I am looking for an inexpensive solution to a complex problem. I would like to create 3D renderings of Auto Cad drawings and I don't have alot of money to spend on this project. I downloaded trail ver 2.1 and I insert a spline object and I try to import .eps or .ai and I get nothing. I have also tried to import a .dxf with the same result. I am just trying to basicaly import a template of an building floorplan that I can then model and render in Carrara. I hope to be able to use Carrara because it seems to easier to use (less learning curve) and the price. I think I would buy ver. 3 today if all this can be done. Can Carrara handle large vector files, is this my problem or is it because these are 2d files? Is there a difference between a 2D .dxf and a 3D .dxf. Do I need the plug-in Vector Style? Has anyone done this sort of thing? Can anyone help? I am so frustrated right now. Thanks

Hello eefx, As long as the CAD drawings are converted to an Adobe Illustrator 8.0 or earlier, you shouldn't have any problem. Adobe Illustrator (.ai) is the only vector format that Carrara will currently recognize. Some CAD packages will export something that is named as a .ai file but is actually a bit map image saved in Illustrator format instead of actually exporting vector information - which is what Carrara needs in the spline modeler. Also, in my experience, the .dxf/.ai files generated by CAD programs also need to be processed through Illustrator or Corel Draw first and have all of the line segments joined to get continuous paths. Otherwise, items with thickness, like a wall, will have open ends instead of closing on the top and bottom properly. A 2D .dxf is a flat plan view. Carrara cannot read 3D .dxf files. However, I've had luck with other exportable 3D formats like .wml. The problem is, not all CAD programs export the 3D options with any consitency. I usually have to run .igs files or .stl files through another program like Amapi first and then export them to Carrara as a .obj or .car file. I don't think that this is what you wanted to hear. :(

Attached Link: http://fraktali.849pm.com/graphcon.html

Speaking of Amapi, it opens up .dxf files. I think you can still DL a free version... look on the Amapi forum, they used to have a link. There's also other conversion software out there, some free some not. As Mark mentioned, not all .dxf files are equal, and I usually dread getting files from CAD programs. GL! Including a link to some converters.

It looks like MarkBremmer pretty much has it covered. I would like say that I've had sucess with using Corel to put things into .AI in the past and as far as I'm concerned that's the way to go. My only experernce with cad is turbocad 3 that was on the tcad 4 disk(IMSI). (for some reason tcad 4 wouldn't install but I don't miss it much.)

Inventor is the obvious choice for rendering AutoCAD stuff. If you have access to the AutoCAD suite you might also have Inventor but didn't know it. It seems to be a well kept secret. Check your AutoCAD licence and media.

Mark