#CONVERT LIGHTWAVE TO 3DS
20 messages in this thread
Does anyone know where I can find a utillity which can convert the
Amiga LighWave 3D files to #D Studio Files?
Our product, InterChange Plus, converts between many 3D file formats including
3D Studio and LightWave objects and scenes.
We will soon have an IPAS version of our translators, making it possible to
load LightWave models directly into 3DSr3.
John,
How about an IPAS based *.dxf and/or *.dwg importer!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chuck (wishing again) Mies
An IPAS DXF or DWG importer? Considering that 3D Studio already has a
great DXF import plus a great standalone DXF-to-3DS converter, why
would you want an IPAS version? We do have a DXF converter in our
suite of tools, but it's not as robust as anything that Autodesk /
Yost Group has made. For that matter, we have our own 3DS
import/export code. Can you think of a reason to convert that to
IPAS, too? 🙂 As for DWG, that's not a publically available
format, although several companies do sell link libraries to support
that format.
John,
My fingers got carried away there <G> as I should have type "DGN" and/or "DWG"
file importer, not DXF. Now I understand your confusion to my message. Let me
give you my points on the need for these two….
1) One of the points frequently illustrated by AutoCAD clients, and other "CAD
Literate" clients, is this: "If AutoCAD and 3DS are from the same company
(AutoDesk), then why do I have to transfer information between them using a
'mid-level' translator such as DXF. I thing a killer IPAS application would be
one that would involve DWG import. Your message about the DWG file format
allows me to understand the technical hurdles you are facing, but just a
thought!
2) On the Micro-Station front, as you are aware Ustation has it's own
rendering package. Now, I for one do not see this as a 3DS competitor, but the
best 3DS MARKETING OPPORTUNITY AROUND!!! Why? My exposure to Ustation renderer
has illustrated one thing, it is great for "dabbling" in photorealism but the
serious user will outgrow it's capabilities and ease-of-use pretty quickly.
That's when we come in with Studio!
I apologize for the DXF snaffu, as I hate to waste anyones time answering my
mistakes! <BG>
What do you think?
Chuck
Actually, moving data between AutoCAD and 3D Studio is more
problematic than you imagine. AutoCAD isn't really a 3D program, it
has plenty of things that only make sense to a plotter-driven,
blueprint-oriented office. Only in recent years did it incorporate
what we might call "true 3D", like a polygon in 3-space. Both the
built-in and standalone DXF to 3DS converters spend lots of time
converting those old-style blueprint-ish entities to their 3D
counterparts as triangles in 3DS. Reading DWGs doesn't make this
part of the problem any easier… you would get the benefits of
working with the same file format that AutoCAD uses, and you'd lose
the time, effort and disk space lost when you use DXF, but that's
about it.
As for Microstation, why do I always get the impression that it's a
dirty word around here? 🙂 We are trying to get information on the
DGN format, and we may support it in the future.
I don't think there's a lot of overlap between the Microstation and 3D
Studio markets, do you?
I have many clients with MicroStation, it is a source of many troubles getting
the 3D drawings into DXF and then into 3D Studio. A true DGN – 3DS converter
would be wonderful!
Most of them believe that 3DS is a better program than their own ModelView, and
would use it more if there was an easier translation routine. I don't know of
anyone going the other way! <g>
The clients are usually the bigger ones with the bucks to buy a translator,
also! <hint, hint!>
If you could send an Exabyte 'tar' tape with a collection of DGN
files, it would make a great test suite for us…
Hey John, do you have a converter from SDRC I-DEAS or IGES to
dxf/3ds on the PC or HP or SUN UNIX (or mac but no Amigas.) We need
to do conversion and I-Deas doesn't export DXF directly and 3DS
doesn't import IGES.
Give us a call or drop a line, (414) 382-4334. Thanks.
Denise:
FYI, to translate IGES to 3DS we use this expensive translator called AutoCAD
on both the SUN UNIX and PC platforms! Works great, but slightly overkill if
that's all you need to do!
Greg Pyros
Denise,
Let me second Greg's messsage and add that if you get into REALLY deep IGES
translations, you can add the AutoCAD IGES translator 5.2. It allows full
entity mapping, etc. We have a client that has used it to go from AutoCAD to
CATIA.
But, this in addition to AutoCAD, so the price gets steeper! <BG>
Chuck
John,
Thanx for the response, but I want to add one thing….
>> you would get the benefits of working with the same file format that AutoCAD
uses, and you'd lose the time, effort and disk space lost when you use DXF, but
that's about it. <<
I would have to add one thing, end user PERCEPTION. That old problem that we
face as dealers in telling clients "Yes, they (ACAD and 3DS) are from the same
company but they still require DXF translation!".
>> As for Microstation, why do I always get the impression that it's a dirty
word around here? <<
Not from me! Other than the State DOT, I have found marketing against
MicroStation to be quite profitable!!!!! <BG>
Chuck
Whoops, forgot something. Call (414) 674-5200 for more information…
Thanks John.
I think you're talking about 3D mesh files… The only one that I know
of is Syndesis' Interchange Plus (I think that's what it's called).
John Foust, the maker of the software, is here often. I think it
costs about $300. I've been getting interested in this product also,
as the number of distruibutable Lightwave meshfiles goes up…
Thanks Jim.
Actually, we have not finalized the price of our Windows version of InterChange
Plus, much less the IPAS versions of our translators. The Amiga version is
$199.95 if that's any indication. Software on the Amiga tends to be about half
the price of comparable software on other platforms.
>> Software on the Amiga tends to be about half the price of comparable
>> software on other platforms.
Why is that? Is the Amiga market twice as big?
Good question, no doubt the source of many after-hours conversations at
Amiga-head gatherings. My guess is that it inherited the "cheapskate"
mentality from the Commodore 64 market. That's not a fair word to describe it,
because many Amiga users spend lots of money on their system. But no more than
ten minutes ago, I had a guy call to confirm our "special offer" price
described in one of our recent ads. InterChange Plus (Amiga) retails for
$199.95, our special direct intro price is $129.95 + $6 s/h. We set this price
because we knew the mmail order places would set their price about the same
value. So this guy is making $1 phone calls to gather savings in the $5 range.
I don't think software prices make much sense in any market. Five years ago,
Yost et al were selling the fruits of their loins in the Atari ST market in the
sub-$100 range, if I recall. And why does everyone from Microsoft on down grab
sales with $100 "upgrades" while the same product sits on the shelf at a higher
price as well?