• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

MCX Fails importing Blender *.blend file

G

GaryGB

Messages
9,030
Country
us-illinois
Hi Arno:

While replying to an inquiry in this thread:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/simpropcontainers.460334/post-939198

...I discovered a potential issue with the current build of MCX.


The MCX version in question is:

MCX DevRel 1.9x dated March 07, 2026


The Blender *.blend file in question is linked by the author in the post cited above.



When imported to MCX, MCX event log reports:

"AssimpReader: "Error importing file: BlenderDNA: Expected TYPE field" :scratchch


More on the error cited above:


https://www.google.com/search?q="Error+importing+file:+BlenderDNA:+Expected+TYPE+field"&client=firefox-b-1-d&hs=DnWp&sca_esv=8b7032114d8adf20&ei=Ty23afq0Dvrt-LYPzvONsAM&biw=1200&bih=586&ved=0ahUKEwi6mPn49KKTAxX6Nt4AHc55AzYQ4dUDCBE&oq="Error+importing+file:+BlenderDNA:+Expected+TYPE+field"&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiNyJFcnJvciBpbXBvcnRpbmcgZmlsZTogQmxlbmRlckROQTogRXhwZWN0ZWQgVFlQRSBmaWVsZCIyBxAhGKABGAoyBRAhGKsCSOYZUMgKWMgKcAF4AJABAJgBfqABfqoBAzAuMbgBDMgBAPgBAvgBAZgCAqACjAHCAg4QABiABBiwAxixAxiDAcICFBAAGIAEGLADGLEDGIMBGIoFGI0GwgIREAAYgAQYsAMYsQMYgwEYigXCAggQABiABBiwA8ICCxAAGIAEGLADGLEDmAMAiAYBkAYJkgcDMS4xoAeFBbIHAzAuMbgHggHCBwcwLjEuMC4xyAcJgAgA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp


I am curious as to what you see, when you attempt to import this *.BLEND file ? o_O


Would you please clarify whether MCX currently can- or can not- process 3D MDLs in Blender LTS 3.6.13 *.blend files ?


Updated Uh-oh... I just found this:

https://github.com/assimp/assimp/blob/master/doc/Fileformats.md

"Note: support for BLEND is deprecated. It is too time-consuming to maintain an undocumented format which contains so much more than we need".



Thanks in advance for recommendations of a work-around so MCX imports all that new builds of Blender put into *.blend files.


FYI: I have not yet gotten this workflow to "work" using Blender LTS 4.5 to export a *.FBX with textures embedded:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Ble...IHCDAuMS4zMS4yyAedAYAIAA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp


Additionally, MCX does not display mapped textures on Collada DAE, glTF, FBX, OBJ exports from Blender.

Instead a single file is listed in MCX Material Editor: "newmtl KBST-H1-main"


Export from Blender 4.5 with the above cited BLEND file of a Khronos 2.0 glTF yields this message on import to MCX:

"GlTfReader: Failed to located SimProp%20hangars.bin"


However, there is actually a SimProp hangars.bin file output by Blender 4.5 along with the SimProp hangars.gltf. :banghead:



BTW: The MSFS SDK instructions only worked to add MSFS Blender exporter to Blender v4.5 via "Install From Disk" :redflag:


OK, so, Blender is not the first time we have had to deal with a "Moving Target", as the FSX SDK was one for years.


But, perhaps Blender evangelists may wish to contribute a MCX *.BLEND plugin via AI 'code-banging' to help out ? ;)

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats//fdd/fdd000559.shtml


GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Hi Gary,

Like you found Assimp only supports the older blend format versions and does not update for newer ones.

The blend format is not documented and the Blender community also does intend it to be used as an internal format, not to be used by other tools (so that they can change it as they like). So I think it is unlikely that ModelConverterX will have full Blender support in the future.
 
Since we have many special interest groups here at FSDEV, I will not suggest disabling attachment of *.BLEND files.

However, I suggest a sticky in the Blender forum advising other 3D exchange file formats be attached instead.


IMHO, MCX is essential for many tasks in FS development, including support, even when we encounter a BLEND file.

And clearly Blender 4.5 cannot seem to output a 3D exchange file format that even MCX can read, so we are in trouble.


Do you have any idea as to what may be done to further process the output from Blender 4.5 to import into MCX ? :scratchch


I did suggest the poster of the BLEND file to instead output a MSFS package with glTF file format being used.

Blender 4.5 direct export from the cited BLEND file of a Khronos 2.0 glTF imported to MCX generated the error above.

Why would MCX not find the *.BIN file paired with a *.glTF ?

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
As for the glTF issue, you would have to provide a sample glTF file made by Blender. Sounds like a MCX bug, but I am not an active Blender user myself.
 
Hi Arno:

Just a heads-up...

GaryGB said:
The glTF's in PackageSources can be imported OK by an older MCX version on a laptop; will test later today when I get back to my main FS computers. :)
Click to expand...

My concern as I bid farewell to Blender 4.5 for the moment, is that it may be exporting glTF's that do not actually comply with Khronos 2.0 specs.

IIUC, Blender 4.5 has a moving target *.BLEND format, and export of purported Khronos 2.0 glTF's ...that do not actually comply with Khronos 2.0 specs. :redflag:

I like the idea that MCX can / will continue to read all MS-FS 3D model formats now and in the future.

But AFAIK, in this case, Blender 4.5 may be the true cause of these issues, and not MCX DevRel 1.9x dated March 07, 2026


FYI: MCX DevRel 1.9x dated March 07, 2026 is now able to read the glTF 3D models subsequently posted by Heermeyer ...here: :pushpin:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/simpropcontainers.460334/post-939231


But, many thanks for having looked into this. :)


GaryGB
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top