The mesh_pipeline converts FBX files into FlatBuffer files that can be loaded with AssetManager::LoadMesh().

Most modeling software, such as Maya and Blender, supports export to FBX, so the mesh_pipeline is an effective way to bring mesh data from your authoring tools into your runtime.

Usage: mesh_pipeline [-b ASSET_BASE_DIR] [-r ASSET_REL_DIR]
                     [-e TEXTURE_EXTENSION] [-f TEXTURE_FORMATS]
                     [-m BLEND_MODE] [-a AXES] [-h] [-c] [-v|-d|-i]
                     FBX_FILE

Pipeline to convert FBX mesh data into FlatBuffer mesh data.
We output a .fplmesh file and (potentially several) .fplmat files,
one for each material. The files have the same base name as
FBX_FILE, with a number appended to the .fplmat files if required.
The .fplmesh file references the .fplmat files.
The .fplmat files reference the textures.

Options:
  -b, --base-dir ASSET_BASE_DIR
  -r, --relative-dir ASSET_REL_DIR
                The .fplmesh file and the .fplmat files are output
                to the ASSET_BASE_DIR/ASSET_REL_DIR directory.
                ASSET_BASE_DIR is the working directory of your app,
                from which all files are loaded. The .fplmesh file
                references the .fplmat file relative to
                ASSET_BASE_DIR, that is, by prefixing ASSET_REL_DIR.
                If ASSET_BASE_DIR is unspecified, use current
                directory. If ASSET_REL_DIR is unspecified, output
                and reference files from ASSET_BASE_DIR.
  -e, --texture-extension TEXTURE_EXTENSION
                material files use this extension for texture files.
                Useful if your textures are externally converted
                to a different file format.
                If unspecified, uses original file extension.
  -f, --texture-formats TEXTURE_FORMATS
                comma-separated list of formats for each output
                texture. For example, if a mesh has two textures
                then `AUTO,F_888` will ensure the second texture's
                material has 8-bits of RGB precision.
                Default is AUTO.
                Valid possibilities:
                           AUTO
                           F_8888
                           F_888
                           F_5551
                           F_565
  -m, --blend-mode BLEND_MODE
                rendering blend mode for the generated materials.
                If texture format has an alpha channel, defaults to
                ALPHA. Otherwise, defaults to OFF.
                Valid possibilities:
                           OFF
                           TEST
                           ALPHA
                           ADD
                           ADDALPHA
                           MULTIPLY
  -a, --axes AXES
                coordinate system of exported file, in format
                    (up-axis)(front-axis)(left-axis)
                where,
                    'up' = [x|y|z]
                    'front' = [+x|-x|+y|-y|+z|-z], is the axis
                      pointing out of the front of the mesh.
                      For example, the vector pointing out of a
                      character's belly button.
                    'left' = [+x|-x|+y|-y|+z|-z], is the axis
                      pointing out the left of the mesh.
                      For example, the vector from the character's
                      neck to his left shoulder.
                For example, 'z+y+x' is z-axis up, positive y-axis
                out of a character's belly button, positive x-axis
                out of a character's left side.
                If unspecified, use file's coordinate system.
  -h, --hierarchy
                output vertices relative to local pivot of each
                sub-mesh. The transforms from parent pivot to local
                pivot are also output.
                This option is necessary for animated meshes.
  -c, --center  ensure world origin is inside geometry bounding box
                by adding a translation if required.
  -v, --verbose output all informative messages
  -d, --details output important informative messages
  -i, --info    output more than details, less than verbose

Texture Files

FBX files reference texture files, but the mapping is not well defined. Most often the texture files are referenced by absolute path, which creates a problem when the set of files is moved to another directory or checked into a version control system.

Also, it's common for texture files to be processed externally. They may have a new file extension, their names may have a different casing, or they may have been renamed to have the same base file name as the FBX file.

The mesh_pipeline therefore searches for texture files in the following order (see FbxMeshParser::FindSourceTextureFileName()):

FBX directory + texture relative path + texture name
FBX directory + texture name
FBX directory + FBX base name + texture extension
FBX directory + texture and FBX base names in various casings + various image extensions
texture name in FBX file

where "various casings" include,

original base name
base name in snake_case
base name in CamelCase

and "various image extensions" include "jpg", "jpeg", "png", "webp", and "tga".

If a texture file is not found, mesh_pipeline outputs a warning and lists all of the file names that it tried in its search.

Bone Assignment

The mesh_pipeline traverses the FBX's scene graph in depth-first order. A node is output if it is the ancestor of a mesh node–that is, if it has vertex data somewhere under it.

When --hierarchy is specified, every output node is assigned a bone, and vertex positions are output relative to that bone's transform.

Note that, although the FlatBuffer format supports skinning information with four influences, mesh_pipeline currently only outputs skinning information with a single influence. That is, vertices are attached 100% to a single bone. This limitation will be removed in a later release of mesh_pipeline.

The bone heirarchy output by mesh_pipeline matches the bone hierarchy output by anim_pipeline, in Motive. The anim_pipeline animations can therefore be applied to the mesh_pipeline meshes.

Pre-built Binaries

Pre-built binaries for the mesh_pipeline are distributed in the bin directory.

Windows 7: bin/Windows/Release/mesh_pipeline.exe
Mac OS X (10.10.5 Yosemite): bin/Darwin/mesh_pipeline
Linux (Ubuntu 64-bit): bin/Linux/mesh_pipeline

To build the mesh_pipeline from source, please see building mesh_pipeline.