Export files

You can export a file with many kinds of formats by [Menu > File > Save As] and it can be rendered in other software. However, some information may be lost because the file format does not support all features. Please check how it works beforehand.

ok	Mostly no problem
not good	Usable, but many parts are incomplete.
NG	Not available
-	The format does not support function.
?	Unconfirmed

MQOZ - Metasequoia
MQO - Metasequoia old format object
DXF - AutoCAD
LWO - LightWave3D
3DS - 3D Studio
X - Direct3D
OBJ - Wavefront
DAE - COLLADA
FBX - Autodesk FBX
PLY - Stanford Polygon Library
STL - Stereolithography
PMD - MikuMikuDance Format
3MF - 3D Manufacturing Format
glTF - glTF 2.0 binary

MQOZ (Metasequoia)

This is an original file format of Metasequoia, and supports all functions.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok

MQO (Metasequoia old format object)

It is a file format before Ver4.6.x.

It is divided into two files, the main file (.mqo) and plug-in information (.mqx). (.mqx is export only when using a plug-in.)

Compatible with: Select from [Ver4.x] or [Ver2.2]. MQO file is exported to keep compatibility with Metasequoia old version.
Visible objects only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Embed a thumbnail: If it is checked, a thumbnail image is embedded in the file.
A thumbnail image is used when file display in [File browser]. If an image isn't embedded, display in file browser become slow and be a smaller size of a file.

DXF (AutoCAD)

Visible objects only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Object's name is exported as a layer: If the receiver side of the software is available, it can export each object as an independent layer.
Triangle have four points: It saves a triangle as 3DFACE with four points. Some software cannot read it normally without making this option available.
Return code: If the appropriate return code for the operating system which importing software runs is not selected, it cannot sometimes be read normally.

Plural objects are composed to one object.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	ok	-(*1)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

(*1)A polygon(>=5) is divided into triangles.

LWO (LightWave3D)

It is available with LWO2 form supported in LightWave3D 6.0 and later and LWOB form also supported in LightWave3D 5.x.

Visible objects only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Not freeze patches: When you want to use not the subdivision method of Metasequoia but SubPatch (MetaNURBS in LightWave3D 5.x), select 'ON' and apply subpatch in LightWave3D side.
LWO2: It is the form supported in LightWave3D 6.0 and later. This form can contain the UV coordinates, but a part of UV coordinates will be lost without LightWave3D 6.5 and later.
It can also be read in LightWave3D 5.x. with 'OFF' on this check, but plural objects can be composed to one object and the number of vertices and that of faces are limited to 65535.
Absolute file path: If you select 'ON' in this check, the file name of the texture image is expanded to the absolute path. If you check 'OFF', the file name assigned to the material is saved without change. (If originally selected as absolute path, it is saved without change.)

	Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
LWOB	ok	ok	ok	not good (*1)	ok	NG(?)	-	-	-	-
LWO2	ok	ok	ok	NG	ok	ok	ok	ok	-	-

(*1)It is only supported to export smoothing angle.

3DS (3D Studio)

This format is used in not 3ds Max but 3D Studio for MS-DOS. The other format is recommended to transfer data to 3ds Max because this format is very old, has many limitations and is less compatible with 3ds Max.

Export UV mapping: It selects whether to record UV mapping information.
Freeze patches: Select 'OFF' in this option in case you want to apply subdivision surface like NURMS in 3ds Max side.
Visible objects only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.

Export is discontinued in case the number of vertices or that of faces exceeds 65535.

When the object name exceeds 9 letters, the material name 15 letters, and the texture file name 12 letters (including an extension), it cannot normally be read in other software.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	-(*1)	-(*1)	NG	ok	ok?	ok	NG	-	-

(*1) A quadrangle or a polygon(>=5) is divided into triangles.

X (Direct3D)

It is saved as the text form (ASCII) introduced in DirectX 2.

Normal vector: It selects whether to export normal vectors. If you reset in reading side of the program, the file size lessens when you don't check this option.
UV mapping: It selects whether to export UV mapping necessary for texture. If you don't use texture or reset mapping in the receiver side of the software, the file size lessens when you don't check this option.
Visible objects only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Vertex color: It selects whether to export the vertex color. If you don't use the vertex color, the file size lessens when you don't check this option.

The plural objects are composed to one object.

UV coordinates and vertex colors are assigned to each vertex in a .X file. If different UV coordinates or vertex colors are assigned to each vertex sharing the same face, the number of vertices to be exported will increase when you select 'ON' in the check of [UV mapping] or [Vertex color].

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok(*1)	ok	ok	NG	-

(*1) It saves the file name only without pass (file name) in texture.

OBJ (Wavefront)

Visible objects only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Grouping: Each object can be picked out as an independent group when the receiver side of the software is available. But, the receiver side of the software cannot sometimes read the file when the file name of an object includes multi-bytes language (like Japanese).
Normal vector: It selects whether to export smooth information. In case you reset in the receiver side of the software, the file size lessens when you don't check this option.
UV mapping: It selects whether to export UV mapping necessary for texture. If you don't use texture or reset mapping in the receiver side of the software, the file size lessens when you don't check this option.
Invert V: As how to arrange values of V(vertical) direction in UV mapping becomes upside down, it becomes necessary to choose the applicable one.
Material library: It exports material library, a .mtl file, containing material and texture information.
Mapping filename: It specifies how a filename for a mapping image is described. It can select [Filename only] or [Keep a path].
Freeze patches: Please select "OFF" in this option when you use Subdivision Surface in the receiver side of the software.
Return code: It cannot sometimes be read normally when you do not select the new line code of OS available for the receiver side of the software.

The plural objects are composed to one object.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	ok	ok	ok	ok(*1)	ok(*1)	ok	-	-	-

(*1) Materials are saved as a material library in a .mtl with the same filename and the different extension. Please notice the following points concerning texture when you export material library.

It is necessary to put texture file in the same folder with OBJ file in the receiver side of the software because only the file name of texture without pass (file name) is exported.
The file name of texture must not contain blanks.
The receiver side of the software cannot sometimes read the file when the file name of texture includes Japanese.
Please export after confirming which file forms can be read as texture in the receiver side of the software.

DAE (COLLADA 1.4)

A file based on the COLLADA 1.4 specification is exported.

Invert texture V coordinate: As how to arrange values of V(vertical) direction in UV mapping becomes upside down, it becomes necessary to choose the applicable one.

Some external software cannot load the .dae file when same file name, object's name or material's name exists.

It is equipped as a plug-in and complete source code is included in Plug-in SDK.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	NG	NG	NG

FBX (Autodesk FBX) (only EX edition)

Visible only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Format: It specifies a major version from FBX 7.x or 6.x, and an ascii or a binary format for each format.
Version: It specifies a minor version for the selected format.
Output bone: It specifies whether to output bone information or not.
Output pose: It specifies which uses a bind pose or a current pose. A combination of [Parent side] and [Current pose] cannot be selected.
Output smoothing groups: When smoothing groups is outputted, a compatibility for a part of other software is improved though a size of a file becomes larger.
Morph: It is to specify whether or not to output the morph setting.

Weights for vertices or edges are outputted when OpenSubdiv is applied.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok

PLY (Stanford Polygon Library) (only EX edition)

Visible only

If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.

Vertex color

It selects whether to export the vertex color.

Normal vector

It selects whether to export normal vector.

Type

Point cloud - Export the vertices as point cloud.
Triangles - Divide faces of rectangle or more into triangular faces.
Faces - Polygonal faces are also export without conversion.

Format

It selects a format for a .ply file.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	ok	ok	-	-	-	-	ok	-	-

STL (Stereolithography)

It outputs a binary format of a STL file.

Visible only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	-(*1)	-(*1)	ok	-	-	-	-	-	-

(*1)A quadrangle or a polygon(>=5) is divided into triangles.

PMD (MikuMikuDance Format)

Visible only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Bone: It specifies whether bones are output or not.
IK end node: It specifies whether IK end nodes are generated or not.
Model name: It inputs a model's name.
Comment: When a PMD file is loaded in the MikuMikuDance, this comment is displayed.

In the PMD file, one vertex can only have one normal information. If multiple surfaces with different orientations share a vertex, a vertex is replicated when export. Therefore, the number of vertices increases in the PMD files.

It is not possible to export the number of vertices is more than 65535.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	-(*1)	-(*1)	ok	ok	ok	ok	-	ok	ok

(*1)A quadrangle or a polygon(>=5) is divided into triangles.

3MF (3D Manufacturing Format) (only EX edition)

Visible only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Merge to single object.: If it is checked, merge multiple objects to single object and export.
Material: If it is checked, color setting of materials are converted vertex color and exported.
Texture: If it is checked, export file with texture images. In 3MF file format, object and texture data is in the same file.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	-	-	-	ok	ok	ok	ok	-	-

glTF(glTF 2.0 binary)

It is supported only to export as glTF2.0 binary(.glb).

Visible only: If it is checked, only visible objects are exported.
Embed textures: If it is checked, export file with texture images.
*Image formats available for texture is PNG or JPEG only.

Triangle	Quadrangle	Polygon	Normal	Material (Color)	Mapping	UV	Vertex color	Bone	Morph
ok	-(*1)	-(*1)	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok

(*1)A quadrangle or a polygon(>=5) is divided into triangles.