Data Exchange

Applications built on OpenUSD and Omniverse Kit-based templates enable you to ingest and unify data from various tools and data sources, which is common for 3D and CAD workflows like industrial planning.

If your data is not already in USD format, you can convert and import it into your application using the Converter extensions. The platform provides an easy-to-use File import option for most 3D file formats. Alternatively, you can develop a data exchange solution by starting with one of our developer examples using the Connect Samples Connect Samples or OpenUSD Code Samples.

File Import Menu

To import a file into your application, choose Import in the File menu. Select the Import to Stage or Import as Reference option, depending on the workflow that best suits your needs. If the data is relatively small and well encapsulated, it may be beneficial to disable instancing to have complete flexibility when working with the content.

  • Import to Stage: This will convert your CAD data into a USD file directly in your stage. This is beneficial for editing and optimizing the data.

  • Import as Reference: This will convert the file outside of the session and then reference it into the stage. This is useful if you are aggregating the data, but not making changes inside of Omniverse.

Note

Importing small sections of source data might be advisable, depending on your intended workflow. For example, if you want to aggregate individual assets (such as robots, containers, or conveyors) in USD Explorer, it may be beneficial to convert each separately. This helps with the granular encapsulation of your dataset components.

Batch Conversion

To convert large amounts of data for use in assembling large scenes at a later time, find the file in the Content Browser. Right-click and select Convert to USD. This is particularly useful when dealing with a more significant amount of files to convert.

Once converted, they can be opened for editing (File > Open) or referenced for aggregation. This can be done via drag and drop from the Content Browser - or by adding references to prims:ref:references to prims<references_usd_fundamentals>. In future sections, you can learn more about working with assets in the scene.

Note

Converting large amounts of data via Python scripting can be beneficial, especially if additional processing steps (like optimization) are required, or the conversion should be repeated periodically. Learn more.

Custom Development

We have developed a guide and code samples to help you get started developing your own applications:

USD Ecosystem

Many products support OpenUSD natively or have plug-ins to allow developers to extend their capabilities into applications developed on Omniverse. Here is our online catalog for your convenience. We do our best to keep the catalog updated with the constantly growing ecosystem, and the list is ever-expanding.

USD Data

Files already in USD format can be opened for editing via File > Open or referenced into higher-level USD files. This can be done via drag-and-drop from the Content Browser or by adding references to prims.

➤ Next Steps: Learn how to set up your files for efficient non-destructive workflows.