PDFill PDF 3D Tool: Convert U3D into PDF 3D

New PDF Comment 15: PDFill PDF 3D Tool - Convert U3D into PDF 3D

(See Example PDF and Example PDFill Project File )

PDF 3D is a standard PDF file with a view port visible on a PDF page. When you put your mouse cursor over the view port, a new toolbar appears and you can pan, zoom, rotate and investigate the embedded 3D model in full detail.

As organizations rich in digital assets aspire to faster decision-making and improved team collaboration, PDF 3D empowers organizations to transform digital data into interactive, real-time visualization shareable 3D PDF technical documents. Effective collaboration and review of complex 3D models out to distributed teams and remote clients can really make a difference in today's fast-moving enterprises.

When PDF files include 3D models, viewers using free Adobe Reader can interact with the 3D models using built-in features such as zoom, pan, and rotation tools.

To achieve the Autoplay Animation if you have Animation inside U3D, choose Contents Tab => Default Animation Style => Loop; Settings => Enable 3D When => The page containing the annotation is opened.

1. Steps on how to create a PDF comment using PDF 3D Tool:

Choose Comment Menu > PDF 3D Tool

or click the PDF 3D Tool button in the Comment Toolbar

Hold Left mouse button to create an area of the required size
Select a U3D Model File
The new commenting properties dialog for PDF 3D comes up to set options
Set Tab Options for Contents: Default background color, lighting, rendering style, animation style ...
Set Tab Options for View: Add views with Camera X/Y/Z to be 0.
Set Tab Options for Settings: Activation Setting and Poster Setting.
Save into a new PDF.
Set up each view's Camera Position X/Y/Z using Adobe Reader.
Save into a new PDF to see the final PDF 3D effect.

2. Access the properties:

Click the Selection button first.
Click inside the area to highlight it and click Properties Button
Or, click the edge shadow and double-click again
Or, Key F4

3. Set the properties:

When you create a new PDF 3D Object, you need to select a U3D Model first, then, the property dialog comes up:

3.1. Here is the list of the properties for Contents Tab.

Select a U3D Model Browse to select your Universal 3D (U3D) file that is a compressed file format standard for 3D computer graphics data. You can use an absolute file path name like C:\test\teapot.u3d or just use a file name teapot.u3d that stays with the current project file (PFL).

Position (Left, Right, Top, Bottom) The X and Y coordinate of the box to define the position of the PDF 3D Area.

Default Background Color The color for the space surrounding the 3D object.

Default Lighting Lists the different lighting effects, in which the number, color, orientation, and brightness of the lights, the reflectivity of the surface, and other factors affect the illumination of the 3D object. Experiment with No Lights, White Lights, Day Lights, Bright Lights, Primary Color Lights, Night Lights, Blue Lights, Red Lights, Cube Lights, CAD Optimized Lights, and Headlamp to get the visual effects you want.

Default Rendering Style The model rendering mode determines the surface appearance of the 3D model. The default rendering mode is usually solid, but you can also choose another rendering mode: Bounding Box, Transparent Bounding Box, Transparent Bounding Box Outline, Vertices, Shaded Vertices, Wireframe, Shaded Wireframe, Solid, Transparent, Solid Wireframe, Transparent Wireframe, Illustration, Solid Outline, Shaded Illustration, Hidden Wireframe.

Default Animation Style A 3D animation style specifies the preferred method that viewer applications should use to apply timeline scaling to Keyframe animations. It can also specify that Keyframe animations be played repeatedly. Three Options: None, Loop, Bounce.

Open model tree by default Determines whether the Model Tree is displayed when the 3D model is activated

Enable default 3D interaction If Enable, the user can rotate, move, and interact with the 3D model in standard ways.

Show 3D toolbar by default Determines whether the 3D toolbar is shown or hidden when a 3D model is activated.

Compress Model The U3D file will be compressed into PDF by default. You can uncheck it if you want a bigger file size.

3.2. Here is the list of the properties for View Tab.

The views can help you quickly navigate the 3D content as you want. PDFill let you add the most common views: Left, Top, Front, Right, Bottom, Back, Isometric. You can remove, and reorganize views for the new added PDF 3D model.

The list of all available views for the 3D model appears in the Views menu on the 3D toolbar and in the Model Tree inside Adobe Reader.

The default view of a 3D model lets you quickly revert to a starting point at any time as you interact with the model. To set a default view, select a view first, then, click "Use as Default".

Follow these steps to set up the Camera Position X/Y/Z using free Adobe Reader.

3.3. Here is the list of the properties for Setting Tab.

Activation Settings

Enable 3D When Specifies when the 3D model (also called the annotation) is activated. When the 3D model is enabled, you can interact with it, with the 3D navigation tools. Three Options: The annotation is clicked; The page containing the annotation is opened; The page containing the annotation is visible.

Default Animation State Sets the default animation behavior upon activation as Playing or Paused.

Disable 3D When Determines how the 3D model can be deactivated. If you choose Explicit Deactivation, the user must right-click the 3D model (with the Hand tool or one of the 3D navigation tools) and choose Disable 3D. When a 3D model is disabled, the 2D preview image or poster appears in the canvas. Three Options: Disable 3D' is selected from the context menu; The page containing the annotation is closed; The page containing the annotation is not visible.

When 3D Is Disabled Determines the default animation behavior upon deactivation of the 3D model. Keep the content playing (Choose Live to play an animation); Pause the content (Loaded to leave the animation activated but not playing) or Reset the content (Unloaded to display the poster in the 3D canvas).

Poster Settings

Border Width (pt) The line thickness of the border that is outside the PDF 3D area. If width is greater than 0, a border as poster will be displayed.

Border Color The color for the border line.

Fill Color The background color that is filled inside the PDF 3D area before it is activated.

Select Image Select the image file as the poster image. You can use an absolute file path name like C:\test\poster.png or just use a file name poster_image.png that stays with the current project file (PFL).

4. Screenshot:

5. Set up the Camera Position X/Y/Z using Adobe Reader:

Create all the views first with Camera X, Y, Z to be 0. Save into PDF and open this PDF inside Adobe Reader.
Inside Adobe Reader, click to activate

Select a view from the 3D Toolbar's Views Combo

Open "Model Tree" and Right Click to select "Fit Visible"

Click "Camera Properties" from the 3D Toolbar. Write down the "Camera X, Y, Z" values inside Position into a piece of paper. Or type these numbers into the PDFill PDF 3D object's property dialog.

Repeat all these steps for the other views. Reopen the project file and enter the X/Y/Z values on the paper. You can open the current project file along with Adobe Reader to fill these values.

Select a U3D Model	Browse to select your Universal 3D (U3D) file that is a compressed file format standard for 3D computer graphics data. You can use an absolute file path name like C:\test\teapot.u3d or just use a file name teapot.u3d that stays with the current project file (PFL).
Position (Left, Right, Top, Bottom)	The X and Y coordinate of the box to define the position of the PDF 3D Area.
Default Background Color	The color for the space surrounding the 3D object.
Default Lighting	Lists the different lighting effects, in which the number, color, orientation, and brightness of the lights, the reflectivity of the surface, and other factors affect the illumination of the 3D object. Experiment with No Lights, White Lights, Day Lights, Bright Lights, Primary Color Lights, Night Lights, Blue Lights, Red Lights, Cube Lights, CAD Optimized Lights, and Headlamp to get the visual effects you want.
Default Rendering Style	The model rendering mode determines the surface appearance of the 3D model. The default rendering mode is usually solid, but you can also choose another rendering mode: Bounding Box, Transparent Bounding Box, Transparent Bounding Box Outline, Vertices, Shaded Vertices, Wireframe, Shaded Wireframe, Solid, Transparent, Solid Wireframe, Transparent Wireframe, Illustration, Solid Outline, Shaded Illustration, Hidden Wireframe.
Default Animation Style	A 3D animation style specifies the preferred method that viewer applications should use to apply timeline scaling to Keyframe animations. It can also specify that Keyframe animations be played repeatedly. Three Options: None, Loop, Bounce.
Open model tree by default	Determines whether the Model Tree is displayed when the 3D model is activated
Enable default 3D interaction	If Enable, the user can rotate, move, and interact with the 3D model in standard ways.
Show 3D toolbar by default	Determines whether the 3D toolbar is shown or hidden when a 3D model is activated.
Compress Model	The U3D file will be compressed into PDF by default. You can uncheck it if you want a bigger file size.

Activation Settings
Enable 3D When	Specifies when the 3D model (also called the annotation) is activated. When the 3D model is enabled, you can interact with it, with the 3D navigation tools. Three Options: The annotation is clicked; The page containing the annotation is opened; The page containing the annotation is visible.
Default Animation State	Sets the default animation behavior upon activation as Playing or Paused.
Disable 3D When	Determines how the 3D model can be deactivated. If you choose Explicit Deactivation, the user must right-click the 3D model (with the Hand tool or one of the 3D navigation tools) and choose Disable 3D. When a 3D model is disabled, the 2D preview image or poster appears in the canvas. Three Options: Disable 3D' is selected from the context menu; The page containing the annotation is closed; The page containing the annotation is not visible.
When 3D Is Disabled	Determines the default animation behavior upon deactivation of the 3D model. Keep the content playing (Choose Live to play an animation); Pause the content (Loaded to leave the animation activated but not playing) or Reset the content (Unloaded to display the poster in the 3D canvas).
Poster Settings
Border Width (pt)	The line thickness of the border that is outside the PDF 3D area. If width is greater than 0, a border as poster will be displayed.
Border Color	The color for the border line.
Fill Color	The background color that is filled inside the PDF 3D area before it is activated.
Select Image	Select the image file as the poster image. You can use an absolute file path name like C:\test\poster.png or just use a file name poster_image.png that stays with the current project file (PFL).