Is there a way to import a 3D model into Android?

Question

Is it possible to create a simple 3D model (for example in 3DS MAX) and then import it to Android?

Answer 1

That's where I got to:

• I've used Google's APIDemos as a starting point - there are rotating cubes in there, each specified by two arrays: vertices and indices.
• I've build my model using Blender and exported it as OFF file - it's a text file that lists all the vertices and then faces in terms of these vertices (indexed geometry)
• Then I've created a simple C++ app that takes that OFF and writes it as two XMLs containing arrays (one for vertices and one for indices)
• These XML files are then copied to res/values and this way I can assign the data they contain to arrays like this:
  int vertices[] = context.getResources().getIntArray(R.array.vertices);
• I also need to manually change the number of faces to be drawn in here: gl.glDrawElements(GL10.GL_TRIANGLES, 212*6, GL10.GL_UNSIGNED_SHORT, mIndexBuffer); - you can find that number (212 in this case) on top of the OFF file

Here you can find my project page, which uses this solution: Github project > vsiogap3d

Answer 2

you may export it to ASE format. from ASE, you can convert it to your code manually or programatically. You will need vertex for vertices array and faces for indices in Android. don't forget you have to set

gl.glFrontFace(GL10.GL_CCW);

because 3ds max default is counter clockwise.

Answer 3

It should be possible. You can have the file as a data file with your program (and as such it will be pushed onto the emulator and packaged for installation onto an actual device). Then you can write a model loader and viewer in java using the Android and GLES libraries to display the model.

Specific resources on this are probably limited though. 3ds is a proprietry format so 3rd party loaders are in shortish supply and mostly reverse engineered. Other formats (such as blender or milkshape) are more open and you should be able to find details on writing a loader for them in java fairly easily.

Answer 4

Have you tried min3d for android? It supports 3ds max,obj and md2 models.

Answer 5

Not sure about Android specifically, but generally speaking you need a script in 3DS Max that manually writes out the formatting you need from the model.

As to whether one exists for Android or not, I do not know.

Answer 6

You can do this also with 3D Object Converter

http://web.t-online.hu/karpo/

This tool can convert 3ds object to text\xml format or c code.

Example of open gl 'c' output:

glDisable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
glEnable(GL_LIGHTING);
glEnable(GL_NORMALIZE);

GLfloat Material_1[] = { 0.498039f, 0.498039f, 0.498039f, 1.000000f };

glBegin(GL_TRIANGLES);

  glMaterialfv(GL_FRONT,GL_DIFFUSE,Material_1
  glNormal3d(0.452267,0.000000,0.891883);
  glVertex3d(5.108326,1.737655,2.650969);
  glVertex3d(9.124107,-0.002484,0.614596);
  glVertex3d(9.124107,4.039649,0.614596);

glEnd();

or 'c' output

Point3 Object1_vertex[] = {
       {5.108326,1.737655,2.650969},
       {9.124107,-0.002484,0.614596},
       {9.124107,4.039649,0.614596}};
long Object1_face[] = {
       3,0,1,2,
       3,3,4,5
       3,6,3,5};

Then you can just replace parts of this code by java code.

P.s. This tool is not free and you can use it only for 30-day trial period. But 'c' code and xml converters is avaliable for this period.