Here is a function I have made, which loads a .3ds model file. It was made specific to my current openGL 3D engine, so its not 100% generic, but the way a .3ds file is processed would be the same regardless of language, and Bmax is fairly easy to read through, so I figured that someone might be able to gain something from it.
It will process vertices, faces and texture UV.
Function load3DSmodel:TMesh(file:String)
Local tmp:TMesh = TMesh.init()
Local stream:TStream, size:Int, id_node:String, size_node:Int, b:Byte, i:Int
stream = ReadStream(file)
If stream = Null Then Return tmp ' file could not be loaded, return false
size = FileSize(file)
DebugLog "Open "+file+" | Size:"+size
While Not Eof(stream)
id_node = Right(Upper(Hex(ReadShort(stream))),4)
size_node = ReadInt(stream)
DebugLog "Id="+id_node+" size="+size_node
Select id_node
Case "4D4D" 'Main node
Case "3D3D" 'Config
Case "4000" ' OBJECT BLOCK
Repeat ' read the name of the object
b = ReadByte(stream)
If b = 0 Exit
tmp.name :+ Chr(b)
Until b = 0
DebugLog "Object name ="+tmp.name
Case "4100" ' MESH BLOCK
Case "4110" ' VERTICES LIST
Local t:Int = ReadShort(stream)
For i = 0 To t-1
tmp.addVertex(ReadFloat(stream),ReadFloat(stream),ReadFloat(stream)) ' default colors and tex uv for now
Next
DebugLog " Vertices: "+t
Case "4120" ' FACE LIST
Local t:Int = ReadShort(stream)
For i = 0 To t-1
tmp.addFace(ReadShort(stream),ReadShort(stream),ReadShort(stream))
ReadShort(stream)
Next
DebugLog " Faces: "+t
Case "4140" ' TEXTURE MAPPING COORDINATES LIST
Local t:Int = ReadShort(stream)
For i = 0 To t-1
tmp.addTexUV(ReadFloat(stream),ReadFloat(stream))
Next
DebugLog " TexCoords: "+t
Default
' no ID was found that we need, so fastforward past this chunk
SeekStream(stream,StreamPos(stream)-6+size_node)
End Select
Wend
CloseStream stream
DebugLog "*** End of file ***"
Return tmp
End Function
