need some help in "3Dto3D"

English Applications
1

well 3dto3d, is a command line application that comes with the suse distrobution. and i could use some help with the command line syntax for it…

and the syntax of which is different than any other program I’ve dealt with this far…

(what I’m trying to do, I’m trying to change a .3DS (3D studios) to a .OBJ (wavefront object)

I’ve tried doing so several times, with multiple different ways of aranging the syntax.

here an example of one of the most recent tries (which I had to copy the .3ds file to 3dto3d’s folder to get to function, other wise it told me /usr/file.3ds was an “unknown option”):

3dto3d file.3ds /if1 /of19 /dfilename/usr/file.OBJ

from which I got nothing… not even a single file…

can somebody pease help me! I’m lost in this strange syntax!

heres the entire option list:

3DTO3D V3.1 source distribution (c) by Thomas Baier thbaier@ibm.net
May 24 1998 13:09:05
Usage: filename [options]
Example: chess.raw /os70.0 /oe30.0
Options: <<Input>> /ifvalue (val = Inputtype)
val = 0 RAW (default)
val = 1 3DS <3D Studio>
val = 2 IOB <Imagine Object>
val = 3 LWO <LightWave Object>
val = 4 DXF <AutoCad Object>
val = 5 POB <Povray Binary>
val = 6 OBJ <WaveFront>
/iv (Verbose on)
/iu (Unify Mesh on)
/ixvalue (val = sizingvalue)
/itvalue (val = Swapmode)
val = 0 normal (default)
val = 1 swap X <-> Y
val = 2 swap X <-> Z
val = 3 swap Y <-> Z
/imvalue (Input Mode)
<<Output>> /ofvalue (val = Outputtype)
val = 0 RAW
val = 1 Smoothed RAW
val = 2 UDO + POV/INC <Moray/Povray> (default)
val = 3 UDO + POLY/INC <Moray/Polyray>
val = 4 ASC <3DStudio>
val = 5 OBT <HighLight>
val = 6 RPL <Real3D Macro>
val = 7 3DS <3D Studio Binary>
val = 8 UDO + POV/INC <Moray/Povray>(Wire)
val = 9 UDO + POV/INC <Moray/Povray>(Blob Wire)
val = 10 IOB <Imagine Object>
val = 11 RWX <RenderWare Object>
val = 12 WRL <VRML Object>
val = 13 DXF <DXF Object>
val = 14 LWO <Lighwave Object>
val = 15 UDO + POV3/INC <Moray/Povray>
val = 16 Direct X <Microsoft>
val = 17 OBJ <Real3D Object>
val = 18 C <OpenGL Source>
val = 19 OBJ <WaveFront>
/dfilename (destination filename)
/ov (Verbose on)
/ou (Unify Mesh on)
/oxvalue (val = sizingvalue)
/otvalue (val = Swapmode)
val = 0 normal (default)
val = 1 swap X <-> Y
val = 2 swap X <-> Z
val = 3 swap Y <-> Z
/olvalue (val = LineDelimiter)
val = 0 DOS <0D0A> (default)
val = 1 UNIX <0D>
val = 2 MAC <0A>
/omvalue (Output Mode)
/osvalue (value = Smoothing Angle in degree, default 70.0)
/oevalue (value = Edge Detect Angle in degree, default 1.0)
/orvalue (value = radius for wire/blob, default 1.0)

2

Cant you use Blender to do that?

seems like all these formats are supported by blender.

Maybe you should give it a go

Good luck

3

thats the thing I’m currently using blender as my animating suite, but only certain import scripts work, I already posted a message about that on the CGtalk forums (which no one has replied to), so I’ll copy that here maybe you can help! :wink:

the problem could be that I didn’t set $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>:<exec_prefix>] because I don’t know how… but it could also be that my python install doesn’t have .3ds to .blend support, so I’ll need to find that for install if thats the case… any other linux users out there run into this problem if so I’d like the solution!

I looked under python in software management but didn’t see any python script that imports .3ds scripts that can be installed…

I’m using suse linux 10.0 under x86_64 (for reference)

thanks[/QUOTE]

that might give you a bit more information of why i’m trying to use 3dto3d…

4

maybe I’m just being impatient, but is anyone going to reply to this, and tell me how to use 3dto3d from a comand line?

please, again, I want to change a .3ds file to a wavefront .OBJ, so I can import that into blender ( as a short list of the import script’s work), as blender isn’t liking the import .3ds command (as you can read from the konsole logs above…)

that or maybe you can give me some help with the python problem…

when you do reply; thanks!

5

cliff-s wrote:
> maybe I’m just being impatient, but is anyone going to reply to this,

i wonder how many folks with 3dto3d experience you think are here?
and, how many of those read your plea and ignored you??

i think there are dang few of the first, and none of the second…

> and tell me how to use 3dto3d from a comand line?

hmmmmm, first tell me you have fully explored the file named
readme.txt in /usr/share/doc/packages/3dtp3d

i’ve never used nor even heard of 3dto3d but i think your /of19
should be /of10; and i think if i were doing it i’d turn on verbose
(with /ov) just to see if any errors are thrown; and i think your
/dfilename format is wrong, though i didn’t find clear example…

assuming you are at a command line and IN the directory where a 3D
Studio file named “file.3ds” (exactly, including capitalization)
lives; AND you want the output file to land in the SAME directory as
the input file; AND you want it named “file.OBJ” (exactly); then
TRY this:

3dto3d file.3ds /if1 /of10 /ov /dfilename file.OBJ

otherwise, if you wanna do it in any OTHER directory you have to
supply the FULL path of the input and output file…

now, IF that works and how you then shove THAT into a snake
(Python) i have NO idea…good luck…

–
see caveat: http://tinyurl.com/6aagco
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via NNTP, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KDE
3.5.7, SUSE Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.18-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

6

well, thatnks for at least replying, I thought as this was one of the best linux communities I’ve found, someone would know something about this…

after using the konsole command you gave there, it did produce somthing different, it still isn’t giving any output! but at least verbose both “/iv” and “/ov” are telling me that there are two “flags” (one on the import and one on export no doubt caused by the import not being recognised), it won’t tell me what the “flags” are (basically it won’t tell me whats wrong with it)

on to the note of it, here is what has to be entered for it to recognise a file at all: “media:/”, and “/of19” must be used as that is the only format I know for sure is importable to my blender… maybe it’s because i’m using blender 2.42a, maybe I should get the newer one… and there can’t be a space after “/dfilename” heres the exact command I entered

and this is what I got from it;

I appreciate your help figuring this out though, in the end as this is appearently the first non-intel platform release, coupled with the fact that wavefront was just added as an import/ export this program might be badly written… in this regard, it would appear it’s stalling on the import of the .3DS…

it’s programs like these that are headaches :wink:

speaking of which theres now an import log in 3dto3d’s folder, it reads;

7

cliff-s wrote:
> well, thatnks for at least replying, I thought as this was one of the
> best linux communities I’ve found, someone would know something about
> this…

i agree that this is one (at least) of the best linux
communities…but, what i think you need to search for is a 3D
community which uses Linux (and probably Mac & others)…i’ve read
that much of the stuff Hollywood does is on Linux…so, there MUST
be a forum/mail list/nntp gathering somewhere of 3D enthusiast who
use 3dto3d (or something VERY similar) nearly everyday…

i bet they will be more help than me (and the other help [zip] from
the good guys here)…

HEY, i almost clicked SEND but thought why not:

ok, let me say that i like puzzles, and spent a couple of hours (or
more) trying to solve this one…and found:

  1. put this at a command line:

3dto3d --help

and use THAT as your ONLY guide to this devilish device (don’t even
look at the readme again, i think it was written for the first beta
version, and never updated

  1. 3dto3d canNOT seem to find a file which is not in the SAME
    directory as itself (it seems to get confused with all the / / /s
    …so, i made a directory in my /home/[me]/Desktop/3D where i put a
    copy of 3dto3d and chess.raw (an example “raw” file provided in the
    same folder as the readme)…

then, tried to convert it from its original raw format to the 3DS
format it seems that you have a file in (named file.OBJ, and want to
then convert to an OBJ format) using THIS command line (IN the
directory where a copy of chess.raw is now:

/Desktop/3D> ./3dto3d chess.raw /if0 /iv /of7 /dchess.3ds

[NOTE: the ./ in front of 3dto3d MUST be there, AND no “media:” is
required, AND the name of the desired output file’s name immediately
follows /d WITHOUT a space, AND you MUST be giving the command in a
directory into which you can write–otherwise 3dto3d will do all the
work but then NOT be allowed to write the output file and FAIL
silently without telling you what happened–bad bad bad…]

THAT string produced a file named chess.3ds in the same directory
where chess.raw lived, AND a new file named Rawin.log (which showed
no errors)

then, to try to convert it to the form you need to put into blender i
tried:

/Desktop/3D> ./3dto3d chess.3ds /if1 /iv /of19 /dchess.obj

and now that directory includes the new chess.obj file (ready for
your blender) and a log file named 3dsin.log

which means to me, you also can reach nirvana if you build a 3D
directory in your /home/Desktop; copy 3dto3d into it; place a copy of
file.3DS in there, and then open a terminal and do this:

cd /home/[your ID]/Desktop/3D [press enter]

…/3dto3d file.3DS /if1 /iv /of19 /dfile.obj [press enter]

need more help? just ask, 'cause i can do everything…and so can you…

–
see caveat: http://tinyurl.com/6aagco
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via NNTP, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KDE
3.5.7, SUSE Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.18-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

8

wow talk about thinking outside the box!

and it works! at least for chess.raw, I converted that to .obj and opened it up in blender, and it now works, it shows a knight and a rook. (though they are sideways :stuck_out_tongue: ) simple transform operation should fix that!

but, it’s not working for the .3ds file I have…? this confuses me! let me check my sytax again maybe I misspelled something or used the wrong case… no it’s all correct… heres both of the latest outputs one from chess.raw (that worked) and one from file.3ds (that didn’t work)

hmm, maybe the import script for .3ds, is outdated in version 3.1 of 3dto3d?

that would certainly explain it…

but would you believe I found my own way around this problem, I downloaded the windows program 3D Object Converter, and ran it under wine.

since it is a “trial only” program which requires payment to activate the full features, most of the export formats were offlimits including .obj .

so going down the list of file imports I could manage in blender, I found one, “.slp” it’s an allowed option for export from 3D object converter, and a valid working import script in blender…

there was only one catch, this meant all the textures were displaced :open_mouth: ,though I usually don’t use textures to color objects anyways,

I use material values, it’s much easier to make it look more realistic that way, and much more precises as you can outline different colors by verticie,edge or face! :wink: then I usually add a texture onto said materials as a gradient. it might be slightly more high poly but, it looks nicer. and could be fit in a game if you absolutely needed to!

but still, 3dto3d not being able to import this particular .3ds file baffles me, as I said there must have been some sort of upgrade to 3d studios; that this file uses, that 3dto3d has not been programmed to understand.

native longs are not the same as intel longs
? :\

loosly translated; the .3ds format is (3dstudios), which apearently runs off intel only, so the “native longs” is the way this file is written, and 3dto3d is telling us that they are not the same as the way .3ds files are written according to it’s knowledge…

this might be an issue for the developer if the problem is outdated .3ds import scripting… and we do have his e-mail don’t we? but lets use that as the last option (as he appearently only looks at people’s e-mail’s who have sent him 40 euros…)

9

cliff-s wrote:
> wow talk about thinking outside the box!

well, i’ve thinking that way longer than that expression (“think outside the
box”) has existed…

it aggravates many, but allows me to find multiple paths to nirvana…

> but, it’s not working for the .3ds file I have…?

i recall, somewhere during my googling for 3D nirvana, seeing what some site was
calling “3D Studio MAX” which might have come since 3dto3d was born (last century)

>> ERROR: Native longs are not the same size as Intel longs.

MAYBE, try setting the line delimiter switch…that is add an /ol1 to the
command (that is “o” as in oscar, “l” as in lima, 1 as in one

> but would you believe I found my own way around this problem, I
> downloaded the windows program 3D Object Converter, and ran it under
> wine.

congratulations on finding your own non-constrained path…

but, did you TRY lying? that is, instead of /if1, lie and tell the thing you are
inputting something else (ie, /if0, /if2, /if3 etc)…maybe one will
work…doesn’t take long to find out [have you yet used the command line long
enough to know that the up arrow key will recall the last line you used, and you
can then change JUST ONE number/character and try again?]

> this might be an issue for the developer if the problem is outdated
> .3ds import scripting… and we do have his e-mail don’t we? but lets use
> that as the last option (as he appearently only looks at people’s
> e-mail’s who have sent him 40 euros…)

always remember that openSUSE is ‘free’, that does not mean that all open
software must be…and, if that guy is providing you with something you NEED to
save you time…then you need to value YOUR time, and pay him for helping you
save some…

anyway, i think an OPTION would be to get the source for 3dto3d and hack it to
include the new 3D Studio MAX format…that is another way opensource is free,
YOU are free to hack the source until it works the way YOU want it to… :peace:

–
see caveat: http://tinyurl.com/6aagco
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via NNTP, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KDE 3.5.7, SUSE
Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.18-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

10

well thats good!!, I’m only ashamed I didn’t think up what you did!

ah just as I figured, I too have heard of “max” but forgot about it and paid it no mind :P, guess I should have!

mm, well that didn’t work… but good thinking!

I actually thought of that, but thought why spend all that time when it might not do anything anyways! but I suppose I have time now to try it…

and yes I’ve known about pressing the {up} arrow to get the last used statement.

in fact I wonder how far back it remembers statements!, I’m seeing back to some of the first statements I’ve used!!! and of coarse the absolute last one I’ve used which I use quite often ( which is the reason it comes up when I press up) is

VisualBoyAdvance -F -f4 /usr/DATA/cos/CastlevaniaBelmontsRevenge.gb

a guy has got to have some fun eh? :stuck_out_tongue:

right trying to trick it…wow looks like it worked when I set it to /if0 … now lets try that file in blender to see if it did work!.. no, theres no model in the file…/if4 works… lets see if theres anything in that file… no emtpy again… /if6;no all the rest give the same errors as /if1.

so, I guess that didn’t work… it must be a 3dsmax file…

indeed, I’ll see if theres a source distro I can install from the suse DVD (there might be!) that or I could try to find it online… though if I’m going to have to go to all that trouble I might as wel include the .blend and .blend1 formats for import export as well…

but that would tke some time, and would most likely be beyond my current abilities, (so I’d have to learn to write source, before I could do it) I mean I’ve edited source files before (flash 9 x86 installer, so it installs on x86_64) but I don’t know all the syntax…

11

hi all
i try to find something named 3dto3d and find only 4dos one
this is text from there

                            3Dto3D
          a little 3D to 3D Format Converter Version 1.7

                         by Thomas Baier

                          December 1996

                     Compuserve: 100527,3011

                   Internet  : [email]thbaier@ibm.net[/email]

       WWW: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/thbaier

                    Copyright by Thomas Baier

Version 1.0 and later of 3Dto3D are Shareware and may be distributed

freely, provided that you leave this documentation file in the

archive. Note that this program is fully functional.

Additionally you need the DOS4GW - Extender Version 1.95/1.96/1.97.

Add there is a Win95/NT version called 3dnt3d.exe.

If you enjoy this program, use it frequently, and can afford to pay

a registration fee, then send $10 to:

                    Thomas Baier 

                    Ammerseestr.9

                    85551 Kirchheim 

                    Germany

Please include your name and mailing address.

With this registration you help me improve 3dto3d. With registration you

can expect a prompt response on questions or bugs. Thanks.

This program is a little utility to convert 3D files to a number of

other 3D formats. It can generate smooth triangles for those formats

that support it, allowing you to specify the angle under which the

faces should be smoothed.

INPUT

This version supports the following input formats:

  • .RAW
 Simple RAW format in the form: pnt0 pnt1 pnt2

 Multiple objects are supported if the file is in the form:

 NAME_OBJECT1

 pnta00 pnta01 pnta02

 pnta10 pnta11 pnta12

 pnta20 pnta21 pnta22

 ...

 NAME_OBJECT2

 pntb00 pntb01 pntb02

 pntb10 pntb11 pntb12

 pntb20 pntb21 pntb22

 ...

 see chess.raw for an example.
  • .3DS
 Binary mesh format for 3D Studio (Trademark ...)

 only objects with faces are supported
  • .OBJ
 Binary mesh format for Imagine 2.x/3.x (Trademark ...)

 only objects with faces are supported

 Tip: If you have a object generated in the form - editor, load it

 into the detail editor, select it, use the "merge" command and

 save it as a ".obj" file. Now the object is ready for converting.

 Tip: If you have object files with the extension .iob (Amiga

 extension ??) rename it to ".obj".
  • .lwo
 Binary mesh format for Lightwave

OUTPUT

This version supports the following output formats:

  • .RAW
 The converter can generate a smooth RAW from an unsmoothed

 RAW and vice versa.
  • .UDO/.INC
 Userdefined Object format for Moray V2.x and a inc file for

 POVRAY or POLYRAY.

 The converter writes a UDO file and a corresponding POV-Ray or 

 Polyray include file, generating triangles (poly's) and 

 smooth_triangles (patches). Use the /e parameter to reduce

 the edge count if you are getting too many edges in the UDO file.

 A value of /e5 will retain just about all edges that are not coplanar.

 A value of /e60 will throw out lots of edges and retain only pretty

 sharp contours.

 Additional wired and wired/blobby output for povray is supported
  • .ASC
 ASCII object format for 3D Studio. Hidden edges are supported
  • .OBT
 ASCII object format for Highlight Pro
  • .RPL
 ASCII object macro format for Real 3D. (Version 3.12)
  • .3DS
 Binary object format for 3D Studio. Hidden edges are supported
  • .OBJ
 Binary object format for Imagine.

 Hidden edges (Quick edges) and smoothing (Sharp Edges) are supported
  • .RWX
 ASCII objectformat for RenderWare
  • .WRL
 ASCII objectformat for VRML 1.0
  • .DXF
 ASCII objectformat for Autocad DXF, output with 3DFACE
  • .LWO
 Binary mesh format for Lightwave

If inputtype and outputtype are the same, $$$ is used as filename.

Usage:

            3dto3d xxxx [options]

Example:

            3dto3d chess /e20 /t3

please give link where you take linux version… link that is in this document is dead

12

didencool wrote:
> please give link where you take linux version… link that is in this
> document is dead

open YaST, click Software > Manage Software, search on 3dto3d…it is there and
installs easily…

–
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via NNTP, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KDE 3.5.7, SUSE
Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.18-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

13

Software.openSUSE.org

it only for 10.3

thank you :slight_smile:

14

> it only for 10.3

hmmmm, i didn’t know that…but, i’d guess you could download it with a browser
and then manually instal…

–
see caveat: http://tinyurl.com/6aagco
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via NNTP, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KDE 3.5.7, SUSE
Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.18-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

15

hmmm, I have 10.0 and it came with it… so I think 3Dto3D should already be on the cd’s or the DVD that you used to install the system with, again use yast, cause I find it odd that I have it on 10.0 and you say it’s only for 10.3…

OH and 1.7 is an older version of 3dto3d, I have 3.1, which lacks some bugs that version 1.7 had, and 3.1 includes new supported formats and whatnot…

well maybe not “the” newest as we’ve found with .3ds files :smiley:

as DenverD said if all you have available is V1.7, you’ll need to download and install the latest version from source.