BSS 3D Product Viewer & AR for WooCommerce

FAQ

What 3D file formats are supported?

GLB (binary glTF) and GLTF. GLB is recommended because it bundles geometry, materials, and textures into a single file.

Where can I get GLB models from?

You can scan real products with Polycam, Scaniverse, or KIRI Engine on a phone. Designers can export from Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, SketchUp, or any GLB-capable tool.

Does AR work on iPhone and Android?

Yes. The plugin uses standard <model-viewer> AR modes: WebXR and Scene Viewer on Android (ARCore), Quick Look on iOS (ARKit). On unsupported devices the customer sees the regular 3D viewer instead.

Is the 3D model file protected from direct download?

The plugin applies several layers to make casual download and reuse hard:

• Models are served only through a signed, short-lived proxy URL (HMAC token). The real /wp-content/uploads/…glb path is blocked from direct web access (an Apache .htaccess / IIS web.config rule is added automatically on activation).
• Cross-site hotlinking is blocked — the proxy only serves the model when the request comes from your own site.
• Right-click “save” and drag-save are disabled on the viewer.

Please note: any 3D model rendered in a browser must send its data to the visitor’s device, so a determined user with developer tools can still capture it. This is friction against casual copying, not unbreakable DRM.

I use Nginx — how do I block direct model downloads?

The automatic .htaccess / web.config rules only apply to Apache and IIS. On Nginx, add this to your server block and reload:

location ~* /wp-content/uploads/.*\.(glb|gltf)$ { deny all; }

The plugin shows an admin notice with this snippet when it detects Nginx.

Does it support HPOS (High-Performance Order Storage)?

Yes. The plugin only touches product post meta and options, and declares HPOS compatibility.

Does it support the new block-based product editor?

Not in v1.0.0. The classic product data tab is supported. Block-editor support is planned for a future release.

Can I show the 3D viewer inside the product gallery instead of a button?

Yes. Go to WooCommerce → 3D Viewer → Display Mode and choose “Product gallery” — the model becomes the first gallery image and the “View in 3D” button is hidden. This uses the standard WooCommerce gallery; some themes or page builders that replace the gallery may not support it, in which case use Modal mode or the shortcode/block instead.

Can I embed a 3D model on any page or post?

Yes. Use the shortcode [bss3dv_viewer id="123"] (the product ID is shown in the product’s 3D editor, on the Output tab), or add the “BSS 3D Viewer” block and enter the product ID. Both accept width, height, and ar options, e.g. [bss3dv_viewer id="123" width="100%" height="480px" ar="yes"].

The model sometimes fails to load on a heavily cached page. Why?

For protection, each model URL is signed with a token that expires after a few minutes. If a full-page cache serves very old HTML, the token can be expired. Exclude single product pages (and any page using the shortcode/block) from full-page caching, or keep the cache lifetime short.