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Importing 3D symbols


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I'm sure someone has figured this out (but not me).  How can I import a 3D symbol like a microwave from the General Electric website ?  When I import the dwg 3D block, it comes out to be a mesh that can be broken into 3D polygons, but I can't figure out how to transform all the thousands of 3D polygons into an object that VW uses like extrudes, Generic solid, or other simple forms.  I want to do this so that I can apply the correct textures.  I attached an example import, as well as a screen shot showing the many many many polygons that make up the object.   I've fiddled with all the dwg import controls, to no avail.  (I'm using VW 2015,   ..... so therefore I wonder .... is this still a problem with VW2020  ? )

 

Alternatively ... does anyone know a good site for obtaining VW models of appliances, furniture, etc  ...  ?  (Desire manufacturer exact models.)

Microwave.tiff test microwave import.vwx

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There's no problem, this is fundamental to how Vectorworks... "works". 

The file you are importing is made in some other CAD software, which works with Polygons. 

Vectorworks works with Vectors, and ultimately this is how Vectorworks interprets that polygonal data to be able to represent it.

 

Using the imported data is a) messy, and b) guaranteed to slow your project down to an unacceptable crawl. 

This is not an unusual situation to be in, and what I do in this case is work in a new 'transitional' file, and re-draw the object I want over top of the imported mess as though I were tracing it.

 

As for obtaining VW models of appliances, furniture, etc, there is a vast internal stock library of these.

It is obviously not exhaustive or by any means complete, but it is substantial.

Might be time to upgrade?

 

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thanks for the reply ... you confirmed what I had expected to be true ....  there is still no good way to import these 'non-vectorworks' files.    I trace them occasionally, but was hoping there was a better way.      As for upgrading VW  .... I'm retired, so using VW is not much more than a hobby.  I'm trying to see how long I can keep my current iMac that works with VW 2015 quite well.  Since I have to keep the current Mac OS (10.10.1) to operate with VW, I can't upgrade the internet browsers, so eventually I'll have a "non-internet" computer and I'll have to figure out if an upgraded VW is worth it.  

 

again .. thanks.

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Does the website have other file formats for download other than 3D DWG, e.g. STEP, 3DM, 3DS, sldpart? You may have more success with importing those to get a proper 3D object though it does depend on which CAD program was used to create the 3D object in. If it was AutoCAD then it may not be of much use anyway, if it was another program that was used to create the DWG 3D file then one of the other formats may work better. Especially STEP and IGES are worth trying because they are meant for exchange of 3D objects.

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Art V:  I'll check out the other file formats in the future.  Right now, I ended up downloading dwg files in elevation and found it was fairly easy to trace them and build my own appliances.  Interestingly, when I went back to the website to download some more files, I found that many appliance models have a link to download files, but they don't tell you which file format.  From experience. it seems they are mostly dwg.   Oddly, I also discovered that GE website has downloaded files for some of their products, but not all.  For several refrigerators, I clicked on "download CAD files" and get a blank screen.  I guess it is random.  Here is the weblink:   https://www.geappliances.com/appliance/GE-Profile-27-9-Cu-Ft-Smart-Fingerprint-Resistant-4-Door-French-Door-Refrigerator-with-Door-In-Door-PVD28BYNFS   

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Took a look at the website and most seem to be Autocad DWG files, if any files were available.  You may want to check websites like Grabcad, partcommunity.com and Traceparts for the same items as these often do have multiple 3D formats available for the 3D content on their websites. If the same models are listed there then you may have more luck in getting a usable 3D model. Some manufacturers have their own sections on these and/or similar websites.

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