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PLY (.ply)

Background & Context

    • 3D geometry format.
    • ASCII or binary format.
    • Used for storage and interchange of 3D graphical objects.
    • Known as Stanford Triangle Format.
    • PLY is an acronym derived from polygon.
    • Stores a 3D object as a collection of line and polygon primitives and their properties.
    • Allows user-defined format elements.

Import & Export

Import Elements

  • General Import elements:
  • "Elements" list of elements and options available in this file
    "Summary"summary of the file
    "Rules"list of rules for all available elements
  • Data format representation elements:
  • "BinaryFormat"whether the file is a binary or ASCII PLY
    "Comments"comments
    "VertexData"list of vertex coordinates
    "PolygonData"the polygon elements in indexed form
    "UserExtensions"user-defined data associated with polygon vertices
  • Geometry representation elements:
  • "BoundaryMeshRegion"boundary mesh representation of a solid
    "MeshRegion"mesh representation of a surface
  • Graphics representation elements:
  • "Graphics3D"PLY file represented as a Graphics3D object
    "GraphicsComplex"PLY file as a GraphicsComplex object
    "PolygonObjects"list of polygon primitives given in absolute coordinates
  • Import and Export use the "MeshRegion" element by default for PLY files.

Options

  • Export options:
  • "BinaryFormat"Truewhether to write a binary or ASCII file

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

Import a 3D model from PLY as a MeshRegion object:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/seashell.ply"]

Summary properties of the model:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/seashell.ply", "Summary"]

Export a 3D model to a PLY file:

Wolfram Language code: Export["model.ply", [image]]

Print the raw textual contents of the file:

Wolfram Language code: FilePrint[%]

Scope  (13)

Import  (7)

Import works on an ASCII PLY file:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/seashell.ply"]

Binary PLY file:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/spikey.ply"]

Any accessible URL:

Wolfram Language code: Import["http://exampledata.wolfram.com/vase.ply"]

Stream:

Wolfram Language code: str = OpenRead["ExampleData/chain.ply"]
Wolfram Language code: Import[str]
Wolfram Language code: Close[str]

Import automatically detects PLY files:

Wolfram Language code: Import["http://exampledata.wolfram.com/gear.2"]

Import provides access to elements in the PLY file:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/dodecahedron.ply", "Elements"]

Import works on large files:

Wolfram Language code: Import["http://exampledata.wolfram.com/turtle.ply"] // MeshCellCount//AbsoluteTiming

Export  (6)

Export works on 3D graphics:

Wolfram Language code: Export["model.ply", [image]]

Special regions:

Wolfram Language code: Export["sphere.ply", Sphere[]]

Formula regions:

Wolfram Language code: Export["ball.ply", ImplicitRegion[x ^ 2 + y ^ 2 + z ^ 2 ≤ 1, {x, y, z}]]

Mesh regions:

Wolfram Language code: Export["pyramid.ply", MeshRegion[{{-1, -1, 0}, {1, -1, 0}, {1, 1, 0}, {-1, 1, 0}, {0, 0, 1}}, Pyramid[{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}]]]

Export to ASCII PLY file:

Wolfram Language code: Export["model.ply", [image]]

Binary PLY file:

Wolfram Language code: Export["model.ply", [image], "BinaryFormat" -> True]

Import Elements  (11)

"BinaryFormat"  (1)

Test whether this file is a binary or ASCII PLY:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "BinaryFormat"]

"BoundaryMeshRegion"  (1)

Give a boundary mesh region:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "BoundaryMeshRegion"]

"Comments"  (1)

Comments to be embedded in the file:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "Comments"]

"CoordinateTransform"  (1)

Give the transformation function from the coordinate system used by the PLY format to the coordinate system used in Wolfram Language:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "CoordinateTransform"]

"Graphics3D"  (1)

Give the Graphics3D object:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "Graphics3D"]

"GraphicsComplex"  (1)

Give the GraphicsComplex object:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "GraphicsComplex"]

"MeshRegion"  (1)

Give a mesh region:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "MeshRegion"]

"PolygonData"  (1)

Give the polygon elements in indexed form:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "PolygonData"]//Short

"PolygonObjects"  (1)

Give the list of Polygon primitives given in absolute coordinates:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "PolygonObjects"]

"Summary"  (1)

Give the summary of properties:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "Summary"]

File size:

Wolfram Language code: %["FileSize"]

"UserExtensions"  (1)

Names of user-defined data fields:

Wolfram Language code: Import["ExampleData/chain.ply", "UserExtensions"]

Export Options  (2)

By default, an ASCII file is generated when exporting:

Wolfram Language code: Export["model.ply", [image]]

Print the raw textual contents of the file:

Wolfram Language code: FilePrint[%]

Use "BinaryFormat" True to generate a binary file:

Wolfram Language code: Export["model.ply", [image], {"PLY", "BinaryFormat" -> True}]

Print the raw textual contents of the file:

Wolfram Language code: FilePrint[%]