Assimp compilation

This page explains how to recompile the Assimp dependency on every platforms. Assimp is used internally in Webots to import mesh assets.

Windows

On Windows, assimp is provided as a MSYS2 pacman package and is automatically installed when installing the msys dependencies.

Linux & Mac

Compilation of the latest Assimp version

git clone https://github.com/assimp/assimp
cd assimp
git checkout v5.2.3
mkdir build
cd build
cmake \
-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RELEASE \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_TESTS=OFF \
-DASSIMP_NO_EXPORT=ON \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_COLLADA_IMPORTER=ON \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_OBJ_IMPORTER=ON \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_STL_IMPORTER=ON \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_FBX_IMPORTER=ON \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_3DS_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_BLEND_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_DXF_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_BVH_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_OGRE_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_X3D_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_AMF_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_AC_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_ASE_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_ASSBIN_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_B3D_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_CSM_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_HMP_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_IRRMESH_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_IRR_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_LWO_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_LWS_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MD2_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MD3_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MD5_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MDC_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MDL_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_NFF_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_NDO_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_OFF_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_OPENGEX_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_PLY_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MS3D_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_COB_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_IFC_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_XGL_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_Q3D_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_Q3BSP_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_RAW_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_SIB_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_SMD_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_TERRAGEN_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_3D_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_X_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_GLTF_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_3MF_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MMD_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_MMD_IMPORTER=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_ASSIMP_TOOLS=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_TESTS=OFF \
-DASSIMP_BUILD_ZLIB=TRUE \
-S .. -B .

then

make -j12

On macOS you will need to add to cmake:

-DCMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES=arm64\;x86_64 \
-DCMAKE_OSX_SYSROOT=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX12.1.sdk \
-DCMAKE_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=11 \

Create the package

tar -cvjSf assimp.tar.bz2 assimp/include/assimp assimp/build/include/assimp/config.h assimp/build/code/*dylib assimp/build/code/*so

Troubleshooting

If the compilation fails due to zlib, the following patch might be necessary. Return to assimp's root folder and run:

patch -ulbf code/Common/ZipArchiveIOSystem.cpp << EOF
@@ -198,3 +198,5 @@
     mapping.zopen_file = (open_file_func)open;
+#ifdef ZOPENDISK64
     mapping.zopendisk_file = (opendisk_file_func)opendisk;
+#endif
     mapping.zread_file = (read_file_func)read;
EOF

Then follow the above procedure once more.

WebotsJS

When upgrading the version of assimp, it is also important to recompile assimpjs.

This can be done by following this procedure:

• Clone the https://github.com/cyberbotics/assimpjs repo on Windows.
• As this is a fork, check if we want to fetch the upstream.
• Checkout the assimp submodule to the desired version.
• Follow this instructions https://github.com/cyberbotics/assimpjs/blob/main/README.md#how-to-build-on-windows (step 1 to 3).
• Copy the generated assimpjs.js and assimpjs.wasm from the dist folder to $WEBOTS_HOME/resources/web/wwi/dependencies.