---
title: "V-Ray mesh viewer"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VRAY4TOOLS/117637168/V-Ray%20mesh%20viewer"
format: markdown
---
This page provides information on the standalone V-Ray Mesh Viewer.


##  **Overview** 

---

The V-Ray mesh viewer can be used to view both static and animated meshes. Once you run it, the tool asks you to navigate and point to the **.vrmesh** or **.abc** file you want to preview. Once you've located the file you want to view and click **Open**, you will see the mesh.

You can navigate around the mesh by holding **Alt** and then using the **Left mouse button** to **Rotate**, the **Middle mouse button** to **Pan**, and the** Right mouse button** to **Zoom**.


![image](media://29ea4bb8-e8d4-4aea-9752-3fc0bad1f398)

 

## **Location**

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The V-Ray mesh viewer is included with the V-Ray installation. See its location according to your host application:

- [V-Ray for 3ds Max](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VMAX/pages/113586502)
- [V-Ray for SketchUp](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VSKETCHUP/pages/109795879)
- [V-Ray for Rhino](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VRHINO/pages/116131052)
- [V-Ray for Revit](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VREVIT/pages/161317457)
- [V-Ray for Maya](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VMAYA/pages/111739604)
- [V-Ray for Houdini](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VRAYHOUDINI/pages/113280322)
- [V-Ray for Cinema 4D](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VC4D/pages/116850740)


##  **Installation** 

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The mesh viewer tool is installed along with V-Ray and can be found in the tools or bin folder with other external V-Ray tools. It can be launched directly from the executable file or from the Windows **Start menu** > **Chaos Group** > **V-Ray mesh viewer**.

 

> Macro (excerpt)
> 
> ##  **Menu Commands** 
> 
> ---
> 
> ### **File menu **
> 
> **Open** – Allows you to load another .vrmesh or .abc file.
> 
> **Exit**  – Exits V-Ray mesh viewer.
> 
> **Rendering Menu** – The options here allow you to control how the mesh is previewed in the work area.
> 
> **Use mesh preview** – Shows a simplified version of the mesh. The same preview is used inside the 3d Application.
> 
> **Wireframe**  – The mesh is previewed as a wire frame.
> 
> **Backface culling**  – When enabled, faces with normals facing away from the camera are displayed as transparent.
> 
> **Reverse normals**  – Reverses the normals of all faces.
> 
> ### **Colors  **
> 
> **Gray** – The whole mesh is gray.
> 
> **Per-voxel color**  – Voxels are assigned a predefined color.
> 
> **Unique voxel color**  – Each separate mesh is displayed with a unique color.
> 
> **Map channel**  – Each mesh is displayed based on the map channel it was unwrapped at.
> 
> ### **View**
> 
> **Show Axis** – Hides or shows the XYZ axis.
> 
> **Show Grid**  – Hides or shows the Grid.
> 
> **Center Mesh**  – Aligns the center of the mesh with the center of the XYZ axis.
> 
> **Flip Y/Z axes**  – Flips the Y and Z axes.
> 
> 
> ## **General Options**
> 
> ---
> 
> **Map Channel** – Allows you to change the map channel.
> 
> **Scene Objects** – A list of all objects in the scene. You can use it to select objects by their names.
> 
> **Selection Mode** – Allows you to switch between selecting objects or voxels.
> 
> 
> ## **Alembic Mesh Options** 
> 
> ---
> 
> These options govern the displaying of alembic meshes.
> 
> **Subdivide all meshes** – When enabled, all alembic meshes are subdivided.
> 
> **Subdiv level** – Allows you to control the level of subdivision.
> 
> **Preserve geometry borders** – When enabled, the subdivided geometry falls within the borders of the original mesh.
> 
> **Subdivide UVs** – When enabled, the UVs of the object are also subdivided.
> 
> **Particle size** – Allows you to control the preview size of particles.
> 
> 
> ## **Animation Options** 
> 
> ---
> 
> These options allow you to view different frames of the mesh when it is animated. You can use the timeline and drag the slider to move through the animation.
> 
> **Enter frame** – Allows you to manually enter a frame number that you wish to preview.