Export Formats

VRML (.wrl) format: first web 3D standard 1994 — OSM export to legacy 3D

VRML 1.0 (1994) and VRML97 (ISO 14772): ASCII scene graph, Cosmo Player, X3D and glTF successors, OSM model export.

2026-05-28 · 13 min
3dweb3dlegacyvrml

VRT: GDAL Virtual Raster as a Meta-Format for Composite Datasets

GDAL VRT since 2003: XML description of a virtual raster over thousands of GeoTIFFs — mosaicking, on-the-fly reprojection, pixel functions for NDVI, and lazy evaluation with zero copying.

2026-05-28 · 7 min
vrtgdalrastervirtual

USD (Universal Scene Description) — Pixar Standard for VFX, Apple AR and NVIDIA Omniverse

USD is a Pixar format (2012, OSS 2016) for VFX pipelines: layer composition, supports Apple ARKit (USDZ), NVIDIA Omniverse, ILM, Weta; AOUSD governance since 2023.

2026-05-27 · 11 min
USDUSDZPixarApple AR

TopoJSON — Topological GeoJSON Extension from Mike Bostock for D3.js

TopoJSON is Mike Bostock's topological extension of GeoJSON (D3.js, 2012): arcs stored once, 80% size reduction; standard for choropleth and electoral maps in D3.

2026-05-27 · 10 min
TopoJSONGeoJSOND3.jsMike Bostock

TomTom OV2 — Proprietary POI Overlay for GO/Start: Binary Structure and Speed Cameras

TomTom OV2 POI overlay for GO/Start/Via: binary with type codes 1/2/3, micro-degree coordinates, BMP icons. Speed cameras and custom POI from OSM.

2026-05-25 · 10 min
TomTomOV2POIoverlay

TomTom ITN — Plain-text Route for GO/Start: Micro-degrees, 100-stop Limit and Legacy Status

TomTom ITN file for GO/Start/Via: ASCII waypoints with long,lat in micro-degrees and type, 100-point limit. Legacy route format before ov2 POI overlay era.

2026-05-24 · 9 min
TomTomITNitinerarynavigation

TIFF — Aldus and Adobe Extensible Raster Format for Print and Archival

TIFF is a tag-based raster format from Aldus (1986, Adobe 1994): TIFF 6.0 (1992), multi-page, lossless LZW/Deflate, BigTIFF for large files; parent of GeoTIFF.

2026-05-23 · 13 min
TIFFAdoberasterlossless

MapInfo TAB — Format Behind Russian Cadastre and Municipal GIS: Internals, MITAB and OSM Export

MapInfo TAB since 1990: 4-5 files (.tab/.dat/.map/.id), Precisely's proprietary spec, reverse-engineering via Frank Warmerdam's MITAB, OSM export to TAB via QGIS.

2026-05-21 · 8 min
TABMapInfocadastreGIS

Training Center XML — Garmin Training Format 2007: Activity/Lap/Track XML and Transition to FIT

Garmin TCX since 2007: XML with TrainingCenterDatabase>Activity>Lap>Track>Trackpoint, HR/cadence/altitude. Primary format before FIT 2012, still imported by Strava.

2026-05-21 · 8 min
TCXTraining CenterGarminXML

SUMO — XML Format from DLR's Urban Mobility Traffic Simulator (Eclipse SUMO)

SUMO is DLR's open-source traffic simulator (2001+): XML formats .net/.rou/.add, microscopic+macroscopic, TraCI API, netconvert OSM-to-SUMO, EPL-2.0 license.

2026-05-20 · 10 min
SUMODLRtraffic simulationtransportation

STEP (ISO 10303 AP242) format: B-Rep CAD exchange — OSM model export for manufacturing

STEP/ISO 10303 (1994, AP242 since 2014): B-Rep solids, PMI, AP203/AP214/AP242, CATIA/NX/SolidWorks, OSM buildings.

2026-05-19 · 13 min
cadiso-standardmechanicalbrep

STL — 3D Printing Format Since 1987: Binary vs ASCII, Slicers and OSM Building Export

Chuck Hull's STL and 3D Systems since 1987: 50 bytes per triangle, binary/ASCII variants, slicer watertight requirement, OSM building export with extrusion and ground plate.

2026-05-19 · 9 min
STL3D printingmeshstereolithography