OBJ+STL import export
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STL/OBJ Import/Export
v 2.0 updated Nov 2017 with material support for OBJ using a simple user extensible
renderer API (via callbacks) This addon was developed with the intention to speed up the export of OBJ files which
is rather slow using the Softimage factory exporter with >1mil polygon meshes. It
was extended to support OBJ import, as well as STL export and import (ASCII/binary)
which is becoming more popular as an exchange format due to 3D printing.
Supports OBJ vertex colors (ZBrush polypaint) and weights (ZBrush masking) and remembers the last used folder. Available on github. Also includes a PLY importer in an alpha release (not 100% stable and does not support all possible PLY property elements).
Has a new QuickAccess menu addition: if you activate it in the preferences, it will add a menu with your Object Library in the Get->Primitive menu.
local backup:AdditionalFileFormats.xsiaddon
Supports OBJ vertex colors (ZBrush polypaint) and weights (ZBrush masking) and remembers the last used folder. Available on github. Also includes a PLY importer in an alpha release (not 100% stable and does not support all possible PLY property elements).
Has a new QuickAccess menu addition: if you activate it in the preferences, it will add a menu with your Object Library in the Get->Primitive menu.
local backup:AdditionalFileFormats.xsiaddon
author site: rray.de/xsi / si-community thread
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rray
- Moderator
- Posts: 1810
- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
OBJ+STL import export
I've been needing a faster OBJ export lately, so I wrote this exporter&importer for OBJ, and thought I'd share that.
It supports zbrush polypaint and painted mask (note: zbrush does now import polypaint too)
Also ex&imports STL binary and ascii, and imports PLY (latter experimental, unstable)
see https://github.com/specularity/softimage/releases
requires a restart
It supports zbrush polypaint and painted mask (note: zbrush does now import polypaint too)
Also ex&imports STL binary and ascii, and imports PLY (latter experimental, unstable)
see https://github.com/specularity/softimage/releases
requires a restart
Last edited by rray on 02 Sep 2019, 11:33, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: zbrush does now import polypaint too
Reason: zbrush does now import polypaint too
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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ActionArt
- Posts: 853
- Joined: 25 Nov 2010, 17:23
- Location: Canada
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Thanks rray! I'll give that a try. You're previous .stl importer has worked perfectly and very fast.
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rray
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- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Version 2
- progressbar fixes
- obj format should be much faster now (uploaded a debug version of the dll by accident last time resulting in >50% speed drop)
https://github.com/specularity/softimage/releases
- progressbar fixes
- obj format should be much faster now (uploaded a debug version of the dll by accident last time resulting in >50% speed drop)
https://github.com/specularity/softimage/releases
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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FXDude
- Posts: 1145
- Joined: 19 Jun 2012, 19:59
Re: OBJ+STL import export
That's pretty useful ! Both for fast OBJ in/out, and making STLs, or importing some that are around!
Wonder if Vitaly Bulgarov is roaming around, he'd be delighted to have his import export hotkeys use that instead! ( As well as SItoOctane if not already using that )
Wonder if Vitaly Bulgarov is roaming around, he'd be delighted to have his import export hotkeys use that instead! ( As well as SItoOctane if not already using that )
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mc_axe
- Posts: 420
- Joined: 12 Mar 2013, 17:44
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Hello rray thnx for the upgrade, the obj exporter is crazy fast: 10,5 mil trs mesh about 45s
Default exporter after 2m30s still on 20% , at 4 mins progress bar disappear not responding etc. If i dont touch it it might do the job in 10 mins who knows.
Now tbh so far i never used your import is the first time i try it :
OBJ default importer on same mesh did 1m41s, addon 2m08s
Also i found an obj that crashes with it
Still thanking you for stl import/export gr8 job
Default exporter after 2m30s still on 20% , at 4 mins progress bar disappear not responding etc. If i dont touch it it might do the job in 10 mins who knows.
Now tbh so far i never used your import is the first time i try it :
OBJ default importer on same mesh did 1m41s, addon 2m08s
Also i found an obj that crashes with it
Still thanking you for stl import/export gr8 job
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rray
- Moderator
- Posts: 1810
- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Glad to share that stuff! @FXDude I was wondering the exact same thing while watching the gnomon talk!
Then again he's using it for subd modeling mostly, which maybe isn't that heavy. From the talk I got that he uses the Octane standalone, and is swapping out object files. The plugin is really powerful, and he could add hair to his models now what a nice combination
@mc_axe the default exporters were developed before they added the fast import/export API, I wonder why they were never updated with that.
Is it my importer crashing btw or the default one? If it's mine I wonder could you pm me the file or any other file that crashes it?
Then again he's using it for subd modeling mostly, which maybe isn't that heavy. From the talk I got that he uses the Octane standalone, and is swapping out object files. The plugin is really powerful, and he could add hair to his models now what a nice combination
@mc_axe the default exporters were developed before they added the fast import/export API, I wonder why they were never updated with that.
Is it my importer crashing btw or the default one? If it's mine I wonder could you pm me the file or any other file that crashes it?
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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rray
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- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: OBJ+STL import export
just fixed an 1 off error when reading obj which broke polypaint import. Might have caused the crash too. All links are updated
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mc_axe's crash was because of a bug in my importer. when the obj files contains a whole scene with some objects that have uvs, and some that don't then i crash. working on a fix
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should be fixed now
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mc_axe's crash was because of a bug in my importer. when the obj files contains a whole scene with some objects that have uvs, and some that don't then i crash. working on a fix
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should be fixed now
Last edited by rray on 24 Nov 2017, 01:09, edited 2 times in total.
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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thefoofighter
- Posts: 16
- Joined: 21 Jan 2019, 15:56
- Location: ZA
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Hey, I don't mean to necro a thread here but just incase someone else has the same issue I had with the plugin I will post my fix here.
I had an error when trying to export an STL file which read:
to
Not sure why this caused an issue but no matter, I am relieved to have a workaround
https://github.com/ReinhardC/softimage/issues/1
May help someone someday
I had an error when trying to export an STL file which read:
I fixed it by changing the line 498 from// ERROR : Object doesn't support this property or method
Code: Select all
bExportBinary = (GetValue("preferences.File Format Options.STL_Format") = 0);Code: Select all
bExportBinary = GetValue("preferences.File Format Options.STL_Format");https://github.com/ReinhardC/softimage/issues/1
May help someone someday
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luceric
- Posts: 1252
- Joined: 21 Jun 2009, 22:08
Re: OBJ+STL import export
it was probably meant to be bExportBinary = (GetValue("preferences.File Format Options.STL_Format") == 0);
which, if that's correct, would be the oposite of your fix
which, if that's correct, would be the oposite of your fix
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rray
- Moderator
- Posts: 1810
- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Thanks for the heads up (and using the plugin) !
Indeed "==0" as luceric mentioned. Fixed it at some point but didn't upload any new releases after that!
(new release is uploaded now)
Indeed "==0" as luceric mentioned. Fixed it at some point but didn't upload any new releases after that!
(new release is uploaded now)
Last edited by rray on 30 Aug 2019, 16:11, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: new release
Reason: new release
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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rray
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- Posts: 1810
- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Btw the last version also supports replacing the selected object when importing obj and stl
The selected object stays the same scene object, but internal geometry is switched to the one from the file. This could be useful if the object is used in an ICE trees etc as this would require no changes to the scene.
The selected object stays the same scene object, but internal geometry is switched to the one from the file. This could be useful if the object is used in an ICE trees etc as this would require no changes to the scene.
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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thefoofighter
- Posts: 16
- Joined: 21 Jan 2019, 15:56
- Location: ZA
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Thank you for the fix
looks good now. 
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rray
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- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Just updated this plugin. Point order is kept now when importing OBJ. The importer can be used to import zbrush meshes, rig & pose in XSI, then send back to zbrush as a base mesh without GoZ.
https://github.com/ReinhardC/softimage/releases
https://github.com/ReinhardC/softimage/releases
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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blaxxun
- Posts: 48
- Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 12:23
- Location: Austria
Re: OBJ+STL import export
Super addon, danke!
Thanks a lot!
Thanks a lot!
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opoppopopp
- Posts: 213
- Joined: 16 Jun 2009, 04:23
Re: OBJ+STL import export
This + PolyPaint support saved my day!rray wrote: 11 Jan 2020, 22:08 Just updated this plugin. Point order is kept now when importing OBJ. The importer can be used to import zbrush meshes, rig & pose in XSI, then send back to zbrush as a base mesh without GoZ.
https://github.com/ReinhardC/softimage/releases
Thank you
BTW. sometimes polypaint not working by default, I have to append that just exported obj, project only colour on it(they are exactly same polygon), and export again, and it work...probably my own fault.