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Import using FBX

Mudbox supports the Autodesk® FBX® file format for data exchange between 3D applications.

FBX is a conversion technology that enables the acquisition and exchange of 3D models and related assets and media from a variety of sources more quickly and easily.

FBX supports a broader range of entities between Mudbox and other applications in many cases than the older OBJ file format. For a comparison of supported model file formats, see Model file formats.

FBX plug-ins are available for Autodesk® Maya® and Autodesk® 3ds Max® software, and is also supported by Autodesk® MotionBuilder®. Autodesk® Softimage® supports FBX through its Autodesk® Crosswalk plug-in features.

NoteTo import and export FBX files in other Autodesk 3D applications you must first install and then load the FBX plug-in appropriate to your application and version. To download the most current FBX plug-ins for your Autodesk application, see http://www.autodesk.com/fbx-downloads

Open or import an FBX file

1. Select File > Open... or File Import and set the Files of type to Autodesk Fbx, and select the file you want to import. For more import options, see Import a model.
2. For information on how entities appear in the 3D View after FBX import, refer to the table below.

NoteMudbox does not support file, attribute, or directory paths that use double-byte characters in the names (such as found in Japanese, Korean, Chinese languages). Text strings should be restricted to single byte characters only (Latin alphabet). Using text strings that contain double-byte (extended ASCII) characters may result in an error or data loss.

FBX features supported for import

The following table describes the entities that Mudbox supports via FBX and whether they are supported or converted when imported to Mudbox from other applications.

Feature | .FBX | Maya | 3ds Max
--- | --- | --- | ---
Polygonal meshes Grouping hierarchies - Model hierarchies that exist in a Maya or 3ds Max file are collapsed when the mesh is imported to Mudbox using FBX. Top level transformations and pivot points on the mesh are retained. Mesh smoothing - Any edge smoothing (Maya) or smoothing group (3ds Max) information is not retained when the FBX file is imported to Mudbox. | V | V | V
UV texture coordinates Only one UV set is supported for import by Mudbox; the first UV set. | V | V | V
Quick Select sets / Selection Sets (Maya) Quick Select sets and Sets appear in the Object List within Mudbox when the FBX file is imported to Mudbox. (Max) Selection Sets appear in the Object List within Mudbox when the FBX file is imported to Mudbox. | C | C | C
Cameras (Mudbox) - After import to Mudbox, right-click the new camera that appears in the Object List and select Look Through. You can lock the imported cameras to prevent accidental dollying, tumbling, and so on. (Maya) - FBX only exports the non-default cameras from Maya. The default persp, top, front, and side cameras are ignored. If you are exporting your Maya scene using FBX and want to retain the default camera related information when you import it to Mudbox, you must first select and duplicate the default Maya perspective (persp) camera (View > Select Camera, Edit > Duplicate), and then select the duplicated version prior to exporting your FBX file. (Maya) - Maya cameras match better in Mudbox if the Fit Resolution Gate camera attribute is set to Vertical prior to exporting an FBX file from Maya. | C | C | C
Image planes (Mudbox) - Image planes are an attribute of cameras that get exported with the cameras when exporting an FBX file. After import to Mudbox, right-click the new cameras that appear in the Object List and select Look Through to view the image planes. You can lock the cameras associated with the image planes to prevent accidental misalignment. (Maya) - If you are need to export image planes with cameras from your Maya scene using FBX you must first select and duplicate the orthographic cameras associated with the image planes (View > Select Camera, Edit > Duplicate), and then select the duplicated version prior to exporting your FBX file. In addition, setting the Fit attribute to Vertical in the Placement section of the Image Plane attributes will ensure a better match when imported to Mudbox. (Maya) - Maya provides an option to either embed or reference the images associated with an image plane when exporting as FBX. | C | C | X
Blend Shapes (Maya) Morph Targets (3ds Max) (Maya) - The vertex position information contained in a blend shape target is converted to a sculpt layer when transferring between Maya and Mudbox via FBX. The Weight attribute on the blend shape becomes the Opacity property on the sculpt layer when the FBX file is imported. | C | C | C
Shading material By default, any assigned materials and textures that exist in an FBX file are automatically imported into Mudbox with the mesh. If you do not want materials and textures to be imported with the mesh, turn off the Import Materials and Textures preference (Windows > Preferences > FBX). The default Mudbox Material is assigned when this preference is turned off. The selected object's shading material is converted to a material with an equivalent appearance when exported from the 3D application using FBX. Material attributes that are supported by Mudbox when importing an FBX file are: Diffuse, Specular, Gloss, Bump Map, Incandescence, Reflection Mask, Reflection Map, Reflection Strength. | C | C | C
Material textures Textures assigned to the selected objects shading material, including layered textures (3ds Max refers to these as composite textures) are imported as discrete paint layers when the FBX file is imported to Mudbox (see supported shading material attributes described above). The textures are assigned to the equivalent paint layer channel in Mudbox. Layer blend mode attributes for layered (composite) textures are supported to a limited extent with FBX import. The Normal, Multiply, and Add blend mode settings are supported. Any other blend mode settings that exist for the layered textures are set to Normal blend mode when an FBX file is imported to Mudbox. | C | C | C
Joints Prior to exporting your model from Maya or 3ds Max, ensure that the FBX export options are set so they export the skeleton and skin weighting data with the model. For example, in Maya the FBX Exporter Options window, ensure that the Include preference setting has Animation and Deformed Models options turned on, and that the Skins and Blend Shapes options are also turned on. Joints and skin clusters (joint weights) are imported with the model when the FBX file is imported to Mudbox (provided the Import Joints preference is turned on). This data can be used in conjunction with the Pose tools for posing and deforming models. For more information, see Posing overview. Vertices can be influenced by a maximum of four joints in the joint hierarchy (the four strongest influencing joints). Beyond that, the imported weight information is ignored. To ensure that joint weights transition smoothly for imported models, the Smooth Joint Weights preference can be adjusted as required. For more information, see the FBX import preferences. Joint hierarchies where meshes have been parented into a joint are not supported. For more information, see Troubleshoot posing. Portions of a mesh may not display in the 3D View if the number of joints exceeds a specified maximum amount. This limitation only affects the mesh when using the pose tools, and is not apparent when sculpting or painting. The mesh can still be posed but you’ll need to select either a paint or sculpt tool to view the entire mesh. The maximum number of joints a mesh can have before display limitations occur is dependent on your computer’s graphics card: NVidia: 256; ATI: 75. For more information, see Troubleshoot posing | C | C | C
V - Perfect compatibility C - Data has been converted or interpolated to yield results that are functionally equivalent. X - Entity is not supported and is ignored

Loading the FBX plug-in for Maya or 3ds Max

FBX import and export functionality is embedded within Mudbox. However, to export FBX files from Maya or 3ds Max you must first ensure that the FBX plug-in for your application is installed and loaded in the application so FBX appears as an option in the application’s import/export browser windows.

NoteTo download the most current FBX plug-ins for your Autodesk application, see http://www.autodesk.com/fbx-downloads. To view the FBX documentation, see http://www.autodesk.com/fbx-docs.

Once installed, you load the FBX plug-ins as follows:

- (Maya) In Maya, select Window > Settings >/Preferences > Plug-in Manager. In the Plug-in Manager window, ensure that the fbxmaya.mll plug-in is set to Loaded. (Turning on Autoload will ensure it loads automatically each time Maya is launched). Close the Plug-in manager window. Maya is now ready to read and write FBX files.

- (3ds Max) FBX plug-ins that are installed for 3ds Max are automatically loaded whenever the application is launched. In the event that the FBX import and export features do not appear in 3ds Max, select Customize > Plug-in Manager. In the Plug-in Manager window that appears ensure that the FBXMax.DLU plug-in is set to be loaded and close the window. 3ds Max is now ready to read and write FBX files.

Related topics

Open a model

File menu

Import a model

Import a model from Maya

Import a model from 3ds Max

Import Mudbox files from earlier versions

Export using FBX