BUG: Texture filenames do not export correctly

[Richard1]

Exporting a model using textures that have some characters in the filename results in the filename becoming corrupted, so the textures cannot be found by any importers.

 

For example, the attached MVR uses one of Vectorworks' default textures, filename "Siding Aluminum Double Dutch Lap Blue 5in <Surf Hatch> RT.png"

 

In the 3DS files, the texture filename is given as "Siding Aluminum Double Dutch Lap Blue 5in <Surf Hatch> RT.png"

In the MVR itself, the texture is "Siding Aluminum Double Dutch Lap Blue 5in %3CSurf Hatch%3E RT.png"

 

Note that the angle brackets have been replaced by "%3C".

It appears that the texture filename has been URI-encoded when saving it, but this change to the filename was not propagated to the 3DS file(s) that reference it.

 

This inconsistency means that no MVR loader is able to find the texture, and the cones are left untextured.

 

Additionally, the 3DS format itself is generally considered to only support DOS 8.3 filenames, so not all 3DS loaders are capable of loading this file.

 

The same fault appears to occur in all Vectorworks 3D model exports that use separate texture and mesh files, such as 3DS, Collada, FBX (external textures) etc.

 

Note that Collada and other formats have specific encoding rules for filenames (URIs).
It does appear that the filename is being URI-encoded for Collada, but the encoded version is being used to save instead of the original. This means Collada importers decode the URI and cannot find the texture!

 

Cones_Named.mvr

Edited January 13, 2021 by Richard1

[zoomer]

8 hours ago, Richard1 said:

one of Vectorworks' default textures, filename "Siding Aluminum Double Dutch Lap Blue 5in <Surf Hatch> RT.png"

 

I would never come to the idea to use such super special characters in any of my File or Path naming it the first place.