No FBX in Archicad 26

[Rex Maximilian]

Having downloaded Archicad 26 today, my first order of business was to see if they’ve included FBX export from the 3D window.

Nope.

Everyone, I’m at a loss for words. Imagine a word processing app not being able to save PDF, or an image editing program not being able to save JPG!

FBX is the industry standard for 3D model exchange and asset creation, and our $5K software with a $900 yearly price tag to remain current can’t save an industry standard format… SketchUp can… Revit can… Archicad falls short!

What are our options? A petition? An en masse open letter to major software publications highlighting this glaring omission?

Graphisoft has stopped responding to any forum post regarding FBX, and obviously from its lack of FBX exportability in Archicad 26, Graphisoft has ignored our repeated requests!

But guess what Archicad can export?

1. Electric Image (last release in 2013)
2. Piranesi (last release in 2007)
3. Wavefront (acquired by Autodesk in 2008)
4. Collada (last release in 2008)
5. VRML (last code update in 1997)

They offer us these antiquated and outdated formats, yet no FBX! What do we do next?

Graphisoft, you’re on the clock here. We need a response and we need it now.

[SenecaDesignLLC]

After creating my own material substitution file data smith is amazing. Full control to edit but does what direct link should have. I do miss fbx but I love the data smith.

[Emre Senoglu]

Answer from epic: DATASMITH EXPORTER - NOT FBX!

[Rex Maximilian]

Thanks for posting their reply! 👍 But by Fall tho... ugh! This is on Graphisoft however because they choose not to export to FBX for those of us who want to use Twinmotion in the meantime. 

[Rex Maximilian]

@Minh Nguyen @Laszlo Nagy  @Roland Szabo 
Could one of you please provide some insight to this? Why does FBX continue to be a missing export option from the 3D window? And why are the outdated formats outlined above still being updated for each version when the R&D involved could be used for development of an FBX import/import?

This is a glaring omission from a $5000 program. We've paid nearly $1000 every year with no advancement in modern 3D exportation.

Thank you in advance for a prompt reply.

[Martin Jules]

It seems FBX in Archicad depended on Twinmotion :"

Within Archicad, The Twinmotion add-on for Archicad allows you to export your Archicad 3D model to FBX. The add-on is installed by default. The main purpose of FBX format is to provide interoperability between digital content creation applications. The .fbx files allow computer- based creations to be opened, edited, and modified across many applications and systems. More details about Twinmotion on this link
.TMA	Twinmotion File
Legacy file format that was used by the Twinmotion Add-on until Archicad 20. From Archicad 21 interoperability is provided using FBX format. More details about Twinmotion on this"

[Martin Jules]

Maybe you can use Enscape to get the possibility to convert your 3d file into. FBX

[Eduardo Rolon]

Enscape is Windows only at this time. @Rex Maximilian is using macOS so that will not work.

[Rex Maximilian]

Yes, previous versions of the Twinmotion add-on (Archicad 24 and earlier) allowed for FBX support. However, that stopped in Archicad 25's plugin from Epic. It really shouldn't be up to a third party software to provide FBX support.

I can save to SketchUp from Archicad, then to FBX, but it's not a clean process. And of course, requires a SketchUp subscription.

Thanks!

[Noemi Balogh]

Minh answered you last year: https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Wishes-forum/FBX-Export-Archicad-25/m-p/306963/highlight/true#M1...

"To my knowledge, the FBX export function was made available by the previous Twinmotion DirectLink addons. Unfortunately, Twinmotion has shifted to their new Datasmith format, thus this function is no longer available."

[Barry Kelly]

In a post by Emre Senoglu above ( Link to Emre's post ) he has received a response from Epic to say they will be creating an add-on for 26 FBX export sometime in the early fall (September/October).

So let's hope this comes to fruition.

Correction - it is not an FBX exporter, it will be the Datasmith exporter (add-on).

Barry.