Data types
This topic describes common data types in Mesh SQL: texture, material, meshgeom, and sfmesh. Each type targets a distinct layer of mesh data, from raw texture images to complete mesh assemblies.
Type overview
| Type | Category | Stores | Contains sub-types |
|---|---|---|---|
texture | Texture | Width, height, compression method, and binary texture data | No |
material | Material | Visual attributes of a mesh surface; optionally linked to a texture | No |
meshgeom | Geometry | Coordinates and surface construction descriptions | No |
sfmesh | Mesh assembly | Geometries, materials, textures, and texture coordinates | Yes |
Type relationships
sfmesh is a collection type that brings together the other data types. It contains information about meshgeom, material, texture, and texture coordinates:
sfmeshcontains geometries (meshgeom), materials (material), textures (texture), and texture coordinatesmaterialcan be associated with atexture
Use the individual types (texture, material, meshgeom) to manage or share a single layer of mesh data independently. Use sfmesh when you need a complete mesh object that combines all layers.
texture
The texture type stores a single texture image. Each texture record includes:
Width and height of the image
Compression method
Binary texture data
Multiple objects can share one texture, letting you share texture data across objects without duplication.
material
The material type describes the visual attributes of an sfmesh object's surface. A material can be associated with texture information to apply appearance to a mesh surface.
Use material to define how a mesh surface looks, independently of its geometric shape.
meshgeom
The meshgeom type records the geometric structure of a mesh: coordinates and surface construction descriptions.
In most cases, meshgeom is used to represent white films — mesh objects that have geometry but do not require textures or materials.
sfmesh
The sfmesh type brings together all mesh data layers: geometries, materials, textures, and texture coordinates. It is the primary type for representing a complete 3D mesh object in Mesh SQL.