topic Re: Cant create datasmith file in 3ds Max Modeling Forum

Cant create datasmith file

ahmet.sait08 — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 10:52:20 GMT

I want to export my scene to unreal engine using datasmith but when i click to export ıt only creates assest folder but no udatasmith file how can ı fix this please help

Re: Cant create datasmith file

RobH2 — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 05:17:34 GMT

Can you provide a bit more info? What version of Max, what version of Datasmith, a few screenshots of your workflow, etc.? That will help diagnose the issue.

Have you uninstalled datasmith, rebboted, reinstalled and then tried again? That might correct some corruption that could have ocurred.

What do you see in the 'Messages' panel when you export? That might give you some insight.

Re: Cant create datasmith file

ahmet.sait08 — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 06:48:55 GMT

Thank you for the reply 🙂 My 3dsmax version is 2025 unreal engine 5.5.1 and ım using 5.5 exporter for datasmith

ıve tried uninstall reboot and install method but its not working for me. Btw ı encounter this issue before and randomly ı delete a car in my scene and it worked before but this time i tried to delete most of my object still not working

here is my work and messages panel:

Re: Cant create datasmith file

RobH2 — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:27:59 GMT

I wonder if there are some errors in some of the other objects that are causing Datasmith to fail. You mentioned a car caused a failure. Have you tired to export the model as FBX just to see if it exports OK with no errors? I know this is not what you want to do, but it's just a test to see what works and what doesn't work. If a normal FBX fails then it's probably not Datasmith's fault. I'm just trying to find ways to start diagnosing.

I use Datasmith all the time and have very few problems with it. I have all of the same versions of Max, UE, and the exporter as you. I don't know if you can do this but if you can share your file I'll try to export it. And, if I do get it to export with Datasmith, I'll return the Datasmith file to you. That might get you going for now until you figure out the problem.

Re: Cant create datasmith file

ahmet.sait08 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:34:26 GMT

Can you send me your mail adress so ı can send you the files? By the way ı dont see any issues exporting as fbx

Re: Cant create datasmith file

RobH2 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 16:58:32 GMT

Working on this in PM. Will report back if we figure out what caused the issue or what a solution is.

Re: Cant create datasmith file

RobH2 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 18:18:41 GMT

I see you sent me a PM link but it's not functioning. Until you send a new one I played with a complex file to see what Datasmith would do. This is a scene I bought 9-years ago. I wanted to throw in the possibility of old code causing issues to see if that was something to worry about as well.

As you can see, the Datasmith export and import into UE worked really well. I had to spend about 45-minutes fixing lights but didn't touch anything else. I had to make a few surfaces 'Two-Sided' as is frequently the case. But in just a short time, the result is pretty close.

So there must be something on your machine that's causing the issue. What are your machine specs? How much RAM? Laptop or desktop? Video card? Maybe you are running out of RAM and Datasmight can't finish writing the file. I don't even know if that's a possible culprit, but I'm just trying to diagnose. Once I see your file I may have more thoughts but for now I think something on your machine is causing it. I don't think it's a bug in Max or Datasmith. We just have to figure out what on your machine is causing the export to fail.

Re: Cant create datasmith file

RobH2 — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 15:35:01 GMT

I received your file. When I tried to export the whole thing, all 3.6Million polys, I didn't get the *.datasmith file. Since it's a large file file I assumed it would take awhile. After 10-minutes and no file I Googled for 'Datasmith file size limit.' I found this link: Datasmith File Size Limits

While it technically doesn't have one, there is the chance that a huge file like yours just needs to be broken up. So I tried that and it works perfectly. I exported each of your major layers out separately: Default, A-Blok, B-Blok, etc. It worked pretty well. C-Blok only exported if I did it in two parts, 1)the building and 2)'lamp wall' parts that are offset to the side of the building. But, the lightwall part did not export. You might have to play around with that a bit to see why not.

So when Datasmith fails, just break you model up in an intelligent way and it will likely work for you. Breaking it up is a good idea anyway for organization.

I don't know if the textures are intact. You use Corona and you didn't send me the texture files anyway. But go try again and break it up. I will probably work for you.

As to the stuttering, well, it's a huge file. My processor is about the same speed as yours and it took 5-minutes just to load the file. It's pretty stuttery in Max. In UE though, it is pretty smooth once you get it in there. I'll upload the Datasmith files (in a PM) I made and you can try them. I'll also upload a video showing the model in UE 5.5. Its looks really good to be honest.

One last thing. I see you have 32GB Ram. I have your file open in Max and I'm using 53GB of my 128GB Ram. If you are getting slow performance it's probably because you've run out of Ram and the machine is paging memory out to a temp file. That's magnitudes slower than the Ram. I generally tell people that to have a resonable experience with Max you need at least 64GB of ram. That's probably why you are seeing poor performance. Even with my larger Ram, I still only get 2-fps in the viewport. It's just a big file.

Re: Cant create datasmith file

david_jenkins9 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 08:06:49 GMT

I've had the problem you talk about with the Datasmith export not creating a Datasmith file. In my situation I was able to isolate it down to one object that was causing the export to fail.

I tried a couple of things including the standard making a box and attaching the offending object to that then deleting the box with no success.

I did then however have success when I ran a maxscript I have that detaches all elements of an object out to separate objects. I tested these detached objects as an export and it worked. I then re-attached them all into a single object and again that worked.

Unsure as to what caused the problem in the first place but i hope this helps you or anyone who finds this thread in the future.

Re: Cant create datasmith file

RobH2 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:08:59 GMT

Thanks for posting your workaround. It may help someone with the same issue.