#Microstation DXF
6 messages in this thread
I have had some sucess and some failures with microstation dxf to 3dstudio.
When in doubt n. First try thining out al excess cells, for somreason
whether the "header" is turned on or of in the dxf configuration makes a
difference in whether the dxf imports or not(i forget if was in 3ds or
not). A simple trick I've used shuffling dxf files around is to try
importing them into another program or converter and back again. Usually
running a Microstation dxf in and out of autocad works or try caddkeys
"alcadmy" available on the caddvendors forum. Peter Kroko
Thanks, Peter, for your suggestions. I will try them if Gary concurs that
taking the files thru Autocad would make a difference. I would be
surprised, though, to learn that there was *any* difference between the way
Autocad and 3DS treat DXF files (given that they are both Autodesk
products).
Yost Group apparently is aware of problems with microstation dxf's or they
would not have added that special toggle in 2.0, so I suspect that the jury
is still out on getting good imports. We've been working on this project
for 3 months now, though, and the client and we are both getting pretty
frustrated. The client allows where it is probably a problem on his end,
and not with 3DS, but it makes for a tricky situation when our competitor
during the bidding process, on an Alia, didn't seem to have similar
problems with the files <ulp…)
Ken Loss-Cutler
Ken, the DXF import code in AutoCAD is quite a bit different than the code
in 3DS, because AutoCAD has ALL the data structures necessary to represent
all DXF entities parametrically (without any approximation), and 3DS
interprets all parametric entities into the triangular rats-nest mesh data
structures necessary for rendering. Therefore, I concur that it's a GREAT
idea to import the file into Acad first, and then export it as a DXF before
importing it in 3DS. I can't say whether or not it'll help, but it's
certainly worth a try.
– G
Thanks, Gary. We will find a AutoCAD workstation and run the Microstation
files thru it.
Ken
I meant to say the other day that I have done this with 2d files (into the
shaper). Ive tried 3d files and they seem to go in ok they just look like
hck because there arn't many step or segments. Probably somthing to do with
the wat Ive got it set up.
As to dxf working the same because there both Adesk products, I beleive 3ds
wadeveloped by someone else and sold to adesk (I'm probably wrong but)
Besides you would think than that 3ds would read acad"dwg" files
directly… Microstation does! Regards P.Kroko
Thanks for your advise, Peter. Please read Gary Yost's earlier comment in
this thread to discover (as I did) that there are significant differences
between AutoCAD and 3DS in how DXF files are read.
Ken