# Importer (computing)

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Importer_(computing).md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Importer_(computing)
> Source revision: 1284548805
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Video game development tool}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2024}}
An '''importer''' is a [software application](/source/software_application) that reads in a [data file](/source/Computer_file) or [metadata](/source/metadata) information in one format and converts it to another format via special [algorithm](/source/algorithm)s (such as [filters](/source/Filter_(software))). An importer often is not an entire program by itself, but an extension to another program, implemented as a [plug-in](/source/Plug-in_(computing)).  When implemented this way, the importer reads the data from the file and converts it into the hosting application's native format.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/import |title=Import Definition |publisher=PCMag |access-date=2024-03-09}}</ref>

For example, the data file for a [3D model](/source/3D_model) may be written by a modeler, such as [3D Studio Max](/source/3D_Studio_Max).  A [game developer](/source/video_game_developer) may then want to use that model in their [game's](/source/Video_game) [editor](/source/level_editor). An importer, part of the editor, may read in the 3D Studio Max model and convert it to the game's native format for [game levels](/source/level_(computer_and_video_games)).

Importers are important [tools](/source/game_development_tool) in the [video game industry](/source/video_game_industry). An [exporter](/source/exporter_(computing)) is a plug-in or application that does the converse of an importer.

==See also==
* [Data scraping](/source/Data_scraping)
* [Web scraping](/source/Web_scraping)
* [Report mining](/source/Report_mining)
* [Mashup (web application hybrid)](/source/Mashup_(web_application_hybrid))
* [Metadata](/source/Metadata)
* [Comparison of feed aggregators](/source/Comparison_of_feed_aggregators)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Importer (Computing)}}
Category:Video game development

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Importer (computing)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Importer_(computing)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Importer_(computing)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.