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Our free and fast tool will convert most 3D mesh or 3DS (3D Studio Mesh) model files to a standard DAE (COLLADA - Collaborative Design Activity) file that can then be edited further in most popular 3D editing packages such as Blender or 3D printed without any further processing. Our conversion tool can also batch convert multiple 3DS files; up to 25 files at a time can be converted.
To convert your 3DS file, click the Upload button above and select the file to convert. Once selected, the file will be converted to a DAE file and will be ready for download shortly afterwards. For more information about the 3DS to DAE conversion process, see the conversion information section below.
| Extension | 3DS |
| Full Name | 3D Studio Mesh |
| Type | 3D Model |
| Mime Type | application/octet-stream |
| Format | Binary |
| Tools | 3DS Converters, 3D Model Voxelizer, Create 3DS Animation, 3DS Asset Extractor, 3DS Viewer |
| Open With | MeshLab |
The 3DS format has been a standard 3D format for many years. It has been the native file format for Autodesk's 3D Studio since the days of Microsoft's MS DOS. The age of the format began to show its limitations many years ago and was replaced by Autodesk when 3D Studio Max was launched.
There are, however, still many 3D model files circulating in the 3DS format, and these can be easily converted using our 3DS conversion tools. Some of the limitations of the 3DS file format include: texture names are limited to DOS 8.3 filenames; the maximum number of vertices allowed in the 3D mesh is capped at 65536; and there is no support for directional lighting.
Currently, our tool supports limited importing of materials and color information from your 3DS file.
| Extension | DAE |
| Full Name | COLLADA - Collaborative Design Activity |
| Type | 3D Model |
| Mime Type | text/xml |
| Format | Text |
| Tools | DAE Converters, 3D Model Voxelizer, Create DAE Animation, DAE Asset Extractor, Text to DAE, DAE Viewer |
| Open With | Blender, MeshLab |
The DAE format (also known as COLLADA) is a 3D file format used to describe 3D models, meshes, and 3D worlds using a simple text-based structure. The format was introduced in 2004 by Sony Computer Entertainment and is currently managed by the Khronos Group.
DAE files are a text/XML-based file format containing 3D geometric information used to describe 3D objects and meshes such as vertices, faces, animations, materials, camera/lighting elements, and other related metadata. The format has widespread usage and support, with applications such as Blender and MeshLab being able to read and write to it.
Our tool will save any texture files separately; these additional files will be included with your final DAE file at the time of download.
Converting from the 3DS file format to DAE can be a complex process, and any tool used for this conversion process needs to be able to handle a variety of data conversion tasks as well as identify any defects within the 3D model and fix them. Here we will explain the conversion process used by our tool to accurately convert your 3DS file to a valid DAE 3D model. Let's start with the conversion process, which involves the following steps:
In its simplest form, an 3DS file is a binary data file containing 3D data such as vertices, faces, normals, and more. When combined, these make up the 3D model you see on your screen.
For more information regarding the 3DS file format, please see this great article that goes into a lot of detail explaining the 3DS format.
With the 3DS file data read, our tool generates an internal representation of the full 3D model and will attempt to fix any geometry issues encountered. Along with repairing any issues with the 3D model, the tool will remove any duplicated vertices and prepare the model for exporting to the DAE format.
With the conversion process entering its final stages, our tool now needs to take the in-memory 3D model we have created in step 2 and convert it to the DAE format.
Yes! If your 3DS file contains textured geometry, the texture image files along with the texture coordinates (UV data) will be exported with the final DAE file.
Many 3D file conversion websites use the same off-the-shelf components to convert files, these often lack features and full 3DS file compatibility. Our bespoke file conversion tools offer full 3DS file compatibility and have been developed in-house by a team of developers, some of whom have over 30 years of experience working with 3D graphics file formats, meaning our tools will convert your 3DS file quickly and accurately with maximum compatibility.
Yes! Our 3DS tool supports full batch conversions. You can upload up to 25 and 3DS files at a time. Our tool will convert them all as quickly as possible. Once completed, you can either download the DAE files individually or download them all in a single ZIP file.
First click the "Upload..." button, select your 3DS file to upload. Select any configuration options. When the 3DS to DAE conversion has completed, you can download your DAE file straight away.
We aim to process all 3DS to DAE conversions as quickly as possible, this usually takes around 5 seconds but can be more for larger more complex files so please be patient.
We aim to create the most accurate conversions with our tools. Our tools are under constant development with new features and improvements being added every week.
Yes, of course! We do not store the 3DS file you submit to us. The resulting DAE file, once created, is stored for 1 hour after upload; after this time it is deleted, and the short-term download link will stop working. You can create a long-term download Url with most tools that will ensure the file is retained for 24 hours, allowing you to download the file when convenient. Our tools also come with a Delete button, allowing you to delete the file immediately.
No. All our conversion tools process your 3DS file on our dedicated conversion servers, meaning you can use our tools on low-spec computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices and receive your converted DAE file quickly.
Yes! Our 3DS to DAE tool will run on any system with a modern web browser. No specialist software is needed to run any of our conversion tools.
Yes. Although you can use an Ad Blocker, if you like our 3DS conversion tool please consider white-listing our site. When an Ad Blocker is enabled there are some conversion limits on some of our tools and processing/conversion times will be longer.
Yes. When you have converted your 3DS to DAE, there is a "Feedback" option that you can use to let us know of any issues you encountered when converting your file.
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