uStore and 3D products

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Rick B.

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Jul 12, 2021, 12:13:13 PM7/12/21
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Is there any documentation, formal or otherwise, that gives detailed instructions regarding how to build 3D products in uStore that are NOT package products?  We have no need to offer products that require a die-line.  We want to offer other types of 3D products, such as t-shirts, water bottles, caps, etc.  The only XMPie 3D documentation I can find is for package products requiring die-lines and using Origami.  

and I could find nothing that covered the types of 3D products we want to offer.  Any suggestions?

couch

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Jul 12, 2021, 5:59:18 PM7/12/21
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There are literally dozens of 3D modelling software packages on the market today. From free (Blender) to expensive packages like Houdini and Cinema 4D.

All of them are complex and need significant training. Many you will find have helpful online training. (There is quite the army of Blender experts online - but check you find training on the right version since the menu options do change around in different versions.

No matter the package you choose, they all offer export or save to Collada - which is what XMPie uses for its 3D products in uStore.

3D modelling is a paradigm shift from graphic design and requires a specific skillset that you may be better off hiring or outsourcing.

For example, your tee shirt model could be purchased here for a mere $29: https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-model-t-shirt-color-1214685
Notice that the package includes a Collada ready to go...

The problem with buying a model online like this is that you have no control over the size or dimensions - so particularly for jars, cans, and other package types, it can be difficult to modify the template to get the right size - unless you have the prerequisite skillset in the 3D modelling software or access to someone with the skills.

Now, once you have the Collada file - go back to the XMPie resources you list and see low to take the model and set up the product in uStore.

Rick B.

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Jul 13, 2021, 1:04:36 PM7/13/21
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My question is not regarding how to use 3D Modeling software.  I'm very comfortable with that.  My question is what are the steps and requirements to setting up a 3D product that is NOT coming from Origami/Illustrator which is the ONLY software the XMPie documentation gives specific instructions for.   Last year I attempted to create a 3D product that was not a package product.  And although I got the product to go live, the preview display didn't work and nothing in the documentation provided any assistance.  The strong impression I received was that setting up a non-box, non-dieline product, not using Origami was different process with different requirements.  I was hoping someone had experienced the same and could provide assistance to how other types of 3D products are set up in uStore.  thanks.

couch

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Jul 13, 2021, 6:18:31 PM7/13/21
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If you are comfortable with 3D modelling, you will understand the role the material plays in the process. All XMPie is doing is creating a PNG image that is used as the material, and then passing that image and the collada file to the plugin that displays the model in the browser. I have assisted 3 or 4 customers who have had problems and in each case they were either unaware of the material name in their model or simply didn't put the correct material name into the 3D configuration, so the image was passed to the model to use on a material that didn't exist.

If you have encountered some other problem getting your models to work with uStore, then I'd like to hear about them so I can assist with improving the available documentation and/or training.

Rick B.

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Jul 27, 2021, 6:00:22 PM7/27/21
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Steve, are you referring to this, inside uStore admin >  Stores >  Product Setup > Edit Product > 3D Preview Advanced Configuration?:
{
  "materials": [{
    "materialName": "default",
    "mapFileIndex": 1,
    "roughnessMapFileIndex":2,
    "metalnessMapFileIndex":3,
    "bumpMapFileIndex":4,
    "alphaMapFileIndex":5,
    "normalMapFileIndex":6,
    "displacementMapFileIndex":7,
    "default3dCharacteristics": ["default"],
    "materialSelection":[]
  }],
  "runAnimation":false,
  "sceneBackground": "ffffff",
  "tilt": { "x": 0, "y": 0, "z": 0 },
  "lightingColor": "ffffff",
  "lightingBrightness": 1, 
  "rotationSpeed": 3,
  "addSurroundingLights": false,
  "padding":20
}

couch

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Jul 27, 2021, 6:53:43 PM7/27/21
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Yes - but together with the model itself...
The second line of the configuration you posted - "materialName": "default" - is telling the 3d player to use the first material found in the .dae file.
But, you can't always tell which will be the first, so you need to change "default" to the name of the specific material you want uStore to replace with the proof. And the material name is defined in the 3D modelling application.
Even a simple box or packet model will have at least 2 materials: 1 for each side of the sheet.
The 3D application that creates the model, will normally give very obtuse default names for the materials, but you can rename them to make more sense to a human. 
A perfect example is a customer - only 2 or 3 days ago - renamed one of the two materials in his model, but renamed the wrong one, and was telling uStore to replace the material inside of his packet with his uploaded design. Because the outside didn't change he thought uStore was not working, but if he was able to see the inside of his packet, he would know what he had done wrong.
Let me give you a tip: a .DAE file is an XML structure that can be opened in a text editor. So, even though I didn't have the 3D application that created his model, I was able to open the file and here is what I saw:

material library.jpg

In the uStore 3D configuration, he was using "materialName": "Material_0".
Simply changing the config to  "materialName": "Resources_Object0_Object0-Bag_1" solved the problem.
Of course, going back to the 3D application and renaming the right material would also solve the problem and probably help avoid further confusion with future updates or revisions.

Now could uStore be better? Yes. The UI could interrogate the DAE and present a dropdown of the materials in the file and allow the user to select it rather than type the material name into a JSON. There is still the issue of the user needing to know the right material to use, but less chance of typos or other mistakes.

PS: tip #2 if your 3D application is saving out .ZAE instead of .DAE, then this is just a zipped file - you can unzip it to get the .DAE file to open in a text editor to discover the material names.

Rick B.

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Jul 28, 2021, 9:51:05 AM7/28/21
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Very helpful Steve.  And opening up the .dae file to view the XLM underneith shows that my .dae file does not have anything IRT material:

<COLLADA xmlns="http://www.collada.org/2005/11/COLLADASchema" version="1.4.1">
  <asset>
    <contributor />
    <created>2021-07-14T09:59:11.101186</created>
    <modified>2021-07-14T09:59:11.101186</modified>
    <unit meter="1.0" name="meter" />
    <up_axis>Z_UP</up_axis>
  </asset>
  <library_visual_scenes>
    <visual_scene id="myscene" />
  </library_visual_scenes>
  <scene>
    <instance_visual_scene url="#myscene" />
  </scene>
</COLLADA>

I was keeping my collada file simple, just for testing.  I'm guessing I made it too simple.  

couch

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Aug 1, 2021, 5:59:06 PM8/1/21
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I've added a new video to XMPie Campus showing how to create 3d product in Blender and add it to uStore:
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