Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Importer (computing)
open-in-new
<p>An importer is a <a href="/facts/Software_application/YQuj7Kog">software application</a> that reads in a <a href="/facts/Computer_file/FjFH3Ufm">data file</a> or <a href="/facts/Metadata/qt35z79C">metadata</a> information in one format and converts it to another format via special <a href="/facts/Algorithm/fnl5NmRt">algorithms</a> (such as <a href="/facts/Filter_(software)/PKwFrEfI">filters</a>). An importer often is not an entire program by itself, but an extension to another program, implemented as a <a href="/facts/Plug-in_(computing)/351Du3Wu">plug-in</a>. When implemented this way, the importer reads the data from the file and converts it into the hosting application's native format. </p><p>For example, the data file for a <a href="/facts/3D_model/6V3Ry9AJ">3D model</a> may be written by a modeler, such as <a href="/facts/3D_Studio_Max/5gr1vPx0">3D Studio Max</a>. A <a href="/facts/Video_game_developer/6gbHyvDu">game developer</a> may then want to use that model in their <a href="/facts/Video_game/vmTdNASJ">game's</a> <a href="/facts/Level_editor/jj3NuhAx">editor</a>. An importer, part of the editor, may read in the 3D Studio Max model and convert it to the game's native format for <a href="/facts/Level_(computer_and_video_games)/jj3NuhAx">game levels</a>. </p><p>Importers are important <a href="/facts/Game_development_tool/uLvsM4PI">tools</a> in the <a href="/facts/Video_game_industry/3hucMmbw">video game industry</a>. An <a href="/facts/Exporter_(computing)/mwMNhRbg">exporter</a> is a plug-in or application that does the converse of an importer. </p>