Collada

Draft

Introduction

Collada is the name of a 3D interchange file format.

“COLLADA defines an open standard XML schema for exchanging digital assets among various graphics software applications that might otherwise store their assets in incompatible file formats. COLLADA documents that describe digital assets are XML files, usually identified with a .dae (digital asset exchange) filename extension.” (Wikipedia, retrieved 22:15, 7 May 2009 (UTC))

But some applications, like Google Earth have adopted Collada as native file format to represent artifacts that one can "pose".

See also: X3D (an alternative)

Tools that support Collada

This list is not complete. Many tools can import/export Collada, e.g. read the Software tools section of Wikipedia's Collada entry.

3D modeling tools

• Sketchup can import/export. As of 2020, only a commercial version allows doing so. The free online editor only can export to STL. However, the STL can be converted to Collada, e.g. using Meshlab

• Blender (somewhat)

Mesh manipulation / Converters

• Meshlab (import/export)

Repositories

• Trimble 3D Warehouse (formerly Google 3D Warehouse)

Viewers

• Google Earth. Either directly drag/drop a collada file or load a KMZ file

Links

Official

• Collada Official homepage
• Collada.org (Community site)

Introductions etc.

• Collada (Wikipedia)
• COLLADA becomes ISO standard, what does industry think? by Alexandre Prokoudine Mar, 2013