Metadata Supported for FBX Imports?

clayton_krause

Does Cinema4D really not support importing meta-data from an FBX import? I have a hard time believing this type of basic data I/O isn't supported in c4d...

Attached is an FBX with meta-data key/value pair of "foo" : "bar". Metadata comes in fine importing with Houdini, Maya, Blender, but I can't seem to get the metadata into C4D.. Thank you for any confirmations here!

EDIT: Can't upload an FBX file apparently. Concept is pretty straight forward though. Metadata support with FBX import.

Manuel

Hi,

For now, we do not have any plan about supporting FBX Meta-data. We will reconsider it as soon as possible.
This topic has already been touched on this thread but for exporting.

What kind of meta data would meet your needs? Per object, for animation, material etc? I am not even sure what kind of metadata is possible with the fbx file.

Cheers,
Manuel

niestudio

Hi @Manuel,

Wondering if there has been any progress on C4D supporting FBX metadata. The data included in the files I use is "mission critical" to my work, so I have to go through so many hoops and time consuming workarounds to access and transfer that data into my project.

Right now I convert the fbx to ascii so that I can read it in a text editor and find the data I need.
I don't know what all kind of data is possible either, but I can show you what data I am looking for:

These are the properties added on just one null in the fbx file, and there are hundreds that I need to read.
The main one I look for is the "BodyStyleTrim" property

Model: 4485161472, "Model::HOOD_BIW_", "Null" {
	Version: 232
	Properties70:  {
		P: "InheritType", "enum", "", "",1
		P: "DefaultAttributeIndex", "int", "Integer", "",0
		P: "QUID", "KString", "", "A+U", "{c8918b4e-08f2-497a-b230-8bcbaf7cfed6}"
		P: "VVP_CATEGORY", "KString", "", "A+U", "VVP_EXT,VVP_BIW"
		P: "COMPONENT_SELECTION", "KString", "", "A+U", "CAR_BODY"
		P: "ANIM_CATEGORY", "KString", "", "A+U", "HOOD"
		P: "BodyStyleTrim", "KString", "", "A+U", "KA/THRS/AG8/LHD/EXL/S,KA/THRS/AH8/LHD/SPORTL/S,KC/THRX/CG7/LHD/LX/S,KA/THRS/AK5/LHD/TRG/S,KC/THRX/CH5/LHD/EX/S,KC/THRX/CK5/LHD/EXLNAV/S,KC/THRX/CJ5/LHD/EXR/S,KX/THRX/XC8/LHD/EXL/S,/RESET/ON///S,KA/THRS/AL5/LHD/ELITE/S,KC/THRX/CL5/LHD/EXLRES/S,KC/THRX/CM5/LHD/TRG/S,KX/THRX/XD8/LHD/TRG/S"
					 
		P: "CODE", "KString", "", "A+U", "BASE"
	}
	Culling: "CullingOff"
}

In Blender's FBX import and export dialogs there is a tick box for "Custom Properties". With that ticked the data comes in as expected and looks like this in the UI:

If this metadata support is still not in the roadmap, can you confirm whether or not C4D discards that data on import?
If the data is not discarded, perhaps I can hire a python developer to help me scrape file and present the data somehow.

Thanks,
Daniel

Manuel

Hey Daniel,
We are not allowed to talk about our roadmap.
I still do not understand how you are using those data in your workflow. Maybe you want the Meta-Data to be accessible with python, Xpresso, something else. Or you just want to import an fbx in c4d, do something and export it again without loosing those data.

Cinema 4D is reading everything he can handle, other information is ignored, so yes, meta-data are lost.
If you cannot or do not want to talk about your workflow in public maybe we can use our mail box if you feel more confortable?

Cheers,
Manuel

niestudio

@Manuel yes, I'd be happy to discuss via mail. Support for this would be a game changer for me!

Manuel

you can use our contact from
https://developers.maxon.net/forum/contact

or send us an email at [email protected]

mogh

Just additional reinforcement.

We talk here a lot of Metadata in CAD files for Digital Twins, so a universal handling of "additional" data not processed by cinema is an area to explore at Maxon !

jana

Hi all,

thanks for posting and indeed we are going to explore metadata handling in general.

Cheers
Jana