originalsurfmex

im using primarily acad/3dmax and blender for 3dmodeling/rendering

i would really love it if i could batch 3dsout my 3dmodels from programs like acad and 3dstudio...this is because blender and some other programs dont open dwg's and dxfs are problematic with solids...but 3ds files are so limited in faces that i have to chunk out my 3d models

if there was a script or a program or something that would convert my file into a bunch of 3ds files then i could import them into blender.

originalsurfmex

is there a way i can write a script or something? any advice on this would help...it would save me TONS AND TONS of time...pleeeze

l.sauerland

you can try fbx plugin from maya
http://www.alias.com/glb/eng/product...ductId=1900004
i´ve no expirience with it but it can work for you.

originalsurfmex

...i tried it, thanks, but it locks up when trying to convert my dxf files.


any other ideas - or maybe other forums i should check with this problem?

wda

If your having problems with DXF don't use it, unless you can get it into Max and weld all the verts. FBX is really a good format if blender can import it.

My advice from working within a group that uses, C4D, Modo, XSI, Max and couple others have used blender and Silo also-I use ADT from time to time and once in a while FormZ.... Work on layers/objects by material. This will allow you to break the model up and export in 'logical' peices that can be imported into what ever applcation through .3ds or even the dreaded .dxf. DXF from what I remember (don't use it anymore) exports out of autocad with individual unconnected faces, very bad for file size, normals...you need to weld up the verts asap upon import into a 3D app. Thus being able to import files that equate to layers/materials allows you to deal with these issues.
3DS can maintain some of the material assignments (MAX) and layer acis colors out of AutoCad in most situations, but I don't know how it imports into blender. Once again being able to work with logical layers/objects by materials into a file/s is one way to work around the difficulties of the long 'opening' file/locking up that happens when the behemoth files need to be imported.

You may be able to script in autocad exporting by layer, not my deal scripting in cad, so I don't know for sure

Hope it helps some
WDA

__________________
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originalsurfmex

exactlamundo. those are my problems to a tee, thanks (i hate dxf exporting). here's what i would like help with:

1. autocad: a script or plugin or something (even if it has to be written,im down to help or get the help or whatever's necessary) that exports 3ds files by faces/layers, in other words automatically generates however many 3ds files need to be generated to makeup a behemoth model

2. 3dsmax: a script or plugin that would export a batch of 3ds files in some sort of logical format.


...im mainly concerned with autocad...we've already made a python script for blender to import a bunch of 3ds files at once, now we just need a script to do the opposite (that is export) - at least, for acad (sorry for making this an autocad thread)