What is Autodesk FBX technology
 
 
 

Autodesk FBX SDK is part of Autodesk FBX technology, a family of tools that allow 3D content developers to import and export data. Autodesk FBX enables organizations creating films, games, etc., to design workflows built around multiple 2D and 3D digital content creation applications.

The FBX family of tools includes:

See also:

FBX file format for 3D scenes

FBX files (.fbx) are normally saved in a binary format, but they can also be saved in ASCII format. Binary FBX files and ASCII FBX files both use the  .fbx filename extension.

Here is a shortened version of a small FBX file. The file is in ASCII format, and we have manually added some comments. Comments begin with a semicolon (“;“) anywhere on a line. 

; FBX 6.1.0 project file
; Copyright (C) 1997-2008 Autodesk Inc. and/or its licensors.
; All rights reserved.
; ----------------------------------------------------
FBXHeaderExtension:  {
     ; header information: global file information.
}CreationTime: "2008-03-04 14:08:13:145"
Creator: "FBX SDK/FBX Plugins build 20080314"
; Object definitions
;------------------------------------------------------------------
Definitions:  {
    Count: 2
    ObjectType: "Model" {
        Count: 2  ; 2 nodes in this scene
    }
}
; Object properties
;------------------------------------------------------------------
Objects:  {
    Model: "Model::Light", "Light" {
        Version: 232
        Properties60:  {
            Property: "Lcl Translation", "Lcl Translation", "A+",11,0,0
            Property: "Lcl Rotation", "Lcl Rotation", "A+",0,0,0
            Property: "Lcl Scaling", "Lcl Scaling", "A+",1,1,1
            ; etc: description of object "Light".
        }
        NodeAttributeName: "NodeAttribute::Light"
    }
    Model: "Model::Mesh", "Mesh" {
        Version: 232
        Properties60:  {            Property: "Lcl Translation", "Lcl Translation", "A+",0,0,0
            Property: "Lcl Rotation", "Lcl Rotation", "A+",0,0,0
            Property: "Lcl Scaling", "Lcl Scaling", "A+",1,1,1
            ; etc: description of object "Mesh".
        }
        NodeAttributeName: "Geometry::Mesh"
    }
}
; Object connections ; define the scene graph
;------------------------------------------------------------------
Connections:  {
    Connect: "OO", "Model::Light", "Model::Scene"
    Connect: "OO", "Model::Mesh", "Model::Light"}
;Takes and animation section
;----------------------------------------------------
Takes:  {
    Current: "Take 1"     ; Current take
    Take: "Take 1" {
        FileName: "Take_1.tak"
        LocalTime: 46186158000,138558474000
        ReferenceTime: 46186158000,138558474000
        
        ;Models animation
        ;----------------------------------------------------
        Model: "Model::Mesh" {
            Version: 1.1
            Channel: "Transform" {
                Channel: "T" {           ; Translation                    Channel: "X" {       ;   in X
                        Default: 5
                        KeyVer: 4005
                        KeyCount: 2      ; 2 keys: values: 11 and 33
                        Key: 46186158000,11,U,a,n,138558474000,33,L
                        Color: 1,1,1
                    }
                    ; Other transformations:
                    ;     Translation in     Y, Z
                    ;     Rotation in     X, Y, 
                    ;     Scaling in      X, Y, Z
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
;Version 5 settings
;------------------------------------------------------------------
Version5:  {
    ; ... various legacy settings
}

Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk MotionBuilder and other applications can import and export all or part of the data in a 3D scene as an FBX file.

NoteThe FBX file format is not documented, neither in its ASCII version nor its binary version. To import data from an FBX file, or to export data to an FBX file, use FBX SDK (or the FBX plug-ins or other applications that themselves use the FBX SDK).

FBX plug-ins for Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya

3ds Max allows users to import all or part of a scene stored in an FBX file into a 3ds Max scene, and to export all or part of a 3ds Max scene to an FBX file. Here is the FBX Export dialog box for 3ds Max:

Maya provides equivalent import/export functionality for Maya scenes.

Both 3ds Max and Maya provide FBX functionality as a plug-in. This means users can upgrade to a new FBX plug-in without having to wait for a new version of the 3ds Max or Maya. The plug-ins are written with FBX SDK.

FBX Converter

FBX Converter (shown below) is a standalone application that lets you convert FBX files into other file formats and versions, as well as from other file formats into FBX files.

FBX Converter uses FBX SDK to perform all these conversions.

FBX for QuickTime

FBX for QuickTime is a component plug-in for Apple QuickTime that lets you play back and interact with FBX files inside QuickTime.

You can interact with the scene by changing a camera’s position, hiding or displaying grid marks, switching between multiple cameras, switching between multiple takes of animation, etc.

FBX for QuickTime (which uses FBX SDK) is useful for developers and others who want to view and manipulate FBX files without installing and running a 3D modeling application.

FBX Software Development Kit

The FBX Software Development Kit (FBX SDK) allows software developers to create applications that use FBX technology, or to integrate FBX technology into existing applications. The documentation that you are now reading is for FBX SDK.

What content developers can do with FBX technology

Here are some of the ways that content developers use FBX:

Sharing scene assets (interoperability) Moving models and other scene assets from tool to tool, and from production house to production house. For example, Studio 1 creates a character in 3ds Max, then exports it to an FBX file. Studio 2 imports the FBX file into MotionBuilder, adds motion capture data to the character, then exports it to an FBX file. Studio 3 imports the second file into Maya, touches up the model’s skinning, then exports it to a third FBX file. Studio 4 imports the third file into its proprietary tool... and so forth.
Storing scene assets Storing scene assets in a durable file format. Each new release of FBX can read earlier versions of FBX files.
Converting data Converting data using conversions built in to FBX SDK. For example: converting textures to TIFF; converting NURBS and patches to meshes.
Processing animation For example, applying a filter to animation curves.
Packaging models for sale Vendors of 3D models use FBX as a file format.

Applications that support FBX technology

The following Autodesk products use FBX technology to import and export files:

Product Description
Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk 3ds Max Design 3D animation, modeling, and rendering solution. Includes plug-in to import and export FBX files.
Autodesk Maya 3D modeling, animation, and rendering solution. Includes plug-in to import and export FBX files.
Autodesk MotionBuilder Productivity suite for 3D character animation. Imports and exports FBX files.
Autodesk Flame Real-time visual effects design and compositing system. Imports and exports FBX files.
Autodesk Flint Advanced visual effects system for post-production and broadcast graphics. Imports and exports FBX files.
Autodesk Inferno Interactive design system for high-resolution visual effects. Imports and exports FBX files.
Autodesk Smoke Integrated editing and finishing system for SD, HD, 2K film and above. Imports and exports FBX files.
AutoCAD Revit Architecture Suite Building information modeling (BIM) application. Exports FBX files.

As well, many third-party software products use FBX SDK to import and export files. For more information, see http://www.autodesk.com/fbx.

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