Importing a CAD symbol into VW Spotlight

[mjunderdog1]

Hello all,

I am wondering how to import a CAD symbol into a resource library so that I may use it in drawings. For example, I downloaded Sharpy_Cad.dwg-R2004.zip file and unzipped it. The unzipped file was a folder (of the same name) with 4 different .dwg files.

I use VW Spotlight 2009 and usually only use top-view drawings. I do not know how to import that CAD into my resource library.

Thanks.

MJ

[mjunderdog1]

I'm having another problem: very often, when I'm trying to import a .dwg file, the program just crashes on me. Tho not all the time.

[maxbowman]

I can't help you with the crashing issue (but if memory serves I had that issue in 2009 as well)

...but once you import the symbol (not really a symbol at this point more just a group) into VW you select it, and create a symbol like you normally would (select it, MODIFY->CREATE SYMBOL... since you just need 2D it's a quick process)

...and this next step I can't remember exactly how 2009 did it so my apologies if I mess it up...

but I believe under the "CONVERT" section of the MODIFY pulldown is a "Convert to Instrument" option (they later moved this to a Spotlight pulldown by default)...but you have to make it a VW symbol first before this will work, and then this will attach the necessary record format so you can have your channel fields and such.

Now if they were built using AutoCAD Blocks (smartish symbols) rather than just a bunch of lines (dumb symbols, as they don't have any record format attached), I have heard there is a way to have VW read that info, but I've always found it faster just to make the symbol the "long" way rather then waste time trying to figure out the other way...and most dwg symbols I've found on the net tend to just be lines grouped together

Edited April 4, 2013 by maxbowman

[mjunderdog1]

Thanks Max. I did what you said:

1- opened the .mcd file (I was able to find one) and converted it to a VWX 2009 file;

2- selected the top view drawing in the sharpy.vwx file and clicked modify-create symbol. I selected the "leave instance in place" box, so that the 2D symbol was kept in the .mcd file. This placed a symbol in the resource browser of my sharpy vwx file.

3- clicked modify-convert-convert to instrument. The object info box then showed all the info/attributes (size, weight, channel, etc.) I entered what I needed in the obj info box, name, wattage, etc.

4- then I imported the resource into my current show file/drawing, and there it sat, in my resource library.

However, when I tried to insert the resource as a lighting instrument, it would only work when I clicked on the "inst insertion tool", and even then, NONE of the light info that I had set up with the symbol showed up in the obj info box.

I suspect that was because, when I added the obj info, the program would only let me do it when I had the DRAWING in the .mcd file highlighted. It won't let me click modify-convert if I just have the symbol in the resource library clicked.

Further, the only way I could get it to transfer the relevant light info was when I copied the symbol in my new sharpy vwx file (the symbol in the DRAWING, not in the resource library) directly into my show file drawing.

Do u, or anyone else, know how to get around that issue?

Thx.

Edited April 5, 2013 by mjunderdog1

[maxbowman]

http://download2.nemetschek.net/TechTips/Custom_Lighting_Device/Custom_Lighting_Device.html

Totally forgot that existed...That should walk you through everything....and you have to use the inst insertion tool, otherwise you're just throwing in a 2d/3d 'dumb' symbol rather than the Light object as it basically loads the vectorscript plugin to do the LX stuff (thats how I understand it, but I could be mistaken).