Open Asset Import Library Explained

Open Asset Import Library
Developer:	Alexander Gessler Thomas Schulze Kim Kulling, et al.
Operating System:	Cross-platform
Genre:	3D model import library
License:	BSD

Open Asset Import Library (Assimp) is a cross-platform 3D model import library which aims to provide a common application programming interface (API) for different 3D asset file formats. Written in C++, it offers interfaces for both C and C++. Bindings to other languages (e.g., BlitzMax, C#, Python) are developed as part of the project or are available elsewhere.^[1] Given the importance and the benefits of Assimp, a pure Java (/Kotlin) port is being developed here.

The imported data is provided in a straightforward, hierarchical data structure. Configurable post processing steps (i.e., normal and tangent generation, various optimizations) augment the feature set.^[2]

Assimp currently supports 57 different file formats for reading, including COLLADA (.dae), 3DS, DirectX X, Wavefront OBJ and Blender 3D (.blend).^[3] As of Version 3.0 Assimp also provides export functionality for some file formats.^[4]

Projects using Assimp

Several open source projects use Assimp, such as MonoGame^[5] and Urho3D.^[6]

Torque3D added Assimp in Torque3D 4.0.^[7]

Godot added Assimp in Godot 3.2,^[8] but this was replaced in Godot 3.3 and later.^{[9] [10]}

See also

• OpenCTM
• MeshLab

External links

• Official project page

Notes and References

1. Web site: Docs . 2018-03-10 . 2018-03-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180310201640/http://assimp.org/index.php/docs . dead .
2. Web site: Features.
3. Web site: Features .
4. Web site: Open Asset Import Library.
5. Web site: MonoGame.Dependencies/Assimp at master · MonoGame/MonoGame.Dependencies. GitHub.
6. Web site: urho3d/Source/ThirdParty/Assimp at master · urho3d/urho3d. .
7. Web site: Version 4.0. Torque3D .
8. Web site: Add Open Asset Importer to Godot. . 2023-08-21 . K. S. Ernest (iFire) . Lee . 2018-11-19 . Godot . Supports various formats from Open Asset Import Library (assimp). The focus is on FBX and MMD..
9. Web site: FBX importer rewrite. 2020-11-01. Gordon. MacPherson. 2020-10-30. Godot. This is a complete rewrite of the importer. It will give more deterministic behavior. Over 1 year has gone into the development of this importer to remove the burden of the FBX SDK..
10. Web site: Add fbx2gltf support for importing .fbx files . 2023-08-21 . K. S. Ernest (iFire) . Lee . 2022-03-28 . Godot . Lets you drag or place .fbx files in the project folder and it will import the files. An editor setting sets the location of the fbx2gltf binary..