filenamemtl

Filennamemtl is a naming convention used in 3D asset workflows to pair a geometry file with its associated material library file, typically an MTL file. The convention is not a formal standard, but a practical guideline adopted in many pipelines to simplify material resolution during import and batch processing. Under filenamemtl, the base name of the model file indicates the corresponding MTL file. For example, a model named car.obj would be expected to have a material library named car.mtl, usually located in the same directory. This convention complements the Wavefront OBJ format, which references an MTL file via the mtllib directive, by making the link predictable and machine-readable by automated tools and build systems.

In practice, filenamemtl supports automated tooling: importers search for a .mtl file sharing the base name, or scripts verify the presence of matching pairs and report mismatches. Some pipelines extend the rule to allow minor variations, such as base names with optional suffixes or subdirectories, but the core idea remains base-name equivalence. The approach helps asset management in large repositories by enabling straightforward inventory, versioning, and cross-reference of geometry and material data.

Limitations include that not all tools enforce base-name matching, and some projects use multiple materials or compound naming that breaks the scheme. The MTL format itself is simple and widely supported but holds no cross-file guarantees. Filenamemtl therefore works best as a guideline within teams that standardize file organization and automation scripts.

See also: Wavefront OBJ, MTL (material template library), asset pipelines, naming conventions in software development.