To export 3D model data

Export 3D model data as an FBX, OBJ, or DAE file, or multiple files. You can use the entire model or specify an area to export. Only layers that are turned on when you start the export operation are exported.

  1. Click Manage glyph Model glyph model explorer in the Toolbar.

  2. In the Model Explorer panel, make the desired layers visible.

    Note: Toggle show layers next to a feature class to make that layer visible or toggle hide layers to hide layers.
  3. Zoom out to see the area to export.

  4. Click Present/Share glyph Present glyph export 3D Model(Export 3D Model).

  5. In the Export to 3D Model File dialog box, specify the area to export:

    • To populate the dialog box fields with the values of a recently executed export operation, click the down arrow next to Start With Recent Export. Select an export operation.

      Recent exports are listed by their target file names.

    • To export the entire model, select Use Entire Model.

    • To specify an area to export, click Define Interactively to draw a polygonal or rectangular area to export.

    • To export specific extents, enter values in the minimum and maximum X,Y boxes or click Load Extent From File and browse to a file containing the extents.

  6. Select the target coordinate system by doing any of the following:

    • Use the coordinate system shown. This is either the coordinate system assigned to the model or the last coordinate system you selected.
    • To select from a coordinate system library, click coordinate system.
    • To specify a recently-used coordinate system, click the down arrow and select it.
  7. Specify any desired offsets. You can specify an extent offset, use the offset in the current model, or specify that no offset be used.

  8. Specify whether to export all features in the model to a single file, or whether to export features by type to multiple files.

    If you export to a single file, specify the path and file name.

    To export to multiple files, click the folder icon to specify the location for each relevant feature type. If you leave an feature type blank, the export operation will omit that feature type. If the files will all be in the same location, click Set Location to set the path for all the files at one time.

  9. Click Choose File Path to specify a filepath for the exported data. You can choose FBX, DAE or OBJ export type.

  10. Select any options that apply:

    • Export Materials/Textures: Checkmark to include materials and textures that are assigned to styles in the model, in the exported FBX file.

    • Merge Objects with Same Texture: Checkmark to sort all the triangles of all the objects in the model by material, and merge them together so that the FBX output will contain exactly one object per distinct material. It is recommended to enable this option if you are planning to use the exported model for visualization. However, if you are planning to bring the exported data into another application and then reimport the data into InfraWorks, it is recommended to leave this option uncheckmarked.

    • Large FBX File Support, Incompatible with Products Using Older FBX SDK: Checkmark this option if your exported FBX file will exceed 2GB in file size. If you leave this option uncheckmarked, exporting a FBX file larger than 2GB in file size is not supported.

      Note: If you checkmark this option, your exported FBX data cannot be read by AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018, 2017, 2016, or earlier releases, and InfraWorks 360 2017.1, 2016.4, 2016.3, 2016.2, or earlier releases.
  11. Click Export.

    Tip: If you are opening the exported 3D model data in Autodesk Civil 3D, you will want to select Import from the Ribbon in Autodesk Civil 3D, navigate to the location of the FBX file, and select Open. In the FBX Import Options dialog that appears, assign the appropriate FBX file units:Current Drawing units ratio based on your C3D drawing configuration (you will want to set this to 1:1 in most cases), and press OK.