13,208
edits
Howto:Work with AC3D files in Blender: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Howto:Work with AC3D files in Blender (view source)
Revision as of 10:33, 17 July 2020
, 17 July 2020Copy editng; +- Minor rewrites here and there; +-external links: Exchanged the link describing the format for the description on Invis website and an archived web page, using Template:Cite web
(Reordered list of supported versions of Blender with the newest on top. Reworded the first paragraph, minor edits.) |
(Copy editng; +- Minor rewrites here and there; +-external links: Exchanged the link describing the format for the description on Invis website and an archived web page, using Template:Cite web) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
Many [[FlightGear]] [[aircraft]] modelers prefer [[Blender]] as their 3D-modelling editor. FlightGear primarily uses the [[AC3D]] file format (<code>.ac</code>) to model aircraft, [[scenery]] models, and many other things. For recent versions of Blender import/export support for the AC3D file format is implemented as an addon. This page gives a few more details about this addon. | Many [[FlightGear]] [[aircraft]] modelers prefer [[Blender]] as their 3D-modelling editor. FlightGear primarily uses the [[AC3D]] file format (<code>.ac</code>) to model aircraft, [[scenery]] models, and many other things. For recent versions of Blender import/export support for the AC3D file format is implemented as an addon. This page gives a few more details about this addon. | ||
{{TOC limit|3}} | |||
== Blender version 2.83 LTS == | == Blender version 2.83 LTS == | ||
Currently not supported, use version 2.80 or older instead. | Currently not supported, use version 2.80 or older instead. | ||
== Blender versions 2.80 (probably up to 2.82a) == | == Blender versions 2.80 (probably up to 2.82a) == | ||
=== Majic79 addon === | === Majic79 addon === | ||
Current maintainer: [[User:Necolatis]] | Current maintainer: [[User:Necolatis]] | ||
Tested with Blender version 2.63 to 2.78a | Tested with Blender version 2.63 to 2.78a | ||
For more information you can follow the topic {{forum link|t=13442|title=Blender 2.6 AC3D Importer & Exporter}}. | |||
: | : {{github source|user=NikolaiVChr|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=2.80|text=Download Link (GitHub)}}. Probably: [[User:Necolatis]] due to lack of credits unsure. | ||
: {{github source|proj=NikolaiVChr|repo=Blender-AC3D|text=Repository}} ({{github zip file|NikolaiVChr|Blender-AC3D|text=ZIP file download for Blender <= 2.79}}). | : {{github source|proj=NikolaiVChr|repo=Blender-AC3D|text=Repository}} ({{github zip file|NikolaiVChr|Blender-AC3D|text=ZIP file download for Blender <= 2.79}}). | ||
Notice that the above link is to Necolatis (Nikolai) latest version, as the Majic79 | Notice that the above link is to Necolatis (Nikolai) latest version, as the Majic79 GitHub has not kept up with the updates and seems dead. | ||
=== Notes === | |||
* Before you export a model with this addon, make sure that you set the UV map and texture inside the material, not just inside the UV editor. See the video tutorial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URMjoFSm5pk here]. | * Before you export a model with this addon, make sure that you set the UV map and texture inside the material, not just inside the UV editor. See the video tutorial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URMjoFSm5pk here]. | ||
* Before you export make sure to exit Edit Mode or some of your last changes won't be exported. | * Before you export make sure to exit ''Edit Mode'' or some of your last changes won't be exported. | ||
* Inside Blender when you want to see the textures, be sure to set the shader to GLSL (or for 2.7+ just set view mode to materials). Alternatively set textured solid in solid view. | * Inside Blender when you want to see the textures, be sure to set the shader to GLSL (or for 2.7+ just set view mode to materials). Alternatively set textured solid in solid view. | ||
* To see textured surfaces as they will be shown in | * To see textured surfaces as they will be shown in FlightGear, go into the material texture and set the blend type to ''Multiply'' instead of the default ''Mix'' (the importer will also do this automatically). An example plane that will look very different if this is not done is the FGAddon aircraft {{fgaddon source|path=Aircraft/ASK13|commit=1363|text=ASK-13}}, notice the wingtips. | ||
* If you wonder where to put the scripts you could open blender's user preferences ( | * If you wonder where to put the scripts you could open blender's user preferences ({{Key press|Ctrl|Alt|U}}, or ''File > User Preferences'') tick for example Import/Export and extent the information concerning an existing script. Usually this throws the path. For for example Ubuntu 14.04LTS/Blender 2.79b it is: <code>/usr/share/blender/scripts/addons/</code>. | ||
* Be aware that Blender only has greyscale for emission and ambient colors. If you want to export/import a color for those, import/export options gives you capability to choose to use Blenders mirror color for that. | * Be aware that Blender only has greyscale for emission and ambient colors. If you want to export/import a color for those, import/export options gives you capability to choose to use Blenders mirror color for that. | ||
* The importer will not fail if it does not locate a texture, instead it will issue warnings. Pull down the top bar to see if there was any, they will be orange lines. | * The importer will not fail if it does not locate a texture, instead it will issue warnings. Pull down the top bar to see if there was any, they will be orange lines. | ||
| Line 31: | Line 30: | ||
* Orientation: The default settings in the plugin correspond to the FlightGear coordinate system (-X forward and Z up, also see: [[Howto:3D_Aircraft_Models]]). The default settings are: Forward -Z and Up Y. | * Orientation: The default settings in the plugin correspond to the FlightGear coordinate system (-X forward and Z up, also see: [[Howto:3D_Aircraft_Models]]). The default settings are: Forward -Z and Up Y. | ||
You can report bugs with the addon [https://github.com/NikolaiVChr/Blender-AC3D/issues here], but please include problematic .ac/.blend files and their textures. | You can report bugs with the addon [https://github.com/NikolaiVChr/Blender-AC3D/issues here], but please include problematic <code>.ac</code>/<code>.blend</code> files and their textures. | ||
=== Linux (kubuntu 19.10, DeBIAN 10 "buster") === | === Linux (kubuntu 19.10, DeBIAN 10 "buster") === | ||
: Use: <code>download.zip</code> (or really make sure to grep the right tree (see above!)) | |||
# Unpack <code>.zip</code> file. | |||
# Read <code>README.MD</code>. | |||
# Install for example into <code>/home/<User>/...</code>. Do '''not''' install into <code>/usr/...</code> since you will be lacking writing rights. | |||
# Copy <code>io_scene_ac3d</code> into <code>blender-<version>-<OS architecture>/<version>/scripts/addons</code> (for example <code>blender-2.82a-linux64/2.82/scripts/addons</code>) | |||
# Installation via Edit > Preferences > Addons > Install and select: <code>__init__.py</code> | |||
== Blender versions 2.63 and later == | == Blender versions 2.63 and later == | ||
For version 2.63 | For version 2.63 and later you have a choice of several scripts. | ||
=== Mr. No addon === | === Mr. No addon === | ||
==== Notes ==== | |||
* When exporting with this addon, make sure you set the texture inside the UV editor. | * When exporting with this addon, make sure you set the texture inside the UV editor. | ||
* When using this script, it is very important that everything is textured. The addon will silently fail if this is not the case. | * When using this script, it is very important that everything is textured. The addon will silently fail if this is not the case. | ||
* This script does not work reliable when nested groups are being used in the imported AC3D model (example | * This script does not work reliable when nested groups are being used in the imported AC3D model (for example {{github source|user=NikolaiVChr|repo=flightgear-saab-ja-37-viggen|tag=FG-v3.4|path=Aircraft/JA37/Models/Instruments/Altimeter2/altimeter-metric.ac|text=here}}). | ||
* The importer cannot handle the token | * The importer cannot handle the token <code>subdiv</code>, its just ignored. | ||
* The exporter does not always export the rotations/location matrix of objects correctly. | * The exporter does not always export the rotations/location matrix of objects correctly. | ||
| Line 56: | Line 55: | ||
=== FG2blender (PAF Team) === | === FG2blender (PAF Team) === | ||
Authors: f-jjth, run | Authors: f-jjth, run | ||
The PAF team (Patrouille de France), a French group of FlightGear enthusiasts have also made an AC3D Blender script. Their last commit dates back to 11 December 2013 and it feels like their FG2Blender project is abandoned. The PAF team is essentially active on their [http://equipe-flightgear.forumactif.com/ own French speaking forum]. There | The PAF team (Patrouille de France), a French group of FlightGear enthusiasts have also made an AC3D Blender script. Their last commit dates back to 11 December 2013 and it feels like their FG2Blender project is abandoned. The PAF team is essentially active on their [http://equipe-flightgear.forumactif.com/ own French speaking forum]. There is no trace or documentation available, so the notes below are speculative and incomplete. It would be interesting to test these scripts and check if the work of the PAF team can be merged with the work of [[User:Necolatis]] as this is actually the only AC3D script that is still maintained. | ||
==== Notes ==== | |||
* According to the source code, the script seems to be able to export animation. | * According to the source code, the script seems to be able to export animation. | ||
{{sourceforge source|proj=pafteam|repo=fg2blender|text=Repository}} ([https://sourceforge.net/p/pafteam/fg2blender/ci/master/tarball Zip file download]{{dead link|2020-07}}) | |||
== Blender versions 2.5 to 2.62 == | == Blender versions 2.5 to 2.62 == | ||
| Line 78: | Line 75: | ||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
* {{cite web | |||
| url = http://www.inivis.com/ac3d/man/ac3dfileformat.html | |||
| title = The AC3D file format | |||
| date = 27 March 2003 | |||
| publisher = Inivis Limited | |||
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20180814212703/http://www.inivis.com/ac3d/man/ac3dfileformat.html | |||
| archivedate = 14 Aug 2018 | |||
| accessdate = 17 Jul 2020 | |||
}} | |||
{{3d}} | {{3d}} | ||
[[Category:Modeling]] | [[Category:Modeling]] | ||