Hi there,

you can use them to extract models from 3DStudioMAX with a plugin,
but I would not suggest to use them for a game engine,
because they are only text files - slow and you need to trace them to get your data.

Better use your own binary file type to store and load model data.
They are even faster and you can store easily all your models in one file,
so that you can use a table to access your objects.
With this you can avoid to have hundreds of files in your game directory.

But when you use the RM of DX7 the x-format is supported by the API but it''s even not recommended to write an effective engine in RM.

I''m using ACE-files from 3DStudioMAXR3 and convert them into binary files and it''s real fast and I save a lot of other data in thes files which includes material infomation etc.


M A R C N E U M A N N
{
Graphics and general programming;
Application Developer;
}

I''ve recently made a re-write of the D3DIM Xfile viewer for VB (DX7) and I''ve tried out the x file format. First I read Microsoft''s document of it, and I understood zero and zip, because it''s a complex file format, using templates for all objects. But what I''ve found is that for 3d objects that doesn''t need to be very complex, x files is great. They include materials, texture coordinates and indexed primitives (faces). D3DRM is not a good option if you want to make 3D games, but it does contain loading functions for xfiles, so it''s really easy to use RM only for the loading of the files and IM for the rest.

Note: There are both binary and text (ASCII) -based xfiles, text files are very easy, because you can edit them easily, but they take more space than binary ones.

============================
Daniel Netz, Sentinel Design
"I'm not stupid, I'm from Sweden" - Unknown

Here''s a link for some descent information on the X file format:

http://www.wotsit.org/search.asp?page=13&s=x

I read it and it gives a pretty good idea of its implementation, but i would also suggest using your own format.

40



www.databyss.com
www.omlettesoft.com

"Don''t meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger."

if you use C++ you could use d3dx right?