FBX technology occasionally encounters data types that cannot be reconciled between two applications. These situations are usually caused by radically different design architectures in the source and destination applications. This issue cannot be reconciled by the interchange technology; it must first be addressed by the source and destination applications.

And herein is a source of confusion. FBX technology does not create new functionality in applications but rather rebuilds scenes from the source application using available functionality in the destination application.

Click here to download the FBX White Paper, which provides a detailed breakdown on Autodesk FBX technology capabilities.

What's new in FBX

FBX technology and tools are constantly evolving. The engineers at Autodesk are continually adding to its functionality and intelligence. User feedback is of vital importance in helping to ensure that the technology is moving in the right direction.

For example, a soon-to-be released version of FBX fulfills a request from game developers and implements support for exporting HLSL hardware shaders from 3ds Max and CgFX shaders from Maya using the FBX SDK API.

Additionally, the upcoming release implements improvements that speed performance and reduce the memory footprint of the plug-in. The user interface has been localized for Japanese, German, French, English, and other languages, and the interface is now completely customizable. Customizability gives a technical director the ability to create task-specific versions of the FBX toolset, so that, for example, a workgroup of modelers would see only those FBX technology tools of interest to them. This is an excellent way to standardize a pipeline.

The online, searchable, documentation has also been enhanced to make the learning experience more efficient. A 70-page printed manual introduces programmers to basic concepts and guides users through tutorials for using the SDK.

Each new version of FBX technology supports the most recent and the last two major releases of 3ds Max, Maya, and MotionBuilder software products to accommodate pipelines that are locked down in two- or three-year production cycles. In addition, newer versions of the FBX plug-ins can read and save earlier versions of the FBX file format.

The FBX technology family of tools provides universal 3D asset interchange, helping to break through data compatibility barriers; access legacy content after upgrading your pipeline to take advantage of the latest 3D tools; exchange digital assets with other studios; and use multiple 3D tools to realize your creative vision in the most efficient manner possible.

To learn more about FBX technology; download free of charge the FBX plug-ins, the SDK and API, and more; point your browser to http://www.autodesk.com/fbx. And to participate in the FBX user forum, visit http://www.the-area.com.