ObjReader - load .obj files at runtime

This has been around a while, but I didn't have a separate topic for it. Version 2.0 is out now! ObjReader loads arbitrary .obj files at runtime...great for modding and other user-created content. It works on all platforms, and with all languages. Includes source code. Available on my site and the Unity asset store.



Yes, the ridiculously-overdue version 2.0 is out, with MTL support. Feature highlights:

• Loads .obj files at runtime with a high degree of compatibility, quickly.
• Can load .mtl files to use for materials, including texture loading (png and jpg format only).
• Support for transparent and opaque materials.
• Can override ambient, diffuse, and specular colors from the .mtl file with your own material.
• Can have different groups in the same .obj file be separate GameObjects, or combined into one.
• If combined into one GameObject, different groups can be submeshes or not.
• Can compute tangents for use with bumpmapped shaders.
• Can use supplied normals from the .obj file, or have them computed.
• Can apply arbitrary scaling, rotation, and position to the imported mesh.

There are two functions, ConvertString and ConvertFile. With ConvertString, you can provide strings for the .obj and .mtl files that you can load from arbitrary sources, including the web. With ConvertFile, you provide a complete file path, and ObjReader will load that, and optionally look for the appropriate .mtl and texture files. Note that ConvertFile won't work in a webplayer due to Unity restrictions on accessing external files.

If you have any questions, find any bugs, or have any feature suggestions, post them here. If you bought from my site and don't have the latest version (currently 2.0), send me a PM with the address you used when buying. Update notices are sent out automatically for new versions, but you need to make sure you opt in to that (if you don't, then I can't send any update notices to you), and you might also want to check your spam folder.

--Eric

 

Hi,

I'd like to buy this asset but i have some questions:

1. Is this asset compatible with Android
2. Is the loading time faster then Resources.load()?

We are using resources.load now but on Android it takes way too long to load the 3D model.

Thx!

 

Thanks, this is a great asset.

 

I haven't tested it personally, but it works on iOS so there's no reason it wouldn't work on Android.

Resources.Load is very fast since it's stored in native format and requires no conversion. I don't think you're having issues with Resources.Load per se; probably it's something else like applying a mesh collider.

Thank you!

--Eric

 

I think the problem is that the model is around 18MB, which is a bit big for mobile.

 

Cool.

 

there is compiled dll will not work on some platforms, can you include source code?

 

Managed dll files work on all platforms.

 

Managed dll files will not work on all platforms, not work on flash for example,

 

If all operations in the dll are supported by Unity's flash platform, it will work. But as its api is far from complete, you are right and it is likely that it doesn't work.

 

All of my utilities include source code; the description on the asset store specifically mentions this. If the DLL doesn't work in Flash then I don't think the source code would either, but Unity Flash publishing is discontinued anyway so it's not really feasible to provide support for it.

--Eric

 

Thanks for reply,
why there is dll then? does source code of this dll included?

if not, i can't modify or extend it, and if there any bugs i can't fix them

 

As I already stated (and as the Asset Store description says), the source code is included. The DLL is also included for convenience; you use one other the other.

--Eric

 

Hi~ I’m korean develoment for android unity3d wpf

It is very interesting to me, this is an asset.

Want to ask you a few questions to apologize

1. Web Player platform support available?

2. Do you require Unity Pro Version?

3. Animation, texture features, such as methane real support?

4. It is availabel that load .FBX object at runtime?

If possible, try to buy the contents of the above idea.

Have a nice day~

 

1. It will work in a webplayer, although loading .obj files from a website currently doesn't automatically load .mtl files. (Edit: it does now.)
2. No.
3. The .obj format doesn't support animation. I was not able to understand the rest of this question.
4. Only .obj files are supported.

--Eric

 

yesss! finally .mtl support!! thank you!

 

Thank's for your answer!!

The reason for the question of my third, because it import to the fbx object.

 

We just purchased from the Asset Store. Seems too work great and we like the ease of use. We tried importing an obj with multiple textures (three) and the importer seems to only import the first texture. We are exporting out of Blender 3D. Should the importer work with models using more than one texture? If so, Are there particular setting that we should be using during export?

Our .mtl file seems to be pointing to the correct textures. The .mtl file is as follows:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. # Blender MTL File: 'None'
3. # Material Count: 3
4.  
5. newmtl Material
6. Ns 96.078431
7. Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
8. Kd 0.640000 0.640000 0.640000
9. Ks 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000
10. Ni 1.000000
11. d 1.000000
12. illum 2
13. map_Kd IMG_4071.JPG
14.  
15. newmtl Material.001
16. Ns 96.078431
17. Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
18. Kd 0.640000 0.640000 0.640000
19. Ks 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000
20. Ni 1.000000
21. d 1.000000
22. illum 2
23. map_Kd SH.jpg
24.  
25. newmtl Material.002
26. Ns 96.078431
27. Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
28. Kd 0.640000 0.640000 0.640000
29. Ks 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000
30. Ni 1.000000
31. d 1.000000
32. illum 2
33. map_Kd Image_2.jpg

 

The importer works with multiple textures. Are you using "combine multiple groups"? If so, you'd need to also use "use submeshes when combining" in order to have multiple textures. Otherwise the first material would be used for the entire object.

--Eric

 

Version 2.1 is out now; buyers from my website with update notifications turned on will have gotten an email, and I'll be uploading it to the Asset Store next. Updated stuff:

Additions:
• ConvertFileAsync function, which automatically loads OBJ files from the internet, including MTL and texture files where appropriate. This includes a progress variable for the entire combined download. It's also possible to download multiple OBJ files simultaneously.

Changes:
• Changed group detection, so more OBJ files are imported correctly (specifically, OBJ files generated by Sketchup, which are kind of weird, and possibly others).
• A few speedups, so OBJ parsing is ~10% faster.
• Better handling for files that aren't actually OBJ files.

Fixes:
• Lines that start with whitespace are parsed correctly.

--Eric

 

Hi, i just bought it but im not good with coding so i need some help: First question, how can i load an obj from a local directory? second, is possible to load the obj via file browser, i mean press a gui button and explore into my files and select the one i want to load? Thanks!

 

The "Example3" demo shows how to load from a local folder, the relevant lines being:

Code (csharp):

1. objFileName = Application.dataPath + "/ObjReader/Sample Files/" + objFileName;
2. ObjReader.use.ConvertFile (objFileName, true, standardMaterial, transparentMaterial);

You can load via a file browser if you have one that works in a build, such as UniFileBrowser. In this case you'd use the OpenFileWindow function in UFB (you can use filtering so only .obj files show up), and then use the resulting path in the ObjReader.ConvertFile function.

--Eric

 

I am trying to load obj files at runtime in the web player and for almost a month now, no success. It won't even load a cube!
The obj files and the cross domain.xml file are even in the same folder as the webplayer on the server.

I have used the example for loading from url provided, and still no success.

Maybe Eric5h5 could advise what I am doing wrong.

Ghetz

 

The WWW example works great in a web browser, as you can tell from making a build with the default url (the .obj on my site). I would guess your crossdomain.xml file is wrong, however internet/website access issues are way out of my control and I can't really do anything about them I'm afraid.

--Eric

 

Hi Eric5h5, I also bought the ObjReader about a month ago and I have been having problems loading obj files on the web player. It works fine on Unity but once I run it in a browser, it doesn't work. I have added the crossdomain.xml to my server and I have also run your samples just like you said. It only loads in Unity, once I run it in the browser, it doesn't work. It also works fine when deployed on android but the webplayer seems to be the problem. I tried loading in the obj file as text using WWW class but even the ConvertString() method doesn't work on the webplayer too. I am using Unity version 4.2.1f4. Thanks for you quick anticipated response.

David.

 

What happens if you make a webplayer build from the Example2-WWW demo, as-is? (As in, not changing the URL or anything, so it loads from my website.) It works fine here.

--Eric

 

H Eric, I have tried loading your sample as-is but it doesn't work too. Are you testing your webplayer builds from within Unity or in a web browser? I can view the 3D model when I build as web player within the Unity interface but when I build and run in a web browser such as Chrome or IE, it doesn't display the model. What version of Unity are you running. Do you have any idea why this is happening?

Thanks,

David.

 

Hi Eric, ObjReader now loads excellently in the web player. You were right - the problem was with my website. Many thanks, it is a brilliant piece of code. The textures are not loading but I will try and sort that out, as I think the problem may be due to the texture paths in the mtl file. One question though, how can I alter the imported OBJ's position and rotation in the script that calls ObjReader?

 

It works in the editor and any platform I build to, including the web player, on any version of Unity as long as it's 3.4 or later. I can only guess it's some kind of network issue. Here's a web build on my site.

Assuming you mean you want to alter the vertices in the imported .obj, then probably the simplest way is:

Code (csharp):

1. var objReader = FindObjectOfType(ObjReader);
2. objReader.objRotation = Vector3(something);
3. objReader.objPosition = Vector3(something);

Otherwise you can change the position/rotation of the imported GameObject using the Transform as usual.

--Eric

 

Hi Eric

I've bought your script to load OBJ models at runtime on iOS devices, either from StreamingAssets/Resources or the Web later on. - If I try to load the Car_obj from your example on the iPad, the object turns all pink... while it gets loaded just fine in the Unity editor with all the materials. - On the other hand, the pig model works on the iPad, although it uses only solid colored materials as well... - Is there any way to fix that somehow?

 

Hi Eric,

1. Will the plugin work for iOS and Android? I am in search for a plugin that can load 3D models from a web url. The plugin should work on both iOS and Android.

2. How can I load a model that is having multiple textures?


Thanks,
BP

 

Yes.

It's automatic; if the model has multiple textures then it will create submeshes as needed.

--Eric

 

Do imported groups receive their own local origin for rotations, rather than the global origin?

 

ObjReader assumes that (0, 0, 0) is the center since there is no pivot point feature of .obj files. So, rotation is basically global.

--Eric

 

So in other words, articulated bodies (vehicles, characters) can't be rigged, or at least out-of-the-box?

 

No, the .obj format isn't suitable for animation at all.

--Eric

 

Hi Eric

Can you help with a c# equivalent? Many thanks.

 

I meant a c# equivalent of:

var objReader = FindObjectOfType(ObjReader);
objReader.objRotation = Vector3(something);
objReader.objPosition = Vector3(something);

 

var objReader = FindObjectOfType(typeof(ObjReader)) as ObjReader;
objReader.objRotation = new Vector3(something);

--Eric

 

Thanks Eric,

I was leaving out the "as ObjReader" part and running into all sort of problems. Still learning c#, will get there one day.

Cheers

 

Have you any plans to support objects with more than 65000 verts like the way unity does in the editor?

 

Possibly, though not in the immediate future.

--Eric

 

How do I change the obj's name after it is loaded into the scene? For instance, in the first example scene, Car_obj has the name Essuies-glace in the hierarchy. Is there a way to change that dynamically?

 

You can change the gameObject.name as usual, using the GameObject array returned by ConvertFile.

--Eric

 

Hey Eric5h5,
I'm unable to load my model.

Here's what I'm using:
objFileName = System.Environment.GetFolderPath(System.Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments)+"/PrintableObjects/SOAP_RAZOR_DISH.obj";
ObjReader.use.ConvertFile (objFileName, false);

Here's what is returned:

Argument is out of range.
Parameter name: index
UnityEngine.Debug:Log(Object)
ObjReader:CreateObjects(String, Boolean, Dictionary`2, Material, ObjData)
ObjReader:Convert(String, String, Material, Material, String, Boolean)
ObjReader:ConvertFile(String, Boolean, Material, Material, ObjData)
ObjReader:ConvertFile(String, Boolean)
$:MoveNext() (at Assets/ObjReader/Demo Scripts/Example3-ExternalFile.js:16)

Any ideas?

 

hi Eric5h5, do you think you will make fbxReader?
so many people need it

 

Do you have a link to the .obj file? (If you don't want it public, send me a PM.)

Probably not; it's complicated by the fact that there are both binary and text versions. I've seen other runtime FBX libraries available, so you could use those.

--Eric

 

ObjReader 2.2 is out now:

Improvements:
• Better error handling when loading WWW files.
• Reduced memory usage and increased speed.
• Better OBJ file compatibility, specifically with files generated by Meshlab.

Fixes:
• ConvertString works with MTL file strings in the webplayer.
• Missing MTL files will still allow the object to be created (without any materials of course).

--Eric

 

Hey Eric,

I am loading multiple files on start, so I use:

objPath = "somepath"
ObjReader.use.ConvertFileAsync (objPath, false)
objPath = "newpath"
ObjReader.use.ConvertFileAsync (objPath, false)
//etc

They all load fine. Awesome. However the names of the loaded gameobjects are some strange long descriptions that was most likely inside their .obj files. Because I wont know what these names will be at runtime, I have no way of accessing those gam objects to name them appropriately. Or do I?

Here's what I need to do:
1. on start: load all the obj files within a given folder (I'm able to do this now).
2. change each gameobject's name to its file name (I can access the file name, just need to access the gameobject).
3. parent each gameobject to the proper (each different) transform.

It would be nice if I could store these gameobjects into different arrays somehow, since I will have multiple folders of obj files that will each serve different purposes. I noticed the async function has a gameobjects array but it returns null even if the objects load. Perhaps I'm using it incorrectly? Is there a reason why the non-async function does not have a gameobject array?

Thank you,
Pajama

 

The gameObjects array isn't null after the import is completed. e.g., "Debug.Log (objData.gameObjects[0].name)" will print the first name in the array, in the Example2-WWW script, if you put it at the end of the Load function. The non-async ConvertFile function returns a GameObject[] array which can be accessed as usual.

--Eric