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Autodesk Software Forum · Autodesk 3D Studio

#help!

9 messages in this thread

#18167From: gregory v. casonJun 30, 1992 1:32 PM

I'm having trouble importing DXF and AI files into 3ds2. I have no specific goals in this area, I just want to see what it can do. Has Anyone had any luck (or failures) in this area you can share with me?

#18173From: Chris BarnesJun 30, 1992 4:29 PM

Greg, I've had some trouble using DXF files that were created in a work station drafting program but they were fairly complex files and at the time I didn't really know what to look for in terms of troubleshooting (it was also in 3DS r1). I have had success bringing AI and .DXF files in from Corel Draw. I too didn't have a specific goal and was just hunting, but the conversion via Corel seemed to work. Chris

#18207From: Yost GroupJul 1, 1992 12:29 AM

How much experience do you have with 3D DXF files? What program is creating them? Regarding .AI files… What program is generating them? Are they being output as bezier curves? – G

#18358From: james hydeJul 2, 1992 8:44 PM

Gregory, I've had a lot of success with AI files from both Corel Draw 2.01 and 3.0. Don't forget to break it all apart before you export and weld all the vertices in the shaper. James

#18550From: gregory v. casonJul 6, 1992 12:16 PM

Thanks for the answer, James. How do I break things apart? (I'm a real novice at Corel 2.01….) The welding I can do.

#18564From: james hydeJul 6, 1992 2:29 PM

Gregory, re: Breaking apart all objects in Corel Draw: Ungroup any objects in groups, convert any text to curves, break apart any combined objects (especially text), export to .AI format. You can import it back to Corel Draw and use the node tool to see how it will look in the Shaper. Load .AI file in 2D shaper, it should look exactly like it did in Corel Draw. Select all vertices, then Modify/Vertex/Weld [selected]. Then either loft it or create a plane in 3D with Create/Object/Get Shape. I used to do this generate hires texture maps, but now that Corel 3.0 supports export to any res colour TGA's and TIF's it's not a problem. James

#18584From: Chris BarnesJul 6, 1992 6:05 PM

James, I have been trying to figure out whether .AI or .DXF works better to export from Corel Draw (2.01) to 3DS2. It seemed to me that AI didn't provide as smooth a curve as .DXF. That is, .DXF actually gave me a smooth curve whereas .AI resulted in epped kind of look. Have you seen anything similar. Know why I might be getting such results? Thanks, Chris

#18673From: james hydeJul 7, 1992 2:20 PM

Chris, If you follow the step I outlined I couldn't imagine why you would think DXF looks better than .AI, DXF retains none of the Bezier data. James

#18740From: Chris BarnesJul 8, 1992 10:58 AM

Hmmmmm. Better have another look. Thanks, Chris.