With PDF3D, it is possible to attach files to 3D PDF documents. These files are completely embedded within the 3D PDF and can be accessed within, the free version of, Adobe Reader.
For archive and documentation purposes, it may be beneficial to your workflow to embed the original file used to generate the 3D PDF generation or any important supplementary documents. In the PDF specification, there are no specifications for file restrictions or attachment size limits.
As the software necessary to view 3D PDF documents continuously evolves, it is recommended that original data is preserved to mitigate cases where future viewing updates may alter the 3D PDF scene.
The simplest method of embedding your file as an attachment is to use the 'Attach' option in the Input/Output tab:
Once enabled, this check box will add your input file (and other corresponding files such as textures) as an attachment to your 3D PDF. To check this, you should now be able to see this file in the 'Attachments' menu in the 'Advanced' tab.
To add/remove files, use the +/- options in the 'Attachments' settings
Using Adobe Acrobat Reader, it is possible to export your attachment from your newly generated 3D PDF. In Acrobat Reader v2022, a paperclip symbol is used to denote attachments:
For further guidance on attachments within the PDF viewer, please refer to the latest user manual for your current viewer version.