topic Re: FBX Export Problems in Navisworks Forum

FBX Export Problems

peter.neil.nz — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 03:40:15 GMT

I am working with a customer to export a large Navisworks model to an FBX. The export appears to work okay and the model can load in FBX Review, but it when it loads in 3DS Max nothing is shown, and when I load it to Unity (my ultimate goal) also nothing is shown. I have tried selecting smaller parts of the model so the final FBX is small, I have changed polycount settings - but nothing seems to work. Any ideas of what I could try to resolve this?

I have done this many times before with equally as complex models with no problems - but I can't work out what is different about this file.

Re: FBX Export Problems

peter.neil.nz — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 20:44:46 GMT

A further update to this I am pretty sure Navisworks is corrupting the mesh of the FBX.

The first picture shows what is in Navisworks, while the second shows what the FBX model looks like in FBX Review. Note there is no Polygon Limiting with this export.

Re: FBX Export Problems

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 06:28:42 GMT

Is the model in Navisworks in global coordinates? Check coordinates and move the objects close to 0,0,0. FBX is not good with global coordinates.

Re: FBX Export Problems

peter.neil.nz — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 06:43:54 GMT

Thanks that's a good suggestion, I will try that tomorrow. I know that one of the models I am having trouble with is miles (literally) away from 0,0,0.

Re: FBX Export Problems

peter.neil.nz — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:15:13 GMT

Unfortunately that wasn't the problem. The model was about 300x80 km away from origin but when I brought it back and re-exported I got the same result.

Re: FBX Export Problems

contact2YD8Y — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 17:24:08 GMT

Export model to OBJ will be good option instead, in case you want to show it in Unity.

Re: FBX Export Problems

peter.neil.nz — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 22:15:18 GMT

We may do this as a test but unfortunately Navisworks doesn't have an export to OBJ out of the box. This makes it a bit difficult for our customers (who send us the FBX files) as they will now need to purchase another add-in tool to do this. Also, we need to make sure the materials through to Unity and in theory this should work okay - we would just need to test this.

It would be good if we could get the bottom of why the FBX from Navisworks is corrupt in the first place, as the FBX is the ideal format as the materials are already embedded. I suspect it is a bug in Navisworks.

Re: FBX Export Problems

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 22:22:54 GMT

Is it possible for you to share the NWD-file?

It might be an corrupt object that is miles away even if you tried move everything to 0,0,0. Some small lines or something that is not seen. Try do a Section box around your object and export with that view. So that anything outside is filtered out.

Re: FBX Export Problems

peter.neil.nz — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 22:32:02 GMT

Unfortunately the Navisworks file is confidential so I can't share it. I wish I could reproduce the issue in a new file which I could share - but I can't reproduce the problem in any new file I create

The file was exported with a section already. 100m x100m x20m.

Re: FBX Export Problems

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 22:46:31 GMT

Ok I understand!

I've had simular problems with FBX in Unity.

It showed up fine in Navis and FBX Review. But not in Unity.

The issue was that it still had junk from its Native 3d-software (in my case Archicad). Like cameras and other "GameObject"-junk that showed up as child objects in the FBX-file in unity. I Deleted all that extra GameObject stuff inside Unity and then the 3D-objects worked.

Re: FBX Export Problems

peter.neil.nz — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 21:41:27 GMT

It turns out re-origining the model did solve this issue. Its just that you need to transform the location of the model rather just setting the coordinate's in the units and transform.