File Types
TouchDesigner can import and export most common media file formats. Files can be loaded into TouchDesigner by:
- Drag-and-Drop: Drag a file directly into TouchDesigner and drop it to automatically create an OP or a component.
- Open With... menu: Right-click on a TouchDesigner supported file in Windows and select Open With...->TouchDesigner 0xx to launch TouchDesigner with the file pre-loaded.
- Load a file using Operators like Movie File In TOP, File In CHOP, File In SOP, Audio File In CHOP. Files can be loaded from disk or from the web using http://file-url.
- Start TouchDesigner using the operating system shell command
touchdesigner filename.ext, which will start TouchDesigner with your file pre-loaded.
Native TouchDesigner Filesedit
TouchDesigner has three native files types:
- .toe: TouchDesigner Environment files are the default file type for creating projects.
- .tox: TouchDesigner Component files let you save out components. .tox files enable the re-use and portability of component libraries.
- .tog: TouchDesigner Geometry files are exports of other geometry types in a native TouchDesigner format.
Files Importededit
| File Type | Supported Extensions | Operator Type |
|---|---|---|
| Image | .tif .tiff .bmp .gif .hdr .jpeg .jpg .pic .png .swf .tga .dds .exr .dpx .ffs |
Movie File In TOP |
| Movie | .m4v .mkv .mov .mp4 .hsp .notchlc .mpeg .mpg .avi .flv .m2ts .wmv .h265 .vp8 .vp9 .3gp .mxf .ts .r3d |
Movie File In TOP |
| Point Cloud | .obj .ply .exr .xyz .pts .csv .txt .fits/.fit(astronomy format) |
Point File In TOP |
| Audio | .aif .aiff .wav .mp3 .flac .ogg .m4a .avi .flv .m2ts .m4v .mkv .mov .mp4 .mpeg .mpg .mts .wmv .3gp .mxf .ts .r3d |
Audio File In CHOP, Audio Play CHOP, File In CHOP |
| Geometry and Scene | .usd, .usda, usdc, .usdz .fbx .obj .3ds .dxf .dae .abc |
USD COMP, FBX COMP, Geometry COMP, File In SOP, Alembic SOP |
| Shader | .glsl .frag .vert, geometry shaders |
Text DAT |
| JSON | .json |
JSON DAT |
| Channel (Houdini) | .bchan .bclip .chan .clip |
File In CHOP |
| Geometry (Houdini) | .bhclassic .hclassic |
File In SOP |
| MIDI | .mid .midi |
MIDI In CHOP |
| Script | .bat .cmd .txt |
Text DAT |
| Table | .csv .dat |
Table DAT |
| Font | .ttf .otf |
Text COMP, Geo Text COMP |
The Movie File In TOP also supports audio embedded in a movie. Tip: Tie an Audio Movie CHOP to the Movie File In TOP to get the audio, then an Audio Device Out CHOP to play it. An Info CHOP attached to either operator gives extra inside info.
Files Exportededit
| File Type | Supported Extensions | Operator Type or Dialog |
|---|---|---|
| Image | .tif .tiff .jpeg .jpg .bmp .exr .png .dds |
File -> Create Movie, RMB menu |
| Movie | .mov .mp4 .hap .notchlc .h265 .vp8 .vp9 |
Movie File Out TOP, File -> Create Movie |
| Audio | .aif .aiff .wav |
Save File on RMB menu |
| Project | .toe |
File -> Save Env |
| Component and Scene | .tox |
File -> Save, RMB menu components |
| Channel | .bchan .bclip .chan .clip |
File Out CHOP, RMB menu |
| Geometry | .tog .bhclassic .fbx |
RMB menu |
| MIDI | MIDI Out CHOP | |
| Shader | .frag .glsl .vert |
Phong MAT |
| Script | .py .html .md .dat .rtf .tsv .txt .xml |
RMB menu |
| Table | .dat |
RMB menu |