0.5];
thLeg_paw.Rotation = [0 -60 0];

save('robot_sestaven_2.f3d')

I used this program to open the newly created file.

MW = F3D.World('WestPoint');
initialize(MW, [80, -80, 80], [0 0 5]);

%MW.CoordinateSystem = 'unreal';
MW.AngleUnits = 'deg';


VP = MW.Viewports.Main;
VP.Title = 'WestPoint';
Path = fileparts(which(mfilename));


Floor = F3D.Geometry.templateFloor(MW.Root, [200 200 0.1]);

Robot = addChild(MW.Root, 'Robot');
load(Robot, 'robot_sestaven_2.f3d');
Robot.Location = [0 0 1.5];

Thanks for advice, PJ

[Jan Houska]

Hi PJ,

the last line of the save script should read

save(MW, 'robot_sestaven_2.f3d');

instead of

save('robot_sestaven_2.f3d')

Good Luck, Jan

[Pavel-Jakub Novotný]

Thanks, it's working now.

PJ