How to easily convert multiple 3D polys into surfaces?

[starling75]

Hi, I have imported some objects from SketchUp which are built from grouped 3D polys.

I must convert these polys into NURBS surfaces and then stitch them together to get solids, but it seems that I have to select and convert each polygon separately... Trying to select for example whole cube built from polys and press Ctrl+Alt+K - I will get this message:

Surface could not be created from curve network.

It is logical and understandable, but does anyone know how to automate this process of selection and conversion or any other trick?

Thanks a lot.

[Ray Libby]

Post a file here with an example.

[starling75]

You can create easily your own example:

Extrude rectangle, then convert extruded box into 3D polys - you will get groupe of 3D polygons creating faces of the box, then enter the group, select all 6 closed 3D polygons and press Ctrl+alt+K (surface from curves command) and then you will get the message above ...

Selecting and converting one by one each polygon works properly and after stitching created surfaces together you can rebuild solid box ...

But having dozen of such boxes (f.e. imported from SU)and selecting every polygon separately ... huffff

[brudgers]

I recommend using the organization tools within sketchup to facilitate the transision into Vectorworks.

Sketchup Groups and components will become symbols when imported. Sketchup layers can be mapped to classes.

To be honest, if you're only working with simple boxes, it's probably easier to redraw them.

[starling75]

Of course I organize my SU objects into groups and components so they were translated into its VW equivalents correctly and it works fine.

The only "problem" is that SU models are composed from surfaces and sometimes I need to work with solids.

Simple box is just only simple example... models I wish to convert are much more complex ..

[starling75]

Well I found the solution.

1) Create your complex geometry in SU within few minutes..

sketchup model

2) Import it into VW as a plain geometry = VW 3D polygons

3) Select whole object (or all objects) and convert it into a mesh (Ctrl+Alt+R)

4) Keep it selected and convert the mesh into NURBS (Ctrl+Alt+N)

... you will get group of NURBS surfaces ..

5) Ungroup (Ctrl+U)

6) Keep it selected and convert it into solid using stitch and trim surfaces (Ctrl+Alt+H)

7) Now you have bunch of solids you can work with (boolean operations, sections, protrude etc)

sketchup model converted into VW solids

It looks like complicated process, but in fact it is pretty fast and probably easy scriptable to automate this string of conversions

Enjoy

[starling75]

Here you can watch example video