HELP! DXF problems!!
8 messages in this thread
Can anyone help me please?
I am trying to import a number of flat (2d) DXF files into the 2D
shaper for lofting. Each of the DXFs were created using AutoCad Lite
for Windows from 2 individual layers of the same .DWG file. Problem
is, after I import the first DXF (which works fine), all subsequent
attempts to load another DXF result in only the first layer being
imported. The layers are _definitely_ there, the drawing's author has
been able to read everything from the DXFs back into AutoCad, and on
a one-by-one basis I can see (load) them into 3DS.
The only thing I can do to get round this currently is to load each
DXF individually and save it as a .SHP file, quit 3DS entirely and
start all over again with the next one. What a PITA. Takes ages on
my lowly 486. Especially when the drawing changes (this one has 10
layers – i.e 9 DXFs)
Is this a known bug? Is there a fix available? HELPP!!!! Is there a
DXF to SHP converter out there somewhere? I can't find one. Have I
simply not read the manual correctly? Is there some sneaky 3dS.SET
parameter that I haven't changed? Please reply quickly if possible.
Frighteningly alone, (thought I knew what I was doing), hugs of
sympathy desperately required
Scott (back to Novice again) Reynolds Darkest Godalming.
Hi Scott,
What you need to do is use the merge option to merge youre 2d shp file with the
new dxf file, now I could suggest you rtfm but since you asked so nicely I
quote,
The 2D Shaper merges polygons from .shp and 2D .dxf files. Be careful when
merging files into the Shaper, since merged polygons can overlay existing ones
to create invalid shapes. Edit the shapes to ensure they are valid before
proceding to the lofter.
Hope that helps a little, you will definately need to rtfm if it doesnt work,
mainly cos Im not going to start quoting the definition of valid shapes!….
David from Oven Hot Hampshire
Thanx Dave, I'm pretty familiar with the lofter and shaper rules, I just can't
get 2nd and subsequent loads of the same DXF to see more than layer 1 of the (
multi-layer) DXF file, without first quitting 3DS completely – merging also
fails to see more than layer 1 – even doing New/Yes in the shaper doesn't solve
the problem.
I'm sure this is a bug in 3DSr4.
Is that right AutoDesk?
Thanx again.
Reynolds.
Were the layers ON when you did the dxf export? Have you tried areating the
same DXF files by exporting from AutoCAD? (it could be an Acad Lite problem
because I import multiple layered DXFs all the time without a hitch).
– Phil
Hi Phil,
The (DXF has got 14 layers 0,plus A through M, with "extent markers" on layer
0), so I have got the author to save 13 DXFs, layer 0 + A on, then layer 0 +
B on , layer 0 + C etc. This whole problem has arisen because I could not get
3DS to assign a standard depth to the imported DXF in the 3d Editor. It _will_
correctly import the DXF with ALL layers on, but if i select/all and 2d scale
(local axis or not), all the resultant objects end up in different places,
which kind of defeats the object
This problem has got way out of hand. To recap: 2nd and subsequent attempts to
import a multi-layer DXF file into the 2d shaper causes 3dS to stop reading all
but the first layer 0, and only quitting seems to reset the problem. The
problem is demonstrable even by using the file that you've just used for the
first "Load". Reload it having done a New, and I only see the extents. Kin
soppy, huh?. I was hoping Autodesk might just confirm the problem existed, and
that it wasn't just me.
Many thanx for getting back to me, it's nice to know some people care!
Regards
Scott
Godalming Surrey
OK, now what's an "extent marker" ? That's a term not present in standard
AutoCAD and thus the DXF format (to my knowledge). These extent markers may
simply not be recognized in the DXF format and the 2D Shaper may be getting a
bit "confused".
Next, what do you mean by a "standard depth" in the 3D Editor? Is this
referring to a thickness property?
The 2D scale problem sounds strange – please upload an example with a
description.
As for a problem with DXF import, there's nothing reported about what you're
stating. But then again, our DXFs are primarily coming from AutoCAD and not
Lite.
– Phil
Thanx for getting back again Phil.
Let me go right back to the start.
1. I, me, scott, am working purely with 3ds, not ACAD.
2. A friend with ACAD Lite (no, he's not an architect, just keen!) asked me to
render up some 2d plans of an office, with a walkthrough path for the camera.
3. I imported the DXF to 3d editor, no problem. When I tried to loft a 3rd
dimension in the 3d editor (using 2d scale) after about 10 or 20 scales of 400%
of all imported objects, I eventually started to get "depth" but the releative
planes of the lofted objects was no good.
(BTW I know not what "thickness property" means in the context in which you
referred to it.)
3. This was (for what started out as a favour) starting to get complicated, so
we decided to loft each layer from the drawing individually (13 layers). That's
when the real problems began. Because It's a complex drawing , when imported,
the layers necessarily have multiple overlapping polygons; so I needed to
import a detail layer at a time and loft it.
This worked, but I could not get the lofter to loft the shapes into 3d space in
the right relative positions for each layer – they ended up all over the place.
So, we came up with the concept of placing 4 "extent markers" – little squares
actually – at the 4 corners of the drawing on layer 0. Then we turned on (layer
0 + layer A) only and saved the LAYER-A DXF, and repeated this process for all
layers. This would then cause the shaper and lofter to use the "same" lofting
coordinates ( or so I believed). Actually I still ended up having to move
certain layers manually in 3dE editor, but let's not get hung up on that.
4. So… ( Jeez Phil, I'm sorry about this….)
I import layer A to the shaper. No Problemo: hasta la picture, baby. Extents
from layer 0, detail from .layer 1 ( let's call this input dxf, "DXF1".
I loft it, fine. I return to the shaper and then load input dxf "DXF2".
Whammo ! "Extents" from layer 0: nothing else!
I do a Shape/Assign/All , Shape/Check – it's definitely only seeing the four
squares.
So, I do a "New" and clear out the shaper reload DXF1 again and it sees only
the extents from layer 0 !!!!!!
Stuffed! Again!
If I then quit 3ds entirely and reload it, DXF1 is once more imported fine, but
only on the first attempt. Also DXF2 DXF3 and so on are all fine on the _first_
import to the Shaper after reload.
In the end, I had to Load "DXF1", save it as a SHP file, quit 3ds, and repeat
for each layer.
Only then was I able to perform the whole lofting process using the resultant
SHP files, which did not exhibit the problem.
5. What a missive! Thanx for listening. BTW am I talking to an AutoDesk
employee?????? I could probably get an example to upload if you tell me where
to send it.
Very best regards,
Scott Reynolds
Phil
DXFPROBS.ZIP uploaded to 3D Studio Library section
Rgds
Reynolds