Apply Live Effect XML: the 3D effect.

[Silly-V]

I never thought it would come to this, but I finally am in a position to want to use the applyEffect(liveEffectXML) command to apply an Illustrator 3D effect!

While it is possible to obtain the info for the very basic effects through a non-compressed .ai file, the 3D effect string appears to be too insane for me to decipher.

/BasicFilter :
(Adobe 3D Effect) 1 0 /Filter ,
1 /Visible ,
(3D.aip) /PluginFileName ,
(3D Effect) /Title ,
/Dictionary : /NotRecorded ,
(3D Extrude & Bevel) /String (DisplayString) ,
0 /Bool (preserveSpots) ,
/FillStyle : 0 O
0 1 1 0 k
0 1 0 0 0 Xy
0 J 0 j 1 w 10 M []0 d
0 XR
0 1 Xd
/Def ; 
 (shadeColor) ,
0 /Int (revolveAxisMode) ,
1 /Real (mat_11) ,
0 /Int (numArtMaps) ,
1 /Int (numLights) ,
0 /Bool (invisibleGeo) ,
0 /Real (mat_23) ,
1 /Bool (revolveCap) ,
0 /Real (mat_01) ,
0 /Real (mat_03) ,
1 /Real (mat_33) ,
0 /Int (effectStyle) ,
0 /Real (revolveOffset) ,
0 /Bool (shadeMaps) ,
1 /Bool (extrudeCap) ,
1 /Bool (bevelExtentIn) ,
1 /Real (mat_00) ,
0 /Real (mat_10) ,
0 /Real (rotY) ,
40 /Real (surfaceMatte) ,
3 /Int (shadeMode) ,
8 /Real (bevelHeight) ,
0 /Real (mat_12) ,
10 /Real (surfaceGloss) ,
360 /Real (revolveAngle) ,
0 /Real (mat_31) ,
0 /Real (mat_21) ,
0 /Real (mat_13) ,
0 /Real (mat_30) ,
0 /Real (extrudeDepth) ,
25 /Real (blendSteps) ,
50 /Real (surfaceAmbient) ,
0 /Real (rotZ) ,
0 /Int (surfaceStyle) ,
2 /Int (3Dversion) ,
0 /Real (mat_20) ,
/Dictionary : /NotRecorded ,
1 /Real (lightIntensity) ,
0 /Real (lightPosY) ,
0.330000013113022 /Real (lightDirY) ,
-1 /Real (lightPosZ) ,
0 /Real (lightPosX) ,
0.389999985694885 /Real (lightDirX) ,
-0.850000023841858 /Real (lightDirZ) ,
; (light0) ,
X=
0 A
0 Xw
0 Ae
u
0 Ae
u
0 R
0 G
4 M
-7917.1968 7789.86426 m
-7907.0723 7799.98926 L
-7862.9277 7799.98926 L
-7852.8027 7789.86426 l
S
%_/ArtDictionary :
%_(1.570796) /String (BBAccumRotation) ,
%_;
%_
U
9 () XW
U
9 () XW
X+
 (bevelArt) ,
0 /Real (mat_32) ,
1 /Real (mat_22) ,
0 /Real (rotX) ,
0 /Real (mat_02) ,
1 /Bool (paramsDictionaryInitialized) ,
0 /Real (cameraPerspective) ,
2 /Int (rotationPresetKey) ,
0 /Bool (showHiddenSurfaces) ,
; /Dict ;
 /Part ,

Luckily I was able to dig out my old CS5 on another computer and get the FXG xml:

<ai:LiveEffect index="0" major="1" minor="0" name="Adobe 3D Effect">
  <ai:Dict data="R mat_10 0 R mat_00 1 R mat_33 1 R mat_03 0 R mat_01 0 R mat_23 0 R mat_11 1 R mat_02 0 R rotX 0 R mat_22 1 R mat_32 0 R mat_20 0 R rotZ 0 R mat_30 0 R mat_13 0 R mat_21 0 R mat_31 0 R mat_12 0 R rotY 0 I 3Dversion 2 I surfaceStyle 0 R surfaceAmbient 50 R blendSteps 25 R extrudeDepth 0 R revolveAngle 360 R surfaceGloss 10 R bevelHeight 8 I shadeMode 3 R surfaceMatte 40 B bevelExtentIn 1 B extrudeCap 1 B shadeMaps 0 R revolveOffset 0 I effectStyle 0 B revolveCap 1 B invisibleGeo 0 I numLights 1 I numArtMaps 0 I revolveAxisMode 0 B preserveSpots 0 B paramsDictionaryInitialized 1 B showHiddenSurfaces 0 I rotationPresetKey 2 R cameraPerspective 0 ">
    <ai:Entry name="light0" valueType="D">
      <ai:Dict data="R lightDirZ -0.85 R lightDirX 0.39 R lightPosX 0 R lightPosZ -1 R lightDirY 0.33 R lightPosY 0 R lightIntensity 1 "/>
    </ai:Entry>
    <ai:Entry name="bevelArt" valueType="D">
      <ai:Dict/>
    </ai:Entry>
    <ai:Entry name="shadeColor" valueType="F">
      <ai:Fill color="1 0 1 1 0"/>
    </ai:Entry>
    <ai:Entry name="DisplayString" value="3D Extrude & Bevel" valueType="S"/>
  </ai:Dict>
</ai:LiveEffect>

After taking all the "ai:" out of the thing it appeared to be good to go except it's not working like how I wish it would. It does almost everything but fails critically where I need it most. Specifically, it is not showing my bevel setting.

I really want that bevel be set to "classic".

I want this

But I keep getting this!

[CarlosCanto]

I give up, every road leads to dead ends.

[Silly-V]

Maybe it's the one which is limited to a one-way trip.

[CarlosCanto]

the setting's got to be stored in the document, I just can't pin point which one it is.

unless it is

2 /Int (3Dversion) ,

and it's just not working

[Silly-V]

Interestingly, I just noticed this - the 8pt cap height is actually being set - but just disabled. It seems that the only issue is that bevel setting. Maybe one day our children, or our children's children, will figure this mystery.

[m1b]

I wasn't able to solve the bevel issue, but just for anyone who comes across this post looking for 3D Live Effects: have a look at these: AI Live Effect Functions. The 3D effects work partially (the geometry seems to work well, except no bevel, and can handle only a single light). Not sure how you guys got the geometry to work, as I had to resort to using 3D matrix math to make it work (not my maths I should say—I used gl-mat4).

- Mark