Blender to Vectorworks

[Bertadesign]

Does anybody know the best workflow to get my Blender models into Vectorworks (2022)? I thought they were quite compatable. Are they not anymore?

[zoomer]

I am currently not familiar with Blenders export format options,

if there would be any export that could get usefully imported into VW ...

(maybe there is a Sketchup .skp export in Blender or something else by a Blender AddOn)

 

 

Until there will be other ideas posted,

my approach would be by IFC.

I use the BlenderBIM AddOn.

(Usually the other way round, to bring CAD Files via IFC into Blender)

 

But BlenderBIM is a complete BIM IFC Editor.

So you could apply IFC tags to all your geometry in BlenderBIM.

(Could be as simple as selecting everything and just applying a basic

IFC Element Proxy tag to all)

Then these would all be part of the IFC File BlenderBIM saves externally.

You could import that IFC into VW.

 

(When creating a BlenderIFC project/file, For VW 2022,I would choose the

older IFC 2x3 format)

 

[Bertadesign]

Thanks @zoomer. Sadly there is no Sketchup file export option. But I want to remember that Blender had more export options than they currently have. It's such a good pipeline to create assets in Blender and import them into VW.

 

Thank you for your suggestions. It sounds good, but will have to do some research to understand all of what you are saying. hahahah.

 

Can I open the IFC file in VW then? And what would this file contain?

 

And in order to create the IFC file in Blender I definitly need the add-on?

[zoomer]

1 hour ago, Bertadesign said:

But I want to remember that Blender had more export options than they currently have.

 

I recently watched the Blender AddOns I have activated, quite a long list.

I noticed that many of the im/export formats I have seen as given in Blender

come by AddOns.

(You can find the default AddOns in Edit : Preferences : AddOns ..... and can filter for import/export)

 

 

Maybe there is a format that could be useful for VW or by using a third App to translate between

 

There are also AddOns available externally. This is also true for BlenderBIM.

Usually you google for them and download them from the creator's site

 

 

1 hour ago, Bertadesign said:

And in order to create the IFC file in Blender I definitly need the add-on?

 

Yes.

 

1 hour ago, Bertadesign said:

Can I open the IFC file in VW then? And what would this file contain?

 

Not directly open but import (or lately even reference.

 

I sent my whole carrier with CAD to 3D App exchange. And that was always

quite lossy or needed much cleaning up or repairing geometry.

It got much better with FBX.

Bringing in 3D into CAD was pretty useless. Basically there was only

stone age 3DS format. That brought in basic materials and Mesh geometry

but not always in scale. And CAD's usually do not like Meshes.

Where VW is on the better side.

Blender, as most 3D Apps is again working with Meshes only.

 

IFC is a standard for BIM exchange. Not in a way that you could collaborate

and work at the same file but meant to reference all projects participants

Geometry into a single large BIM Model for collision checking checking.

 

IFC files are meant to bring other parties files into your own file, e.g. the

HVAC geometry or structural Model into your Architectural Model.

IFC is not meant that you work with or manipulate other parties IFC.

However, it is often used for imports or exchange as the geometry

is often better than older export formats like DWG.

[zoomer]

I see Blender has a USD export (by default ?), AFAIK not yet fully featured.

Same for VW 2023, there is a WIP USD import.

 

Maybe that will be already suitable for your needs ....

 

You can also try the 3DS export AddOn.

VW can import 3DS.

But I see that warning sign in my screenshot, maybe the 3DS AddON

is no more maintained and may no more run in recent Blender versions)

 

 

There is endless differences in im/export quality between different file formats

and the amount they are supported by each App. Each has its own strengths

and weaknesses

Sometimes you may use multiple of them and combine the best from all

into your file.

 

E.g. some lose object naming, object hierarchy, scale, materials, lights, special geometries, ...

and everything in between.

Edited August 17, 2023 by zoomer

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

I have just finished importing a Blender OBJ and STL file into Vectorworks.  They are from a scanner to Blender, so the information may not be what you want, but may be helpful.

 

The files imported fine, but the Material file did not import on the OBJ, (failure to import). This could be because the texture was a scanned texture.

 

As Zoomer pointed out, how much each vendor puts into their export files is up to them.  

 

I also tried the same files plus FBX in CINEMA 4D and got a similar result.

Edited August 17, 2023 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[jmcewen]

I have taken OBJs out of Blender successfully before with textures intact.  That is about all I can do with Blender so far, and was the whole reason i downloaded it in th efirst place-- as an alternative route to fix broken textures in downloaded models.

[zoomer]

@Bertadesign

 

Could you post a blend file with a few of your typical parts

that we can play a bit with export formats ?

 

So we can estimate the geometry and see what else like Materials,

Cameras, Lights, Hierarchies, .... should come over.

[Bertadesign]

Hello again @zoomer and @jmcewen, thanks a million for you advise. (Sorry for the late reply, for some reason, I don't get a notification anymore when I get a response).

 

I was asking for the same reason as you @jmcewen. I wanted to fix some problems of files I donwload from sites like Sketchfab in Blender and then open them in VW. Therefore, the files can vary in terms of texture, materials and geometry quite a bit. But I cannot see the option of exporting a file as an .obj file from Blender. How have you guys done this? @VIRTUALENVIRONS and @jmcewen.

 

Is it an Addon I have to switch on, like @zoomer suggests? And why aren't they simply on, instead of the user having to turn them on? Does it have to do with slowing down the software when too many add ons are on?

 

Another worklow I would like to start is building a model in VW and then import it into Blender to animate parts of it, like two walls for example moving somewhere. At the moment, I have to build my model in VW and Blender.

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

2 hours ago, Bertadesign said:

building a model in VW and then import it into Blender

It seems this would elevate all your problems.  When it comes to exporting for animation, I always suggest DXF, simply because Vectorworks adheres (or did) to object separation using pen color.  What this means is that any object with a different pen fore color will come in as a separate object, if the importing software also adheres to this principle.  This was the premise for the "Send to C4D" command.

 

 

[jmcewen]

I am by no means an expert on this, more of a gentleman amateur to be honest, and my workflows are probably backward and upside down from anything that makes sense to a professional. Take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

OBJ is hidden a bit.  It is listed under Wavefront, so if you are looking for anything starting with "O" you will miss it.

 

I still have not learned anything in Blender.  I finally have too much work to stop and study tutorials, and the little bit of learning I had managed is now all fuzzy and forgotten.

 

[Jeff Prince]

@Bertadesign have you tried Collada (.dae)?

That's a pretty good way to move back and forth and preserve some texturing.  Plus, it works with Sketchup too.

Unfortunately, some channels of a material don't come along for the ride like displacement mapping.

If you use such materials, you just have to make a blender version.  It's probably better to texture in Blender to avoid issues with your animation/render solution.

I would avoid .dxf at all costs for this workflow.