Topic: Exporting to 3D Studio From Autocad

[SDETERS]

I will have to try this

This was a 598 meg download.

Thanks

[Josh Nieman]

I will have to try this

This was a 598 meg download.

Thanks

you've got 30 days to try :p  after that you're locked out, and there's some registry key or file hidden somewhere on your computer that tells it you already used up the trial.

[hendie]

have you tried exporting from AutoCAD one layer at a time, then open the first file in 3DS, save it then use the MERGE command to import each of the subsequent files

[SDETERS]

great ideas  NOw I can export

Next problem

I am able to export to 3Ds  When I try to import back into autocad now I get an error

Internal error number 8 - 3D Studio file import terminated   :realmad:

What the heck is this?   

[hendie]

just guessing but could it be file version issues ? What AutoCAD version and what version of 3D Studio are you using ?

and the one thought that strikes me ~ you have just exported from AutoCAD to 3DStudio... why are you importing back into AutoCAD ?

btw, was it the layer at a time and then merge that worked for you ?
if so, then you can use the same process in reverse. Select an object, save that out as a single file, loop through the reamining items. Then open each of them in AutoCAD save as dwg. Then insert them as wblocks

[SDETERS]

Thanks That is what I finally had to do. 
The reason I am importing back into Autocad is to make sure I have everything I need in the file. 
We are sending this to a different company and they have no idea how to put these parts together.   They are using cinema 4d for the software they are going to import this information into.  So they can read 3D studio files but they are not using 3D studio for the rendering and such.
I was importing the file back into acad to make sure the file translated out correctly.
Thanks for all the help

[hendie]

let us know if the reverse process also worked

[Josh Nieman]

Thanks That is what I finally had to do. 
The reason I am importing back into Autocad is to make sure I have everything I need in the file. 
We are sending this to a different company and they have no idea how to put these parts together.   They are using cinema 4d for the software they are going to import this information into.  So they can read 3D studio files but they are not using 3D studio for the rendering and such.
I was importing the file back into acad to make sure the file translated out correctly.
Thanks for all the help

That raises a bit of a flag to me, because you're introducing variables into the checking process that the recipients will not be messing with.. that is; converting .3ds to .dwg.  To verify that all entities exist properly, I'd suggest opening the exported .3ds file in 3dsMax, since there will be no converting done, there, and the .3ds is what you're sending out.

The only thing you can do as far as them converting to a .c4d file (for Cinema4D) is to hope that THAT conversion is a smooth one.

[hendie]

I have to agree.
If you are exporting to 3DS and you can open the files in 3DS successfully... and that is the file format the end client is using then why bother bringing it back into AutoCAD ?

[SDETERS]

Update

3D studio files exporting really sucks!
But I did get the file out and he said the file came in just fine in his cinema 4d software. 

What I had to do is make multiple parts out of one part.  So in our 3D modeling software I made 3 parts out of 1 part.  Then exported that out to Solidworks.  Then I saved the file as a *.sat file.  Opened or imported that file into Autocad and then changed everything to its own layer.  Then I exported out of Autocad to 3D sutdio file.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

[Josh Nieman]

Update

3D studio files exporting really sucks!
But I did get the file out and he said the file came in just fine in his cinema 4d software. 

What I had to do is make multiple parts out of one part.  So in our 3D modeling software I made 3 parts out of 1 part.  Then exported that out to Solidworks.  Then I saved the file as a *.sat file.  Opened or imported that file into Autocad and then changed everything to its own layer.  Then I exported out of Autocad to 3D sutdio file.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

Autocad can export to a *.sat... I don't think I'm seeing what you gained by exporting to a *sat, then importing to a *dwg, only to export to a .3ds.

*edit*  oh, when you said "So in our 3D modeling software"... you have a whole other package besides Solidworks and Autocad that you do your modeling in?

[SDETERS]

Yep  Sure do

All of our work is done in I-Deas 12M1  In the near future we are supposed to migrate to unigraphics. 

We still use Autocad for layout out work and such but for major 3D modeling of parts we use I-Deas