Defining custom properties (user properties)

You can define custom properties for any object. To learn how, look at sample program UserProperties (see UserProperties).

To learn how how to get data from custom properties, see function DisplayUserProperties() in sample program ImportScene.

Defining a custom object type

The FBX SDK object model can be extended with a custom object type. For an example, see how a new class MyKFbxMesh is created from class KFbxMesh in sample program ExportScene03 (see ExportScene03).

Defining a custom type (user data) for layer elements

To create a layer element with a custom type, use class KFbxLayerElementUserData. Like any other layer element, it can be mapped by polygon vertex, by vertex, by polygon, etc.

See function CreateCubeWithMaterialAndMyKFbxMesh() in sample program ExportScene03 (see ExportScene03). It creates a custom compound based on float and boolean data types, and adds data per vertex.

Supporting additional file formats

FBX imports and exports scene data using several file formats, including FBX, COLLADA, OBJ, etc.

Each of these file formats has its own writer class (subclassed from class KFbxWriter) reader and reader class (subclassed from class KFbxReader).

FBX SDK implements Scene I/O using a plug-in architecture. This makes it relatively easy to extend FBX SDK so that it supports an additional file format (usually called a "custom" file format) of your own design.

Sample program MyOwnReaderWriter (see Sample programs) shows how to use FBX SDK to write and read “CustomWriter” files, which use file extension .abc. In general, to support your own custom file format, you must:

• Implement your own writer class (see MyOwnWriter.cpp and .h).
• Implement your own reader class (see MyOwnReader.cpp and .h).

You must also use class KFbxIOPluginRegistry (see MyOwnWriterReaderPlugin.cpp and .h) to:

• Register your reader and writer as a Scene I/O plug-in.
• Register your own file extension (which need not be unique).
• Register your own file description (which must be unique).

The MyOwnWriterReader folder does not contain a stand-alone sample program. Instead, it contains sample functions that support CustomWriter files. The sample functions are in turn used by other sample programs (ExportScene05, ImportScene, and ViewScene) to write and read CustomWriter files.

See also Extending FBX or Collada file formats on this page.

Extending FBX or Collada file formats

FBX Extensions SDK allows you to extend FBX file format (versions 5 and 6) and the Collada file format. You can:

• Extend the FBX and/or Collada file format to support additional kinds of data.
• Extend the functionality of the FBX plug-ins for 3ds Max/Maya to support the reading and writing of files that use your extended file format.
• Use FBX SDK directly to read and write files that use your extended file format, without passing through 3ds Max or Maya.

FBX Extensions SDK contains:

• Source code and project files for the I/O plug-ins that read and write scenes to FBX files.
• Source code and project files for the I/O plug-ins that read and write scenes to Collada files.
• Library files that link to the 3ds Max/Maya plug-ins.
• Documentation.

You can download FBX Extensions SDK by going to www.autodesk.com/fbx.