⚙️ Setup & Reference — Series 2 of 4
The NP 3D Viewer displays .glb files — the binary form of the GLTF 3D format. How you name materials inside the file and where you host it both affect how the viewer and Variation Wizard work. Getting this right before uploading saves significant troubleshooting later.
File Format
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | .glb (binary GLTF) — not .gltf, .obj, .fbx, or .stl |
| Materials | PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials work best with the viewer’s environment presets |
| Texture baking | Bake textures into the GLB file — external texture files are not supported |
| Polycount | Keep under 100k triangles for smooth web performance. Use LOD (Level of Detail) models for complex products. |
Material Naming Conventions
Material names in the .glb file become the slot names you reference in the Variation Wizard color slide. Name them clearly in your 3D software before export.
- Use descriptive names:
Body,Bill,Logo,Trim— notMaterial.001 - No spaces in names — use underscores if needed:
Logo_Front - Names are case-sensitive —
Logo1andlogo1are different slots - Multi-zone color updates reference multiple slots comma-separated:
Logo1,Logo1_All
✅ Blender export tip: In Blender, material names on meshes become GLB slot names. Before exporting, rename all materials to match the labels you plan to use in the Wizard. Export as File → Export → glTF 2.0 → Format: GLB.
Hosting the File
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress Media Library | Simple, same server, no CORS issues | Large files (50MB+) may hit upload limits |
| CDN / External URL | Faster global delivery, no server storage pressure | Must be publicly accessible with CORS headers allowing your domain |
⚠️ The Model URL entered in NP 3D Viewer → Model Assignments must be publicly accessible. If the URL requires authentication or returns a 403, the viewer will show a blank canvas.
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