ASK File Format (.ask)
An ASK file holds 3ds Max ASCII Scene Export text under an alternate extension; readers that support ASE, including Assimp, parse ASK with the identical parser because the file content is the same format.
ASK at a glance#
| Full name | 3ds Max ASCII Scene Export |
|---|---|
| File extension | .ask |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Other extensions | .ase |
| Compression | Uncompressed |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .ask file can hold#
These are the things a ASK file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
|---|---|
| Textures and materials | Yes |
| Human readable | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of ASK#
What ASK does well
- Read by the exact same tools and parsers as ASE, so nothing extra is needed to support it
- Plain ASCII text, so it can be inspected or generated without any 3D software at all
Where ASK falls short
- No independent specification exists for ASK; it is not documented as a format distinct from ASE
- Effectively superseded by FBX and glTF for any current pipeline, the same as ASE
Treat an ASK file exactly like an ASE file; there's no reason to prefer one extension over the other.
Convert ASK the same way you would ASE, to FBX or glTF, once the scene needs to leave whatever tool produced it.
How to open a .ask file#
A .ask file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts ASK into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | 3ds Max (export) |
| Web | FileFlip |
ASK questions people ask#
What is an ASK file?
An ASK file is 3ds Max ASCII Scene Export content saved with a .ask extension instead of .ase. It is not a separately specified format: every tool that reads ASE, including Assimp, reads ASK with the same parser because the text inside is identical.
Is ASK the same as ASE?
Functionally, yes. An ASK file uses the same ASCII Scene Export syntax as an ASE file, just under a different extension, and no published specification treats ASK as a distinct format.
What opens ASK files?
Anything that reads ASE opens ASK, since the two are handled by the same parser. 3ds Max can export the format but has no built-in importer for either extension, so reading one back in needs a script or plugin.
Converting ASK files#
Convert ASK to another format
FileFlip does not write .ask files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.