X3DB File Format (.x3db)
An X3DB file holds the same X3D scene graph as the XML form, packed into ISO's compressed binary encoding for cases where parsing text is too slow or the file too large.
X3DB at a glance#
| Full name | X3D Binary |
|---|---|
| File extension | .x3db |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Developer | Web3D Consortium |
| First released | 2007 |
| MIME types | model/x3d+fastinfoset |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Specification | ISO/IEC 19776-3 (X3D Compressed Binary Encoding) |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .x3db file can hold#
These are the things a X3DB file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Animation | Yes |
|---|---|
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
| Textures and materials | Yes |
| Skeletons and animation | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of X3DB#
What X3DB does well
- Smaller on disk and faster to parse than the equivalent XML .x3d file
- Same scene graph as X3D, so nothing about the content changes between encodings
Where X3DB falls short
- Not human-readable or hand-editable the way the XML or ClassicVRML encodings are
- Far fewer tools implement the binary encoding than implement plain X3D XML
Use X3DB when an X3D scene is large enough that binary size and parse speed matter more than being able to read the file.
Convert X3DB to X3D XML when the scene needs to be inspected, edited or diffed.
How to open a .x3db file#
A .x3db file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts X3DB 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 | FreeWRL |
| macOS | FreeWRL |
| Linux | FreeWRL |
| Web | FileFlip |
X3DB questions people ask#
What is an X3DB file?
X3DB is X3D's compressed binary encoding, holding the same scene, geometry, materials, animation, as an .x3d XML file but packed into a binary stream that's smaller and faster to parse.
Can I edit an X3DB file directly?
Not as text. X3DB is a binary encoding, so editing it means converting to the XML .x3d form first, making the change there, and converting back if the binary form is still needed.
How is X3DB different from X3D?
X3DB and X3D describe the same scene graph, only the encoding differs: X3D is XML text under the .x3d extension, while X3DB is a compressed binary encoding of that same data under .x3db.
Converting X3DB files#
Convert X3DB to another format
FileFlip does not write .x3db 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.