CompuServe Thread

#OOps…no more DXF

8 messages in this thread
#162724From: Dennis ConklinApr 4, 1995 9:01 AM
PREVIOUS MSG FROM BRIAN: <<Dennis, <<You can post your DXF related questions in the AutoCAD forum, GO <<ACAD. We are not really involved with that over here in ASOFT. <<-Brian HELLO?? Brian, (of Autodesk, makers of 3DS and ACAD) REALLY??? Well, let me refresh your memory!!!!!!!! Previous msg from Sanford to Gary: Gary, My favorite modeler just quit! Look at this quote from Hash: <<Unfortunately, A:M does not support any type of DXF anymore…. Sorry! Steve, Hash Inc.>> Boy, I sure hope somebody gets into the "spline to DXF" business. I will pray for a spline modeling IPAS plug-in that is solid. No more Animation Master upgrades for me! Oh well. Sanford PREVIOUS RESPONSE FROM GARY: I wonder why they did that…. (bizarre move, considering a large part of their market was as an add-on to other apps, like 3DS) – G PREVIOUS (apparently deleted) RESPONSE FROM ME: A suggestion that perhaps the fact that DXF was changed in ACADv13 was responsible for some people "giving up" on keeping their DXF translators current. How dare I criticize Mother AUTODESK! This dangerous message must be deleted from the forum immediately!!!!!!!!!! RESPONSE FROM YOU: Dennis, You can post your DXF related questions in the AutoCAD forum, GO ACAD. We are not really involved with that over here in ASOFT. -Brian FINAL RESPONSE FROM ME: Brian, Can you spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y, I think you can! As they used to say in the Fantastic Four Comics, "Flame On"! You have been very helpful in the past, and I never saw anything in this forum which indicated that the wrath of AUTODESK would descend full force (delete message critical of Adesk, tell us to shut up (nicely worded, of course)), at the first hint of a criticism of Mother AUTODESK. I'm not even angry – I would be amused if I weren't so terribly, terribly disappointed!! TO SANFORD, I apologize for the fact that you got caught in the cross-fire intended for me. My time as a lurker on this forum left me unprepared for the childish and petulant attitude exhibited at the first hint of a criticism of Mother AUTODESK.
#162732From: Yost GroupApr 4, 1995 10:05 AM
I think you're confusing apples with oranges. This is the 3D Studio support forum, and the 3DS DXF spec hasn't changed EVER. We still load all the DXF's we used to load, and we'll continue to do so. (That's why the explanation of Playmation dropping DXF support because of ACAD doesn't ring true… I've never heard of an ACAD user using Playmation in the CAD environment.) For all discussions about what AutoCAD does, you need to bring those issues up in the ACAD forum. – G
#162775From: Dennis ConklinApr 4, 1995 11:48 AM
Well, what you say is certainly true, but I think you maybe are burying your head in the sand a little. The DXF format is not a 3DS format – it is an AUTOCAD format. Therefore, it's pretty obvious that what ACAD does determines what DXF does. It is pretty hard to imagine, for instance, that 3DSr5, and r6 and r7, won't read the new ACADv13 DXF format. So 3DS certainly is impacted by the fact that ACAD has changed it. The next release of 3DS can not be said to be completely DXF compatible, for instance, if it won't accept DXF files from ACADv13/v14, etc. I certainly have seen some media coverage in the ACAD mags about how everybody is going to have to update their DXF converters to ACADv13. A lot of companies are at this very moment in time evaluating whether or not they can or how much it will cost to update their DXF routines. You remarked that it seemed strange that Hash was suddenly dropping DXF support at this time. I was just trying to make you aware of the fact that many many companies are trying to calculate how much DXF support is going to cost them to update at this time – this is no coincidence. I don't imagine that HASH could say that they import/export the "industry standard" DXF files and then have a thousand users complain that the new ACADv13 DXF files don't work – maybe they just decided to get out now – I don't want to put words in their mouth, I just wanted to point out that there are a lot of companies that must choose right now to either "bite the bullet" and update their DXF stuff, or abandon it – I think most will "bite the bullet", but it certainly is not irrelevant to this forum. Did I imagine the chapter in Inside 3DS on using ACAD??? Did I imagine the various files in the libs that are in DXF format, or are utilities to import DXF to 3DS?? Did I imagine the fact that there are several other threads active on this forum at this time that deal with DXF files?? Let's make a deal – you move all files, all utilities, and all threads that have anything to do with DXF into the ACAD forum and purge them out of this forum, and then I will believe that I have no right to discuss DXF issues here (g)- Dennis P.S. May the blessings of Mother AUTODESK be bestowed freely upon you! P.P.S. I think the time is right to "lighten up a little" on this. I still don't appreciate my message being deleted by Mother AUTODESK, but I admit it may have come across a little more confrontational that I intended it to be. – I would like to invoke a quote by Rodney King – "Can't we all just get along!?"
#162758From: Brian Rudolph [Adesk]Apr 4, 1995 11:24 AM
Dennis, I really have no clue what you have read into my message. You have obviously interpreted it way different than it was intended. What I am saying is that there are discussions about the very issue you brought up ("A suggestion that perhaps the fact that DXF was changed in ACADv13 was responsible for some people "giving up" on keeping their DXF translators current") that are happening over in the ACAD forum. If you wish to participate in those discussions, that would be the place to be. That is it. No hipocracy. No censorship. Nothing except what I thought was a friendly note that some people are talking about a topic you are interested in on a different forum. If I was censoring you, or being hipocratic, why would I tell you to visit another AUTODESK sponsored forum? -Brian
#162785From: Dennis ConklinApr 4, 1995 12:11 PM
Okay, let's stand down from DEVCON1 My original message about the DXF file changes has disappeared from my FileCabinet. Now this has occasionally happened to me before and it has either been WINCIM, or my limited knowledge of WINCIM that has caused it. Because the msg disappeared and then your brief message appeared in its place, I assumed that the msg was deleted and you were now chiding me about discussing ADESK negative items in this forum. I apologize if you did not nuke the msg – my mistake! Try this mental exercise though – imagine your msg has been deleted after you criticized ADESK – then read your msg to me in that light – doesn't it seem to say "SHUT UP"? OK – so I misinterpreted it – electronic communication still lags far behind face-to-face. I do feel though, that my original msg was appropriate – Gary had remarked that he was surprised that HASH would drop DXF support at this time – this made me think that HE was unaware of the discussion going on in the ACAD forum (and elsewhere) about the impact of the change in DXF format. So it didn't seem toooo far afield to mention that the change in DXF might have played a part in the decision by HASH. I didn't expect and I was very surprised to be told to go somewhere else to discuss this. I feel like I got less tolerance than the guy who was on here bitching about how great LightWave is!!! In conclusion, life is too short, and I have pretty much exhausted my lurker's allotment of msgs per month on this subject. Apparently it was just a coincidence that my msg disappeared from my filecabinet at the same time that your msg arrived for me to misinterpret. Have a nice day and May the blessings of Mother AUTODESK flow freely upon you. (I include this because anyone who would get seriously annoyed at this deserves to be seriously annoyed – I'm not saying that's you) Dennis
#163028From: Brian Rudolph [Adesk]Apr 5, 1995 12:12 PM
<<Try this mental exercise though – imagine your msg has been deleted after you criticized ADESK – then read your msg to me in that light – doesn't it seem to say "SHUT UP"? OK – so I misinterpreted it – electronic communication still lags far behind face-to-face. >> For the record, we NEVER delete messages. We only move them to section 0 (closed from the general public). In section 0 the sender and intended recipient can still get access to the messages. Yes, I agree, e-mail can be much easier to misinterpret. That is why we try to tell people to count to ten and re-read their messages, and not to assume implications from e-mail. <<I do feel though, that my original msg was appropriate… I didn't expect and I was very surprised to be told to go somewhere else to discuss this.>> Never said it wasn't. It is appropriate. I've never said don't discuss it. Of course it affects us. However, this is not where the big discussions are happening. Over on ACAD, even the people who make the decisions were getting into the conversation. So naturally, if someone starts talking about the same topic, I am going to point them over to that forum. I think that makes perfect sense. <<May the blessings of Mother AUTODESK flow freely upon you.>> Thank you my son. May it shine down upon you always. <g> -brian
#163121From: Dennis ConklinApr 5, 1995 7:33 PM
Brian, I have some important new data on this situation: 1. My daughters chicken pox has scabbed up and I actually got to sleep thru the night last night! 2. Reviewing this thread in light of item #1, I believe an impartial observer would conclude that I get WAY too jumpy when I've gone a few days without much sleep. 3. I apologize for over-reacting. I've been on this forum long enough to know better than what I was thinking. To quote Dr. Jekyll: "I don't know who that other guy was, but I'm back now!" Thanks for staying calm while I was going berserk! (a chagrined) Dennis
#163287From: Brian Rudolph [Adesk]Apr 6, 1995 12:54 PM
Dear Dr. Jekyll: 1. I am glad your daughter is feeling better. I am expecting my first child in the next two months. (Well, my wife is expecting, I am anticipating.) I can already sympathize with the not being able to sleep through the night syndrome. 2. understandable. 3. no problem. no worries. -Brian