The glTF (GL Transmission Format) is a modern 3D file format developed by Khronos Group, designed for efficient transmission and loading of 3D models or entire scenes. A glTF file can contain entire scenes, including cameras, meshes, materials, and animations. Its compact size and advanced feature support, such as animations and physically based rendering (PBR) materials, make it widely used in gaming, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and online 3D visualizations.
How to Import a glTF File
To import a glTF file, follow these steps:
- Go to File > Import > glTF 2.0.
- Select your glTF file (*.gltf or *.glb) and click Open.
- In the dialogue that appears:
- Optionally, define a transformation using the Translation, Rotation and Uniform scaling fields.
Note: NUBIGON uses the Z-axis as the world up direction, while most other software use the Y-axis. Therefore, it's often necessary to set the Rotation X to 90 degrees to correctly align the imported model or scene. - To align a glTF file with a point cloud that shares the same coordinate system, use the icon next to the Translation fields to copy the point cloud's offset vector.
- If the file contains multiple scenes, choose the desired one from the Scene dropdown.
- Select the animation you want included in the Animation timeline from the Animation dropdown.
- Press OK.
- Optionally, define a transformation using the Translation, Rotation and Uniform scaling fields.
See here for how to customize the display of meshes imported with glTF files.