Model editor

  • Article
  • 22 minutes to read

This document describes how to piece of work with the Visual Studio Model Editor to view, create, and modify 3D models.

You can utilize Model Editor to create basic 3D models from scratch, or to view and modify more than-complex 3D models that were created by using full-featured 3D modeling tools.

Supported formats

The Model Editor supports several 3D model formats that are used in DirectX app development:

Format Proper name File Extension Supported Operations (View, Edit, Create)
AutoDesk FBX Interchange File .fbx View, Edit, Create
Collada DAE File .dae View, Edit (Modifications to Collada DAE files are saved past using the FBX format.)
OBJ .obj View, Edit (Modifications to OBJ files are saved by using the FBX format.)

Get started

This department describes how to add together a 3D model to your Visual Studio C++ project and other basic information that will help you get started.

Note

Automatic build integration of graphics items similar 3D scenes (.fbx files) is simply supported for C++ projects.

To add together a 3D model to your project

  1. Ensure you have the required Visual Studio component installed that you lot need to work with graphics. The component is called Paradigm and 3D model editors.

    To install it, open Visual Studio Installer by selecting Tools > Get Tools and Features from the card bar, and so select the Private components tab. Select the Epitome and 3D model editors component under the Games and Graphics category, and then select Alter.

    Image and 3D model editors component

    The component starts installing.

  2. In Solution Explorer, open up the shortcut carte for the C++ project yous want to add the paradigm to, and then choose Add together > New Item.

  3. In the Add New Particular dialog box, under the Graphics category, select 3D Scene (.fbx).

    Add New Item dialog with 3D scene selected

    Note

    If you don't see the Graphics category in the Add together New Item dialog, and you lot accept the Image and 3D model editors component installed, graphics items are not supported for your project type.

  4. Enter the Proper name of the model file, so select Add.

Axis orientation

Visual Studio supports every orientation of the 3D axis, and loads axis orientation data from model file formats that back up it. If no axis orientation is specified, Visual Studio uses the right-handed coordinate system by default. The axis indicator shows the current axis orientation in the lower-right corner of the design surface. On the axis indicator, cherry-red represents the ten-axis, green represents the y-axis, and blue represents the z-axis.

Brainstorm your 3D model

In the Model Editor, each new object e'er begins as 1 of the basic 3D shapes—or primitives—that are congenital into the Model Editor. To create new and unique objects y'all add together a primitive to the scene and then change its shape by modifying its vertices. For complex shapes, you add together additional vertices by using extrusion or subdivision and and then change them. For information near how to add a primitive object to your scene, see Create and import 3D objects. For information about how to add together more than vertices to an object, see Alter objects.

Work with the Model Editor

The post-obit sections describe how to utilise the Model Editor to work with 3D models.

Model Editor toolbars

The Model Editor toolbars contain commands that aid y'all piece of work with 3D models.

Commands that bear on the state of the Model Editor are located on the Model Editor Mode toolbar in the main Visual Studio window. Modeling tools and scripted commands are located on the Model Editor toolbar on the Model Editor design surface.

Here'southward the Model Editor Mode toolbar:

The Model Viewer modal toolbar.

This table describes the items on the Model Editor Style toolbar, which are listed in the social club in which they appear from left to right.

Toolbar Detail Clarification
Select Enables option of points, edges, faces, or objects in the scene, depending on the agile selection manner.
Pan Enables movement of a 3D scene relative to the window frame. To pan, select a bespeak in the scene and motion it around.

In Select way, you lot can printing and concur Ctrl to activate Pan mode temporarily.
Zoom Enables the display of more than or less scene particular relative to the window frame. In Zoom mode, select a betoken in the scene and and so move it right or down to zoom in, or left or up to zoom out.

In Select mode, y'all can zoom in or out by using the mouse cycle while you press and hold Ctrl.
Orbit Positions the view on a circular path around the selected object. If no object is selected, the path is centered on the scene origin. Note: This fashion has no event when Orthographic project is enabled.
World Local When this item is enabled, transformations on the selected object occur in globe-infinite. Otherwise, transformations on the selected object occur in local-space.
Pivot Mode When this item is enabled, transformations affect the location and orientation of the pivot point of the selected object (The pin point defines the center of translation, scaling, and rotation operations.) Otherwise, transformations affect the location and orientation of the object's geometry, relative to the pivot point.
Lock 10 centrality Restricts object manipulation to the ten axis. Applies only when you use the centre role of the manipulator widget.
Lock Y axis Restricts object manipulation to the y axis. Applies just when you utilise the centre function of the manipulator widget.
Lock Z axis Restricts object manipulation to the z axis. Applies only when yous use the center role of the manipulator widget.
Frame Object Frames the selected object so that it's located in the eye of the view.
View Sets the view orientation. Here are the available orientations:

Front end
Positions the view in forepart of the scene.

Dorsum
Positions the view behind the scene.

Left
Positions the view to the left of the scene.

Right
Positions the view to the right of the scene.

Summit
Positions the view higher up the scene.

Lesser
Positions the view beneath the scene. Note: This is the only way to change the view management when Orthographic projection is enabled.
Projection Sets the kind of projection that is used to draw the scene. Here are the bachelor projections:

Perspective
In perspective projection, objects that are farther away from the viewpoint announced smaller in size and ultimately converge to a signal in the distance.

Orthographic
In Orthographic project, objects appear to be the same size, regardless of their distance from the viewpoint. No convergence is displayed. When Orthographic projection enabled, you tin can't utilise Orbit fashion to position the view.
Draw Style Sets how objects in the scene are rendered. Here are the available styles:

Wire Frame
When enabled, objects are rendered every bit wireframes.

Overdraw
When enabled, objects are rendered by using additive blending. You can use this to visualize how much overdraw is occurring in the scene.

Apartment Shaded
When enabled, objects are rendered past using a basic, flat shaded lighting model. Yous can use this to encounter the faces of an object more easily.

If none of these options are enabled, each object is rendered by using the cloth that'southward practical to information technology.
Real-Time Rendering Manner When real-time rendering is enabled, Visual Studio redraws the design surface, even when no user action is performed. This mode is useful when you work with shaders that alter over time.
Toggle Grid When this item is enabled, a grid is displayed. Otherwise, the filigree is not displayed.
Toolbox Alternately shows or hides the Toolbox.
Document Outline Alternately shows or hides the Document Outline window.
Properties Alternately shows or hides the Properties window.
Advanced Contains advanced commands and options.

Graphics Engines

Render with D3D11
Uses Direct3D 11 to render the Model Editor pattern surface.

Render with D3D11WARP
Uses Direct3D eleven Windows Avant-garde Rasterization Platform (WARP) to render the Model Editor design surface.

Scene Management

Import
Imports objects from another 3D model file to the current scene.

Adhere to Parent
Establishes the offset of multiple selected objects as the parent of the remaining selected objects.

Detach from Parent
Detaches the selected object from its parent. The selected object becomes a root object in the scene. A root object doesn't have a parent object.

Create Group
Groups the selected objects as sibling objects.

Merge Objects
Combines the selected objects into one object.

Create New Object From Polygon Selection
Removes the selected faces from the current object and adds to the scene a new object that contains those faces.

Tools

Flip Polygon Winding
Flips the selected polygons so that its winding society and surface normal are inverted.

Remove All Animation
Removes animation information from the objects.

Triangulate
Converts the selected object to triangles.

View

Backface Culling
Enables or disables backface culling.

Frame Rate
Displays the frame rate in the upper-right corner of the design surface. The frame rate is the number of frames that are drawn per 2nd.

This selection is useful when you enable the Real-Time Rendering Fashion option.

Show All
Shows all objects in the scene. This resets the Hidden property of each object to False.

Show Face Normals
Shows the normal of each face up.

Testify Missing Materials
Displays a special texture on objects that don't have a cloth assigned to them.

Testify Pin
Enables or disables the display of a 3D axis marker at the pivot indicate of the active selection.

Show Placeholder Nodes
Shows placeholder nodes. A placeholder node is created when you group objects.

Show Vertex Normals
Shows the normal of each vertex. Tip: You tin choose the Scripts button to run the terminal script once again.

Here's the Model Editor toolbar:

Model Viewer toolbar

The next table describes the items on the Model Editor toolbar, which are listed in the society in which they appear from tiptop to bottom.

Toolbar Detail Description
Translate Moves the selection.
Scale Changes the size of the selection.
Rotate Rotates the selection.
Select Indicate Sets the Selection mode to select individual points on an object.
Select Border Sets the Selection mode to select an edge (a line betwixt ii vertices) on an object.
Select Face Sets the Selection mode to select a face on an object.
Select Object Sets the Selection mode to select an entire object.
Extrude Creates an additional face and connects it to the selected face up.
Subdivide Divides each selected face into multiple faces. To create the new faces, new vertices are added—one in the center of the original face, and one in the middle of each border—and and so joined together with the original vertices. The number of added faces is equal to the number of edges in the original face.

Control the view

The 3D scene is rendered according to the view, which can be idea of equally a virtual camera that has a position and an orientation. To change the position and orientation, utilise the view controls on the Model Editor Mode toolbar.

The post-obit tabular array describes the primary view controls.

View Command Description
Pan Enables movement of a 3D scene relative to the window frame. To pan, select a point in the scene and move it around.

In Select manner, y'all tin press and hold Ctrl to activate Pan mode temporarily.
Zoom Enables the brandish of more or less scene detail relative to the window frame. In Zoom mode, select a point in the scene and and then move it right or down to zoom in, or left or up to zoom out.

In Select mode, you lot can zoom in or out by using the mouse bike while y'all press and hold Ctrl.
Orbit Positions the view on a circular path around the selected object. If no object is selected, the path is centered on the scene origin. Note: This fashion has no result when Orthographic projection is enabled.
Frame Object Frames the selected object so that information technology'due south located in the heart of the view.

The view is established by the virtual camera, but it's likewise defined by a projection. The project defines how shapes and objects in the view are translated into pixels on the pattern surface. On the Model Editor toolbar, you can choose either Perspective or Orthographic projection.

Projection Description
Perspective In perspective projection, objects that are farther away from the viewpoint appear smaller in size and ultimately converge to a point in the distance.
Orthographic In Orthographic projection, objects appear to be the same size, regardless of their distance from the viewpoint. No convergence is displayed. When Orthographic project enabled, you can't employ Orbit manner to position the view arbitrarily.

You might find it useful to view a 3D scene from a known position and angle, for example, when you want to compare two similar scenes. For this scenario, the Model Editor provides several predefined views. To use a predefined view, on the Model Editor Style toolbar, choose View, and and then cull the predefined view you want—front end, back, left, correct, superlative, or lesser. In these views, the virtual camera looks directly at the origin of the scene. For example, if you choose View Top, the virtual camera looks at the origin of the scene from directly above it.

View additional geometry details

To better understand a 3D object or scene, you can view additional geometry details such equally per-vertex normals, per-confront normals, the pin points of the active option, and other details. To enable or disable them, on the Model Editor toolbar, cull Scripts > View, and then cull the one you want.

Create and import 3D objects

To add a predefined 3D shape to the scene, in the Toolbox, select the one you desire and and so move it to the pattern surface. New shapes are positioned at the origin of the scene. The Model Editor provides seven shapes: Cone, Cube, Cylinder, Disc, Plane, Sphere, and Teapot.

To import a 3D object from a file, on the Model Editor toolbar, choose Advanced > Scene Management > Import > and then specify the file that y'all want to import.

Transform objects

You can transform an object by changing its Rotation, Calibration, and Translation properties. Rotation orients an object by applying successive rotations around the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis defined by its pin bespeak. Each rotation specification has iii components—ten, y, and z, in that order—and the components are specified in degrees. Scaling resizes an object by stretching it by a specified factor along one or more axes centered on its pivot point. Translation locates an object in three-dimensional infinite relative to its parent instead of its pivot point.

Y'all can transform and object either by using modeling tools or by setting properties.

Transform an object past using modeling tools

  1. In Select mode, select the object y'all want to transform. A wireframe overlay indicates that the object is selected.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, choose the Translate, Scale, or Rotate tool. A translation, scaling, or rotation manipulator appears for the selected object.

  3. Employ the manipulator to perform the transformation. For translation and scaling transformations, the manipulator is an centrality indicator. You can change one axis at a time, or y'all can change all axes at the same time past using the white cube at the center of the indicator. For rotation, the manipulator is a sphere fabricated of colour-coded circles that represent to the x-axis (reddish), y-axis (green), and z-axis (blue). Yous have to change each axis individually to create the rotation you want.

Transform an object by setting its properties

  1. In Select way, select the object that you desire to transform. A wireframe overlay indicates that the object is selected.

  2. In the Properties window, specify values for the Rotation, Scale, and Translation backdrop.

    Important

    For the Rotation property, specify the caste of rotation around each of the iii axes. Rotations are applied in social club, and then brand sure to plan a rotation, offset in terms of the x-centrality rotation, then the y-axis, and and then the z-axis.

Past using the modeling tools, you can create transformations chop-chop but not precisely. By setting the object properties, you tin can specify transformations precisely just not quickly. We recommend that you use the modeling tools to get "close enough" to the transformations you want, and and then fine-tune the belongings values.

If you don't want to apply manipulators, you tin enable free-form fashion. On the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Tools > Complimentary-form Manipulation to enable (or disable) free-class manner. In gratis-form way, you can begin a manipulation at whatsoever point on the pattern surface instead of a indicate on the manipulator. In gratis-form way, y'all tin can constrain changes to certain axes by locking the ones you don't desire to modify. On the Model Editor Mode toolbar, choose any combination of the Lock X, Lock Y, and Lock Z buttons.

Y'all might find it useful to work with objects by using snap-to-grid. On the Model Editor Style toolbar, choose Snap to enable (or disable) snap-to-grid. When snap-to-grid is enabled, translation, rotation, and scaling transformations are constrained to predefined increments.

Work with the pivot point

The pivot point of an object defines its middle of rotation and scaling. You can change the pivot point of an object to modify how it's affected by rotation and scaling transformations. On the Model Editor Mode toolbar, choose Pin Style to enable (or disabled) pivot mode. When pivot manner is enabled, a small axis indicator appears at the pivot point of the selected object. You tin can and then employ the Translation and Rotation tools to manipulate the pivot point.

For a demonstration that shows how to use the pivot point, see How to: Modify the pivot point of a 3D model.

World and local modes

Translation and rotation can occur in either the local coordinate system (or local frame-of-reference) of the object, or in the coordinate system of the globe (or the globe frame-of-reference). The world frame-of-reference is independent of the rotation of the object. Local way is the default. To enable (or disable) earth way, on the Model Editor Mode toolbar, choose the WorldLocal push.

Change objects

Y'all can modify the shape of a 3D object by moving or deleting its vertices, edges, and faces. Past default, the Model Editor is in object mode, so that you can select and transform unabridged objects. To select points, edges, or faces, choose the appropriate choice mode. On the Model Editor Mode toolbar, choose Selection modes, and so cull the style that you want.

You tin can create boosted vertices past extrusion or by subdivision. Extrusion duplicates the vertices of a face (a co-planar ready of vertices), which remain continued past the duplicated vertices. Subdivision adds vertices to create several faces where there was previously one. To create the new faces, new vertices are added—one in the center of the original face, and one in the centre of each edge—and and then joined together with the original vertices. The number of added faces is equal to the number of edges in the original face. In both cases, you can interpret, rotate, and scale the new vertices to alter the geometry of the object.

To extrude a face from an object

  1. In face-select manner, select the face yous want to extrude.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, cull Scripts > Tools > Extrude.

To subdivide faces

  1. In face-select style, select the faces you want to subdivide. Because subdivision creates new edge information, subdividing all faces at in one case gives more-consistent results when the faces are adjacent.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Tools > Subdivide.

You can also triangulate faces, merge objects, and convert polygon selections into new objects. Triangulation creates additional edges such that a non-triangular face up is converted to an optimal number of triangles; nonetheless, information technology doesn't provide additional geometric detail. Merging combines selected objects into 1 object. New objects can be created from a polygon choice.

Triangulate a face

  1. In face-select style, select the face you desire to triangulate.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, cull Scripts > Tools > Triangulate.

Merge objects

  1. In object-select manner, select the objects you desire to merge.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Tools > Merge Objects.

Create an object from a polygon selection

  1. In face-select manner, select the faces you want to create a new object from.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Tools > Create New Object from Polygon Selection.

Work with materials and shaders

The advent of an object is determined by the interaction of lighting in the scene and the fabric of the object. Materials are defined past backdrop that depict how the surface reacts to unlike types of low-cal and by a shader plan that calculates the terminal color of each pixel on the object surface based on lighting information, texture maps, normal maps, and other data.

The Model Editor provides these default materials:

Material Description
Unlit Renders a surface without any simulated lighting.
Lambert Renders a surface with simulated ambient lighting and diffuse lighting.
Phong Renders a surface with simulated ambient lighting, diffuse lighting, and specular highlights.

Each of these materials applies i texture on the surface of an object. You can prepare a different texture for each object that uses the fabric.

To modify how a item object reacts to the unlike light sources in the scene, you tin change the lighting backdrop of textile independent of other objects that use the material. This table describes mutual lighting backdrop:

Lighting Holding Clarification
Ambient Describes how the surface is affected past ambient lighting.
Diffuse Describes how the surface is affected by directional and point lights.
Emissive Describes how the surface emits low-cal, contained of other lighting.
Specular Describes how the surface reflects directional and point lights.
Specular Power Describes the breadth and intensity of specular highlights.

Depending on what a material supports, you tin change its lighting properties, textures, and other data. In Select way, select the object whose fabric y'all want to alter, and so in the Properties window, modify the MaterialAmbient, MaterialDiffuse, MaterialEmissive, MaterialSpecular, MaterialSpecularPower, or other available belongings. A material can expose up to eight textures, whose properties are named sequentially from Texture1 to Texture8.

To remove all materials from an object, on the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Materials > Remove Materials.

You lot tin utilize the Shader Designer to create custom shader materials that you can utilise to objects in your 3D scene. For information nigh how to create custom shader materials, run into Shader Designer. For information about how to apply a custom shader material to an object, see How to: Apply a shader to a 3D model.

Scene management

Y'all tin manage scenes as a hierarchy of objects. When multiple objects are arranged in a hierarchy, whatever translation, scale, or rotation of a parent node too affects its children. This is useful when yous want to construct complex objects or scenes from more than basic objects.

Yous can employ the Document Outline window to view the scene hierarchy and select scene nodes. When you select a node in the outline, you tin use the Properties window to change its properties.

You can construct a hierarchy of objects either by making one of them the parent to the others or by grouping them together as siblings under a placeholder node that acts every bit the parent.

Create a hierarchy that has a parent object

  1. In Select mode, select two or more objects. The first i you select volition exist the parent object.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Scene Management > Attach to Parent.

Create a hierarchy of sibling objects

  1. In Select mode, select two or more objects. A placeholder object is created and becomes their parent object.

  2. On the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Scene Management > Create Group.

The Model Editor uses a white wireframe to identify the start selected object, which becomes the parent. Other objects in the option have a blue wireframe. By default, placeholder nodes are non displayed. To brandish placeholder nodes, on the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Scene Management > Show Placeholder Nodes. You can work with placeholder nodes only as you piece of work with non-placeholder objects.

To remove the parent-kid clan between two objects, select the child object, and then on the Model Editor toolbar, choose Scripts > Scene Management > Detach from Parent. When you detach the parent from a kid object, the child object becomes a root object in the scene.

Keyboard shortcuts

Command Keyboard shortcuts
Switch to Select style Ctrl+1000, Ctrl+Q

South

Switch to Zoom style Ctrl+G, Ctrl+Z

Z

Switch to Pan mode Ctrl+K, Ctrl+P

K

Select all Ctrl+A
Delete the electric current option Delete
Cancel the current selection Escape (Esc)
Zoom in Mouse wheel frontwards

Ctrl+Mouse cycle forwards

Shift+Mouse wheel forrard

Ctrl+PageUp

Plus Sign (+)
Zoom out Mouse wheel backward

Ctrl+Mouse wheel backward

Shift+Mouse wheel backward

Ctrl+PageDown

Minus Sign (-)
Pan the photographic camera upward PageDown
Pan the camera down PageUp
Pan the photographic camera left Mouse cycle left

Ctrl+PageDown

Pan the camera right Mouse bike correct

Ctrl+PageDown

View top of model Ctrl+50, Ctrl+T

T

View bottom of model Ctrl+L, Ctrl+U
View left side of model Ctrl+50, Ctrl+Fifty
View right side of model Ctrl+50, Ctrl+R
View front of model Ctrl+50, Ctrl+F
View back of model Ctrl+L, Ctrl+B
Frame object in window F
Toggle wireframe fashion Ctrl+50, Ctrl+W
Toggle snap-to-grid Ctrl+M, Ctrl+Due north
Toggle pin mode Ctrl+G, Ctrl+V
Toggle x-axis restriction Ctrl+L, Ctrl+10
Toggle y-axis restriction Ctrl+50, Ctrl+Y
Toggle z-axis restriction Ctrl+L, Ctrl+Z
Switch to translation mode Ctrl+G, Ctrl+W

W

Switch to scale mode Ctrl+1000, Ctrl+E

Eastward

Switch to rotation manner Ctrl+1000, Ctrl+R

R

Switch to point-select mode Ctrl+L, Ctrl+1
Switch to border-select fashion Ctrl+50, Ctrl+2
Switch to face-select mode Ctrl+L, Ctrl+3
Switch to object-select manner Ctrl+L, Ctrl+4
Switch to orbit (camera) mode Ctrl+Grand, Ctrl+O
Select next object in scene Tab
Select previous object in scene Shift+Tab
Dispense the selected object based on the current tool. The Pointer keys
Conciliate current manipulator Q
Rotate camera Alt+Elevate with left mouse button
Championship Description
Working with 3D assets for games and apps Provides an overview of the Visual Studio tools that y'all tin apply to work with graphics assets such as textures and images, 3D models, and shader effects.
Image Editor Describes how to utilise the Visual Studio Image Editor to piece of work with textures and images.
Shader Designer Describes how to use the Visual Studio Shader Designer to work with shaders.