Howto:Work with AC3D files in Blender: Difference between revisions

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Howto:Work with AC3D files in Blender (view source)

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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]] modellers prefer [[Blender]] as their 3D-modelling editor. Blender is a powerful, robust and open-source 3D modelling suite. FlightGear primarily uses the [[AC3D_file_format|AC3D file format]] (<code>.ac</code>) to model aircraft, [[scenery]] models, and many other things. With the AC3D file format first released in 1996<ref>http://fileformats.archiveteam.org/wiki/AC3D_Model</ref>, modern versions of Blender do not bother maintaining support for the format. However, add-ons exist to extend Blender's functionality in order to allow the import and export of these files.


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== Blender versions 2.80 and later ==
== Importing and exporting AC3D files ==
=== Majic79 addon ===
{{note| Modern versions of Blender (2.5+) require an add-on to work with AC3D (<code>.ac</code>) files.}}
Current maintainer: [[User:Necolatis]]
=== Addons ===


Tested with Blender version 2.63 to 2.78a
The prominent add-on for using AC3D files in Blender is called ''Blender-AC3D''. It has been forked from its original to provide support for Blender 2.8.


For more information you can follow the topic {{forum link|t=13442|title=Blender 2.6 AC3D Importer & Exporter}}.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Blender version !! Addon !! Remarks
|-
| 2.80 || {{github source|user=NikolaiVChr|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=2.80|text=NikolaiVChr/Blender-AC3D (GitHub)}}. || NikolaiVChr's fork of majic79's add-on, with a special branch for Blender 2.80
|-
| 2.63 - 2.7a || {{github source|user=NikolaiVChr|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=master|text=NikolaiVChr/Blender-AC3D (GitHub)}} || NikolaiVChr's fork of majic79's add-on. For more information read {{forum link|t=13442|title=Blender 2.6 AC3D Importer & Exporter}}  
|-
| 2.62 || {{github source|proj=majic79|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.62|text=majic79/Blender-AC3D (GitHub)}} || Branch of majic79's plugin targeting Blender 2.62 (Abandoned)
|-
| 2.60 || {{github source|proj=majic79|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.60|text=majic79/Blender-AC3D (GitHub)}} || Branch of majic79's plugin targeting Blender 2.60 (Abandoned)
|-
| 2.59 || {{github source|proj=majic79|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.59|text=majic79/Blender-AC3D (GitHub)}} || Branch of majic79's plugin targeting Blender 2.59 (Abandoned)
|-
| <2.5 || N/A || Versions of Blender below 2.5 include out of the box support for the AC3D file format, simply enable the add-on in <code>Preferences > Addons</code>
|}


: {{github source|user=NikolaiVChr|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=2.80|text=Download Link (GitHub)}}. Probably: [[User:Necolatis]] due to lack of credits unsure.
==== Notes ====
: {{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 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.
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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.
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") ===
=== Importing ===
: Use: <code>download.zip</code> (or really make sure to grep the right tree (see above!))


# Unpack <code>.zip</code> file.
{{main article|Working with FlightGear models in Blender}}
# Read <code>README.MD</code>.
{{note|If you do not see the option for <code>AC3D (.ac)</code> under <code>File > Import</code>, your add-on is either not installed, or not working correctly.}}
# Install for example into <code>/home/&lt;User&gt;/...</code>. Do '''not''' install into <code>/usr/...</code> since you will be lacking writing rights.
Once the add-on is installed, AC3D models can be imported in the same manner as any other model foramat into Blender by using the <code> File > Import > AC3D (.ac)</code> dialog.  
# Copy <code>io_scene_ac3d</code> into <code>blender-&lt;version&gt;-&lt;OS architecture&gt;/&lt;version&gt;/scripts/addons</code> (for example <code>blender-2.82a-linux64/2.82/scripts/addons</code>)
[[File:Blender AC3D import dialog.png|thumb|This figure demonstrates how to import an AC3D model in Blender using a third-party addon.]]
# Installation via Edit > Preferences > Addons > Install and select: <code>__init__.py</code>
 
== Blender versions 2.63 and later ==
For version 2.63 and later you have a choice of several scripts.
 
=== Mr. No addon ===
==== Notes ====
* 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.
* 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 <code>subdiv</code>, its just ignored.
* The exporter does not always export the rotations/location matrix of objects correctly.
 
: [http://www.mediafire.com/?m4f9m95qj9e5qq0 Download link (MediaFire)]
 
=== FG2blender (PAF Team) ===
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 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.
 
{{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 ==
For these versions you can use one of these scripts by Majic79:
 
* {{github source|proj=majic79|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.59|text=Version for Blender 2.59 (repository)}} ({{github zip file|majic79|Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.59|text=ZIP file download}}).
* {{github source|proj=majic79|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.60|text=Version for Blender 2.60 (repository)}} ({{github zip file|majic79|Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.60|text=ZIP file download}}).
* {{github source|proj=majic79|repo=Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.62|text=Version for Blender 2.62 (repository)}} ({{github zip file|majic79|Blender-AC3D|branch=BL2.62|text=ZIP file download}}).
 
== Blender versions 2.4 and older ==
For these versions, Blender supports both the import and export of AC3D files out of the box.  Just go into user preferences and enable the addon scripts.
 
== 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
}}


{{Appendix}}
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[[Category:Modeling]]
[[Category:Modeling]]
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