MVR Import and export

[Floriaan]

Vectorworks imports layers from .mvr files as Design Layers. At the same time it exports only Design Layers to .mvr layers, it simply ignores the classes you have set up. I think this is not very useful, as every other app uses layers to separate the "What" instead of the "where".

[edit] It also means that you loose a.lot of granularity in terms of be able to edit the file once it is exported to another app.

It would be great to either reverse the way you handle layers in .mvr files from and to other apps or introduce an import (and export) dialog box like the one you do with .dwg files.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Floriaan

[klinzey]

The exported MVR contains the class information. Most other applications do not support both a layer and class so they delete the class information.
Objects reference the UUID of the class and then the class name is defined by the UUID separately.
We determined that layers were a more universal concept and fit the structural organization of the MVR better than classes.
 

<Layer name="Design Layer-1" uuid="DEB28A2B-E074-4F4D-AB1C-CBA179B2F2CA">
        <ChildList>
          <SceneObject name="Geometry" uuid="1BCAFB2D-971C-403F-8A5B-7D68C6881D0F">
            <Matrix>{1.000000,0.000000,0.000000}{0.000000,1.000000,0.000000}{0.000000,0.000000,1.000000}{4630.485185,-4165.600000,0.000000}</Matrix>
            <Geometries>
              <Symbol symdef="EE8FF232-C0CF-4A61-9C75-E699FC334E0F" uuid="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000">
              </Symbol>
            </Geometries>
            <Classing>7A6EC634-F65F-42BE-A1C6-79C878BA4C92</Classing>

....

<Class name="None" uuid="7A6EC634-F65F-42BE-A1C6-79C878BA4C92"/>

 

[Floriaan]

I do not completely agree with what you are saying (I think that in the majority of the cases layers from other CAD programs correspond 1:1 to classes in VW), but in a way it is not important what my personal opinion is. The problem is that importing and exporting back and forth does not reliably work between apps from different software manufacturers although they say they embrace the same standard. 

Also the results vary between

- initiating a file in VW, importing in app X, export from app X, importing back into VW

- initiating a file in app X, importing in VW, exporting from VW, importing back into app X

- throwing an app Y in the mix somewhere

- using fixtures from the Spotlight library or those that are not in the GLTF library.

 

Are there still regular meetings between all of you in the consortium? Please keep talking to each other. We all benefit!

 

[jcogdell]

@Floriaan
The MVR standard is still evolving and will continue to do so based on feedabck from users like your self and the variuos developers and manufacturers invoved directly in the group.
Currently the 1.0 MVR DIN spec has not been finalised, some the issues you are mentioning will be addressed as this process moves forwards, such as clarifying how the MVR data should be handled when the receiving program doesn't use the data (currently many of the participating apps delete or remove data they do not use internally).
Once the 1.0 DIN spec is finalised, it will continue to evolve to meet user and manufacturer requirements.

 

[Floriaan]

Good to hear! Thank you. As we use not only Vectorworks, but also Capture, Wysiwyg and ETC Eos software in our studio, please let me know if we can be of any assistance. This summer we will have some time for testing, before our regular production schedule picks up in late august.