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Autodesk Software Forum · Autodesk 3D Studio

#DXF-in Plines into Loft

9 messages in this thread

#91703From: Angelo Guarino [DTI Inc]Mar 16, 1994 4:06 PM

I just had a customer call me with a peculiar (sp?) problem. When importing a 3D polyline into the Lofter as a path (a kind'a spiraling path) the path seems to be "flattening-out" at each vertex (tangency vectors are parallel to X-Y plane at each Z level). I havn't played with this much so I was pretty much at a loss. I thought that maybe ACADr12 DXF wasn't saving the curve info or something and thus 3DS was assuming "0" values .. but he assures me that he was able to do the same thing with 3DSr2. Any Suggestions?

#91723From: Phillip L. MillerMar 16, 1994 5:56 PM

Angelo, How can a 3D-Polyline have arc information? Are they using an R13 beta or something ?<g>

#91863From: Angelo Guarino [DTI Inc]Mar 17, 1994 9:12 AM

Philip, >> How can a 3D-Polyline have arc information?<< Hea .. as I said … the customer swears up and down that he could do the exact thing in r2. I told him that I didn't think is was possible .. but he says he's done it before. Ang

#91788From: Yost GroupMar 16, 1994 10:07 PM

Without seeing the actual file, it's impossible to speculate. If you want someone to look at it, zip it up and ship it off to Jonas.

#91814From: Martin EnthedMar 17, 1994 1:11 AM

<<When importing a 3D polyline into the Lofter as a path (a kind'a spiraling path) the path seems to be "flattening-out" at each vertex (tangency vectors are parallel to X-Y plane at each Z level).>> I have written a PD IPAS program that makes a DXF 3D-polyline of each position key in the keyframer for a selected object. When writing this program I experienced that there was no way I could get the curvation into the 3D polyline data in the DXF-file! I guess that is how it is<g>! I would rather have put the 3D path into a .LFT file, but as I havn't the doc for how to write .LFT files, that was not possible. Is it possible to get this added to the IPAS4 wishlist?! Jonas Ruikis!!! PS The IPAS is called "KEYDXF.ZIP" in Lib 9 !!

#91864From: Angelo Guarino [DTI Inc]Mar 17, 1994 9:12 AM

Martin, >> I have written a PD IPAS program that makes a DXF 3D-polyline of each position key in the keyframer for a selected object.<< Yea .. I remember see it in the new uploads list .. sounds great and very helpful. >> When writing this program I experienced that there was no way I could get the curvation into the 3D polyline data in the DXF-file!<< That was my understanding as well … but who am I to argue with a customer who swears he's done it before. Ang

#91927From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]Mar 17, 1994 11:40 AM

Martin, << I would rather have put the 3D path into a .LFT file, but as I havn't the doc for how to write .LFT files, that was not possible. Is it possible to get this added to the IPAS4 wishlist? >> Sure it is.. It's not April 1st yet. jonas[adesk]

#91848From: Phillip L. MillerMar 17, 1994 6:08 AM

Sorry for my first glib responce (I was a bit punchy at the end of the day). Although 3D Polylines can not contain arcs, I completely forgot they could have spline info! Well, I tried DXFing several splined 3dplines into the Lofter and they all came in fine. I believe flattening could occur from two reasons – there isn't enough steps in the path for the given distance between vertices, or maybe your client has changed the SPLINETYPE and SPLINESEGS variables in AutoCAD since the last time he did this with R2. Even thought the curve is calculated in AutoCAD, only staight line segments are created between the interpolated intermediate spline vertices. If there aren't enough of these vertices (controlled w/ SPLINESEGS) then the true vertex transitions could suffer.

#91865From: Angelo Guarino [DTI Inc]Mar 17, 1994 9:12 AM

Phil, >> Although 3D Polylines can not contain arcs, I completely forgot they could have spline info!<< Ahha! .. Yes! I will fax your response to him and have him try the different variables. Thanks Ang