import 3d studio file into vectorworks 12

[ptfreelance 0]

can anybody help. i need to import 3ds file into vectorworks 2012 to produce working drawings, however they always come in as a mesh (with all triangles) not as a solid. does anybody have a solution to this so they come in clean.

cheers

p

[anon10 0]

The mesh is the wireframe 3D. I think you will need to create a surface over these. I have been informed this is done using Renderworks. Although when I have tried it myself (surface creation) over a 3D shape imported from autoCAD, I had to start over and create a new 3D shape using the VWX process.

2012 does have a facility to import sketchup files, i wonder if that does anything different?

[rDesign 466]

Assuming that you're using 2012 (and not VectorWorks 12, which came out in 2005) - the first thing to check in Vw is does the object still show up as unmeshed (not solid) when you set the rendering mode to OpenGL? (View > Rendering > OpenGL). This will also set the view to Top, not Top/Plan.

If that doesn't solve it then you need to determine whether the problem is with the 3DS file or with the Vw import of it: try opening the 3DS file in this free program MeshLab. Both Windows & Mac versions are available.

Open MeshLab and go to 'File > Import Mesh...' and open up the 3DS file. If you can't see anything try zooming in/out with your mouse scroll wheel, click the left mouse button and pan around. Make sure you are on either Flat or Smooth rendering modes shown in the image below.

If the object still shows up as an unfilled mesh (not a solid) in MeshLab then the problem is with the 3DS file itself and it will need to be re-meshed. I believe that MeshLab can do this - but you're on your own - I've never tried.

HTH.

[ptfreelance 0]

As a solution I have been exporting from 3dstudio as a .sat and then importing into vectorworks. This has given really good results and has enabled me to produce good quality drawings in vectorworks 2012. Does anybody else use this method?

Cheers

P