Very old DOS programs to convert 3D files

Written by Programmer and Researcher Reuben Reyes


On this page you will find links to several programs (DOS .exe) written by Reuben Reyes that convert
3D files from one format to another. All the programs here run in DOS from the command line and will
only work on older Winodows computers. Most of the programs listed convert 3D files that have facets
into another format that also has facets.
One program (stl2igs1.exe) takes a binary STL files and converts it to an IGES file with a wire frame.
The last three programs listed here take point clouds that are in an ASCII format and converts the same
point cloud into a VRML format. Point clouds come from many sources. The most common point cloud sources
are: LiDAR, Sonar, and Photogrammetry.

Read Me TEXT file.

DXF (Data eXchange Format) by AutoCAD from AutoDeskInc.

AutoCAD DXF convert to Open Inventor dxf2iv.exe
AutoCAD DXF convert to WaveFront OBJ dxf2obj.exe
AutoCAD DXF convert to Stereolithography dxf2stl.exe

IV Open Inventor file developed by SGI.

Open Inventor convert to AutoCAD DXF iv2dxf.exe
Open Inventor convert to WaveFront OBJ iv2obj.exe
Open Inventor convert to Stereolithography iv2stl.exe

OBJ Developed by WaveFront Technologies Inc.

WaveFront OBJ convert to VRML / WRL objT2wrl.exe

PLY Developed by Stanford University.

Stanford PLY convert to VRML, IV, and STL ply2vis.exe
Stanford PLY convert to VRML, IV, and STL ply3vis.exe
Stanford PLY swap endian (no color) PLYswapN.exe
Stanford PLY swap endian (color) PLYswapR.exe
Stanford PLY swap endian (color & tristrips) PLYswapT.exe

STL Stereolithography developed by 3D systems.

Stereolithography convet to AutoCAD DXF stl2dxf.exe
Stereolithography to IGES wireframe stl2igs1.exe
Stereolithography to IGES surface stl2igs2.exe
Stereolithography to Open Inventor stl2iv.exe
Stereolithography to Neutral File Format stl2nff.exe
Stereolithography to WaveFront OBJ stl2obj.exe
Stereolithography to VRML / WRL stl2vrml.exe
Stereolithography to Visualization ToolKit stl2vtk.exe
Stereolithography to VRML 2.0 stl2wrl2.exe

ASCII Pointclouds.

Pointcloud xyz & intensity convert to VRML pointcloud xyzi2vrml.exe
Pointcloud xyz convert to VRML xyz2vrml.exe
Pointcloud xyz (color) RGB convert to VRML xyzRGB2vrml.exe
Note: If you want to create a surface or grid from a point cloud use MeshLab.
Meshlab will read VRML point clouds and convert to a surface,
then ouput in many formats including STL for 3D printing.

For a view of 3D models made with some of the tools above try this: Visualization Models
Back to Poor Persons Outline for Working in 3D page.
For other free 3D models try this link: Free 3D Models

For all kinds of information on 3D try this: Ultimate 3D Link

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Programs written by Reuben Reyes
(Previous affiliation with The Univerity of Texas at Austin)

Questions? email: hitechmex@gmail.com

In this section below is a list of 5 papers that used Stereolithography to Open Inventor program iv2stl.exe written by Reuben Reyes.
Included in each section is the name of the paper published and the REFERENCE in capital letters within each numbered paper (1 to 5).
Each secion is a different paper numbered 1 to 5 that includes the reference to Stereolithography to Open Inventor program iv2stl.exe.
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Paper 1
Fast three-dimensional superimposition of cone beam computed
tomography for orthopaedics and orthognathic surgery evaluation
A. Weissheimer, L. M. Menezes, L. Koerich, J. Pham, and L. H. S. Cevidanes
Published online 2015 Apr 29. doi: 10.1016/j.ijom.2015.04.001
Link to Paper 1
REFERENCE
The 3D virtual surface model of the skull generated was then
exported as a stereolithography file (STL) using the ITK-SNAP programme
and converted to an Open Inventor file (IV) using STL to SGI
Inventor 2.0 Utility Beta programme (developed by Reuben Reyes, rr.nitsua@xamhcetih. com).
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Paper 2
Métodos de avaliação tridimensional do complexo craniofacial em tomografia cone beam
(Methods of Three Dimensional Complex in Craniofacial Tomography Cone Beam)
André Weissheimer
Thesis Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul)
28 de novembro de 2013 (November 28, 2013)
Link to Paper 2
Link to Paper 2
REFERENCE
The segmentation was then exported as a stereo lithography file
(STL) and converted to an Open Inventor file (IV)
using STL to SGI Inventor 2.0 Utility Beta (developed by Reuben Reyes, hitechmax@austin.rr.com).
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Paper 3
Three-dimensional evaluation of changes in lip position from before to after orthodontic appliance removal
Lindsey Eidson, Lucia H. S. Cevidanes, Leonardo Koerich de Paula, H. Garland Hershey, Gregory Welch, and P. Emile Rossouwf
Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2012 Sep; 142(3): 410–418. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2012.01.018
Link to Paper 3
REFERENCE
The registered files were exported as open format, binary .STL
files, and subsequently converted to open inventor .IV files by
using .STL to .SGI open inventor (version 2.0, utility beta;
Reuben Reyes, School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin).
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Paper 4
Digital live–tracking 3–dimensional minisensors for recording head orientation during image acquisition
Leonardo Koerich de Paula, James L. Ackerman, Felipe de Assis Ribeiro Carvalho, Lindsey Eidson, and Lucia Helena Soares Cevidanese
Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2012 Jan; 141(1): 116–123. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2011.07.016
Link to Paper 4
REFERENCE
After acquisition, each image was loaded into the software 3dMD
Patient (3dMD) and exported as a stereolithography (STL) binary file.
All STL files were converted to .IV extension by using the STL to
SGI Inventor 2.0 (IV) Utility Beta (developed by Reuben Reyes, hitechmex@austin.rr.com).
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Paper 5
Three Dimensional Evaluation of Lip Position Changes after Orthodontic Appliance Removal
Lindsey Eidson, DDS
Thesis University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2011
Link to Paper 5
REFERENCE
The registered files were exported as open format, binary STL
files and subsequently converted to open inventor .IV files
using STL to SGI Open Inventor 2.0 Utility Beta (Reuben Reyes, hitechmix@austin.rr.com).
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Last update: June-2004   Web and programming by Reuben Reyes