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Export

Category: IO

Description

Export geometry to external file formats. Currently supports Wavefront OBJ (.obj) files.

This is a pass-through node that writes geometry to disk while also passing it to downstream nodes.

Inputs

  • Input 0: Geometry to export

Parameters

Export

File Path (string)

Destination file path for the exported geometry (e.g., output/result.obj)

  • Default: ""
  • Supports: .obj files

Export Now (button)

Trigger immediate export to the specified file path.

  • Default: 0

Supported Formats

Wavefront OBJ (.obj)

  • ✅ Vertices
  • ✅ Faces (triangles and polygons)
  • ✅ Normals
  • ✅ UV coordinates
  • ✅ Vertex colors (as comments)

Planned Formats

  • STL (.stl)
  • PLY (.ply)
  • glTF (.gltf, .glb)

Example Usage

  1. Connect geometry to the Export node input
  2. Set File Path to your desired output location (e.g., C:/exports/model.obj)
  3. Click Export Now to write the file

Common Workflows

Save Final Result: 

[Sphere] → [Boolean] → [Export]

Export Multiple Versions: 

            ┌→ [Export] (low_poly.obj)
[Subdivide] ┤
            └→ [Export] (high_poly.obj)

Preview Before Export: 

[Box] → [Transform] → [Export] → [Output]
                          ↓
                      (saves file)

The Export node passes geometry through, so you can preview in the viewport while exporting.

Export Settings

The OBJ exporter uses the following conventions: - Coordinate system: Y-up, right-handed - Units: Preserves scene units (typically meters) - Face orientation: Counter-clockwise winding - Normals: Exported as vertex normals if present

Error Handling

Error Message Cause Solution
"No input geometry" Input not connected Connect geometry to input
"No file path specified" File Path is empty (warning) Enter a valid file path
"Failed to write file" Permission error or invalid path Check folder exists and is writable

Tips

  • The node only exports when Export Now is clicked, not on every evaluation
  • If File Path is empty, the node acts as a simple pass-through
  • Use absolute paths or paths relative to the project file
  • The parent directory must exist - create folders first
  • Files are overwritten without warning - version your exports if needed

Attributes Preserved

The Export node preserves all standard attributes: - @P - Position (always exported) - @N - Normals (exported if present) - @Cd - Vertex colors (exported if present) - @uv - UV coordinates (exported if present)

Custom attributes are not currently exported to OBJ but may be supported in future formats.

See Also

  • File - Import geometry from files
  • Output - Mark geometry as final output