FBX Mystery solved?
LD1
Posts: 172
I did some investigating since other post on this site have said that FBX files can’t be imported into DAZ.
I was following a video tutorial about importing a low poly FBX fox (which had animation added to it) into DAZ. It imported just find and the animation also worked. BTW: If you test this, be sure to check the: "Include Animation" and below that select the animation from the drop down menu (if it is listed). Here is the URL link:
I then tried importing another rigged FBX (human) character. It came in as a jumbled mess.
This got me to wondering why do some FBX files import properly while other FBX files don’t.
I don’t know if I have found the answer or if it is just coincidental, but here is what I found (I tested this on multiple FBX Files):
FBX files that were exported from Blender, don’t import properly. But ones that I guess were created by the Autodesk’s FBX converter, do import properly (look towards the top of the following two screenshots to see the program that created the FBX files).
This imports properly:
This one does not:
BELAZ over at Sketchfab has a handful of rigged characters, albeit they have simple rigging. If you want to test my theory, here are URLs to a couple of his rigged characters (I posed them in DAZ to show you that they do work):
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/character-boy-1-fbx-f6c26ef822cb4744aa780c866e0565ca
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/character-girl-8-fbx-a587eb472e9f40b1ba6b54365303a436
Now try importing FBX files from other artists. See which import correctly and which don’t. Do you have the same outcome? Am I correct or is it just a coincidence that I got those few to work?
LD
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Comments
The screenshots didn't show up!! I guess I don't know the trick. So I attached them at the bottom of this post.
LD
Daz aims for compliance with the Autodesk/Motion Builder standard, however FBX is - like the Tiff format for images - a rather loose standard in practice and that does mean that whether FBX fiiles from a particular third-party application work is something of a lottery.
You're mostly correct. Yes, the case of importing stuff in FBX format from Blender to Daz is unique as FBX exporter in Blender is limited with its functionality ~~ That's why some guys developed add-ons, e.g. Better FBX Exporter and Blender to Daz Studio to make much better export results.
You may also refer to:
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/701551/blender-to-daz
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/718196/converting-other-file-formats-to-work-in-daz-studio
Thanks Richard and crosswind
My experience with FBX models I obtain from other online sites not only will not import into DAZ, but also fail being imported in Blender, 3D Coat, Vue and MODO.
Until there is a defined indsutry standard for FBX, I believe it should be avoided.
OBJ is the format I have the least issues with in DAZ and other 3D apps.
Not sure why everyone is rushing to a file format that there is no standards for?
FBX is a well defined industry standard of course. Problem is it comes in too many versions and it is extremely flexible aka there's a lot of features to implement, most importers only implement a few features and fail to comply with others. Both daz studio and blender recently improved their support to FBX, as reported in the discussion linked by Crosswind above I was able to import FBX from blender to daz studio, using the standard FBX exporter.
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/8938351/#Comment_8938351
The Autodesk standard Richard mentioned is the industry standard, the problem is every software dev modifies and/or adds extra code to suit their software requirements, this turns what should be a universal format into a format that only works on one or two programs, Collada is exactly the same.