Why convert VSJ to STL?
The mesh a .vsj refers to is native STL under the hood, so ViewSTL can hand it back as a real .stl via download_model() or get_stl_bin(). The VSJ is only the pointer and scene setup, not the geometry itself.
How to convert VSJ to STL
Unzip the matching VSB FREE
If you have the scene's .vsb, rename it to .zip and extract it - the archive already contains the .vsj plus the models as ready .stl files.
About these formats
.VSJ
ViewSTL JSON Model
A .vsj file is a ViewStl JSON scene file created by the ViewSTL online 3D viewer and its JavaScript plugin. It stores the state of a 3D scene as plain-text JSON, including canvas and…
Open .VSJ details →
.STL
Stereolithography / Standard Tessellation Language file
An STL file is a 3D model that describes a shape as a mesh of triangles. To view it, use Microsoft 3D Viewer (Windows) or Quick Look (macOS). To 3D-print it, open it in a slicer like…
Open .STL details →Quality & what to watch
- The STL comes from the models the VSJ references, not from the VSJ text - a
.vsjwith unreachable models yields nothing. - A multi-model scene exports as separate STL files, one per model, not a single combined mesh.
- STL keeps only triangle geometry, so any color, positioning or container settings held in the VSJ are dropped.
Frequently asked questions
Does the .vsj contain the STL data?
No. It stores model info and scene properties but not the binary mesh, so ViewSTL fetches the model to export it.
How do I export the STL?
Open the scene in ViewSTL and use
download_model() to download each model as an .stl file.What if the referenced models are missing?
Then no STL can be produced - the VSJ alone has no geometry to save.
Is there an easier route if I also have the VSB?
Yes - the VSB is a zip that already holds the STL models, so just rename it to
.zip and extract.
