Scheduled Maintenance
-
February 10, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM PST. Account-related operations might be temporarily unavailable.

Embed 3D Models (U3D) in PDF

Sample code for using Apryse SDK to embed U3D content (3 dimensional models) in PDF files. Sample code provided in Python, C++, C#, Java, Node.js (JavaScript), PHP, Ruby and VB.

Learn more about our Server SDK.

1//
2// Copyright (c) 2001-2024 by Apryse Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3//
4
5using System;
6using pdftron;
7using pdftron.Common;
8using pdftron.Filters;
9using pdftron.SDF;
10using pdftron.PDF;
11
12namespace U3DTestCS
13{
14 /// <summary>
15 /// This example illustrates how to embed U3D content in PDF.
16 /// Some parameters used to center 3D model are assumed.
17 /// </summary>
18 class Class1
19 {
20 private static pdftron.PDFNetLoader pdfNetLoader = pdftron.PDFNetLoader.Instance();
21 static Class1() {}
22
23 // Relative path to the folder containing test files.
24 const string input_path = "../../../../TestFiles/";
25 const string output_path = "../../../../TestFiles/Output/";
26
27 static void Main(string[] args)
28 {
29 PDFNet.Initialize(PDFTronLicense.Key);
30
31 try
32 {
33 using (PDFDoc doc = new PDFDoc())
34 {
35 Page page = doc.PageCreate();
36 doc.PagePushBack(page);
37 Obj annots = doc.CreateIndirectArray();
38 page.GetSDFObj().Put("Annots", annots);
39
40 Create3DAnnotation(doc, annots);
41 doc.Save(output_path + "dice_u3d.pdf", SDFDoc.SaveOptions.e_linearized);
42 }
43 Console.WriteLine("Done");
44 }
45 catch (PDFNetException e)
46 {
47 Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
48 }
49 PDFNet.Terminate();
50 }
51
52 static void Create3DAnnotation(PDFDoc doc, Obj annots)
53 {
54 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
55 // Create a 3D annotation based on U3D content. PDF 1.6 introduces the capability
56 // for collections of three-dimensional objects, such as those used by CAD software,
57 // to be embedded in PDF files.
58 Obj link_3D = doc.CreateIndirectDict();
59 link_3D.PutName("Subtype", "3D");
60
61 // Annotation location on the page
62 Rect bbox = new Rect(25, 180, 585, 643);
63 link_3D.PutRect("Rect", bbox.x1, bbox.y1, bbox.x2, bbox.y2);
64 annots.PushBack(link_3D);
65
66 // The 3DA entry is an activation dictionary (see Table 9.34 in the PDF Reference Manual)
67 // that determines how the state of the annotation and its associated artwork can change.
68 Obj activation_dict_3D = link_3D.PutDict("3DA");
69
70 // Set the annotation so that it is activated as soon as the page containing the
71 // annotation is opened. Other options are: PV (page view) and XA (explicit) activation.
72 activation_dict_3D.PutName("A", "PO");
73
74 // Embed U3D Streams (3D Model/Artwork).
75 MappedFile u3d_file = new MappedFile(input_path + "dice.u3d");
76 FilterReader u3d_reader = new FilterReader(u3d_file);
77
78 Obj u3d_data_dict = doc.CreateIndirectStream(u3d_reader);
79 u3d_data_dict.PutName("Subtype", "U3D");
80 link_3D.Put("3DD", u3d_data_dict);
81
82 // Set the initial view of the 3D artwork that should be used when the annotation is activated.
83 Obj view3D_dict = link_3D.PutDict("3DV");
84 view3D_dict.PutString("IN", "Unnamed");
85 view3D_dict.PutString("XN", "Default");
86 view3D_dict.PutName("MS", "M");
87 view3D_dict.PutNumber("CO", 27.5);
88
89 // A 12-element 3D transformation matrix that specifies a position and orientation
90 // of the camera in world coordinates.
91 Obj tr3d = view3D_dict.PutArray("C2W");
92 tr3d.PushBackNumber(1); tr3d.PushBackNumber(0); tr3d.PushBackNumber(0);
93 tr3d.PushBackNumber(0); tr3d.PushBackNumber(0); tr3d.PushBackNumber(-1);
94 tr3d.PushBackNumber(0); tr3d.PushBackNumber(1); tr3d.PushBackNumber(0);
95 tr3d.PushBackNumber(0); tr3d.PushBackNumber(-27.5); tr3d.PushBackNumber(0);
96
97 // Create annotation appearance stream, a thumbnail which is used during printing or
98 // in PDF processors that do not understand 3D data.
99 Obj ap_dict = link_3D.PutDict("AP");
100 ElementBuilder builder = new ElementBuilder();
101 ElementWriter writer = new ElementWriter();
102 writer.Begin(doc);
103
104 writer.WritePlacedElement(builder.CreateImage(
105 Image.Create(doc, input_path + "dice.jpg"),
106 0, 0, bbox.Width(), bbox.Height()));
107
108 Obj normal_ap_stream = writer.End();
109 normal_ap_stream.PutName("Subtype", "Form");
110 normal_ap_stream.PutRect("BBox", 0, 0, bbox.Width(), bbox.Height());
111 ap_dict.Put("N", normal_ap_stream);
112 }
113 }
114}

Did you find this helpful?

Trial setup questions?

Ask experts on Discord

Need other help?

Contact Support

Pricing or product questions?

Contact Sales