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This page describes all the third-party software applications and data formats that Datasmith works with.
Current Software Application Support
Datasmith currently works with the software applications and file formats listed in the following table.
For each type of software or file format listed, the Status column uses the following icons to indicate the level of readiness you should expect:
Icon |
Meaning |
---|---|
|
Production-ready. |
|
Beta or Experimental feature, shared with customers for testing and feedback. Expect changes, and we may deprecate functionality at our discretion. |
The Workflow Type indicates how you package the information from your design application:
Direct Direct means that the Datasmith Importer Plugin in Unreal reads the application's file format directly.
Export means that you need to export the content from your application to a specific file format before Datasmith can import it into Unreal, using an exporter that is already built into your application.
Export Plugin means that you need to install a new plugin into your application in order to export your design data into the format that Datasmith imports into Unreal.
The last column, Importer Plugin, tells you which Datasmith importer plugin you need to enable in your Project in order to be able to import files of each type.
For more on this process, see Importing Datasmith Content.
All Export Plugins, as well as all Datasmith importers in the Unreal Editor, are currently only available for Microsoft Windows platforms.
Status |
Application or File Format |
Supported Extensions |
Version |
Workflow Type |
Importer Plugin |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3D ACIS |
.sat |
Up to R27 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
3DEXCITE DELTAGEN |
.fbx (CSB not supported) |
2017, 2018 |
Export |
FBX |
|
3DXML |
.3drep, .3dxml |
R2018X |
Direct |
CAD |
|
Autodesk 3ds Max |
.udatasmith |
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 |
Export Plugin |
Datasmith |
|
Autodesk Alias |
.wire |
Up to 2021 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
Autodesk AutoCAD |
.dwg |
Direct |
CAD |
|
|
Autodesk Inventor |
.iam, .ipt |
Up to 2019 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
Autodesk Revit |
.udatasmith |
2018.3, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
Export Plugin |
Datasmith |
|
Autodesk Navisworks |
.udatasmith |
2019, 2020, 2021 |
Export Plugin |
Datasmith |
|
Autodesk VRED |
.fbx |
VRED Professional 2018, 2019, and 2020 |
Export Plugin |
FBX |
|
Dassault Systèmes CATIA V5 |
.CATpart, .CATproduct, .cgr |
R10 - R29 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks |
.sldasm, .sldprt |
Up to 2019 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
ESRI CityEngine |
.udatasmith |
Export Plugin |
Datasmith |
|
|
glTF |
.gltf |
2.0 |
Direct |
glTF |
|
Graphisoft Archicad |
.udatasmith |
23 and 24 |
Export Plugin |
Datasmith |
|
Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) |
.ifc |
IFC 2x3 |
Direct |
IFC |
|
Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) |
.iges, .igs |
5.2, 5.3 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
JT Open |
.jt |
Up to 10.2 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
MAXON Cinema 4D |
.c4d |
Direct |
C4D |
|
|
McNeel Rhinoceros |
.udatasmith |
up to 6 |
Export Plugin |
Datasmith |
|
Parasolid (x_t) |
.x_t |
up to 31 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
PTC Creo (Pro/ENGINEER) |
.asm, .creo, .neu, .prt |
V13 up to Creo 6 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
Siemens NX |
.prt |
V11 - NX CR |
Direct |
CAD |
|
Siemens PLM XML |
.plmxml, .xml |
7.0.3 and later (Compatible with TeamCenter 11 or later) |
Direct |
CAD |
|
STEP |
.step, .stp |
AP203, AP214, AP242 |
Direct |
CAD |
|
Trimble SketchUp Pro |
.udatasmith |
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
Export Plugin |
Datasmith |
Formats Supported by Unreal Engine Directly
Unreal Engine offers built-in support for importing and exporting FBX files.
These FBX-based workflows are optimized to support game requirements, which tend to be focused on working with individual objects. Datasmith, by contrast, brings in entire scenes, potentially containing thousands of objects, each with its materials, pivots, scale, hierarchy, and metadata, from a wide range of sources. However, you should feel free to use the FBX import pipeline if it suits your needs. For example, you might use it to import pieces of additional set dressing that you'll use to augment your Datasmith content in your Unreal Level.
For details, you can read about our FBX Content Pipeline.
As of Unreal Engine 4.19, there is also experimental support for importing the glTF format directly into the Content Browser using the built-in Unreal Editor importer. Like the FBX import process, this has been optimized for object-based workflows, and has different limitations compared to the Datasmith glTF importer. However, you might find it works for you in select cases. To try it out, go to Edit > Plugins > Importers, enable the glTF Importer plugin, and restart the Editor.
Backward Compatibility
We may from time to time need to change the Datasmith file format and the behavior of the importer plugins in order to add new features. We do not guarantee backward compatibility between all versions of Unreal and all versions of the Datasmith export plugins. Although it may work to import a .udatasmith file generated with an older version of an export plugin into a newer version of the Unreal Engine, we do not recommend depending on it.
Always use the version of an export plugin that matches the version of the Unreal Engine and of the Datasmith plugin that you need to use that exported file with. To get the most out of Datasmith, and to make sure you benefit from the latest fixes and features, we recommend always using the latest possible version of the export plugins and of the Unreal Engine.