Importing Models3D Canvas provides the ability to import models from several popular 3D file formats. To import a model:
Importing an model is often only half the job. In the world of 3D there are a number of ways of representing 3D co-ordinates. In 3D Canvas X represents left and right, Y represents up and down and Z represents depth. In other programs Y represents depth and Z represents up and down. Even those programs that agree that Z is the depth of the scene may disagree on which direction is positive and which negative. Also some programs have polygon faces that are two-sided and some have polygon faces that are single-sided. Single-sided faces are visible on one side and invisible on the other. This is a little trick that results in higher rendering rates for real-time 3D software. Typically the invisible side will be inside a solid object and not viewable, so there is no reason to render it. Again, there is no consistency as to what defines the visible side. With some programs visible is a face that has points defined in a clockwise order relative to the viewing camera and with others it is points defined in a counter-clockwise order. What makes things worse is that with some formats you never know what you are going to get. With 3D Canvas Y is up and down and Z represents depth and away is positive. Also, a face is always single-sided and visible if its points are defined clockwise. 3D Canvas makes an effort to correct problems while importing, but does not always succeed perfectly. This tutorial assumes that you have are rendering single-sided faces. To switch to this mode, select Options from the File menu, Select the Device tab and de-select Render Two-Sided Faces. Once you are happy with the imported model you can re-enable Render Two-Sided Faces.
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