Hey guys, My model to rendering workflow goes as follows. 1. Model in MicroStation 2. Export to DWG 3. Open in AutoCad 2006 4. Export the DWG to 3DS 5. Import into Vue Now often, for most elements, this works fine. More steps than I'd wish, but MS integrates with nothing. Anyways, in MicroStation, there's output options that tell it to change MicroStation Elements to for ACad. However, what I'm noticing is that anything planar (2d shape) that ISN'T simply rectangular or flat will not import correctly. Now ACad is used all the time to export to 3DS format (same company even) so something must be wrong with the element in ACad to begin with, before I export to 3ds. I can extrude the object in MicroStation to be 3d, but then I'm adding tons of faces, bogging down my comp in Vue. Not knowing ACad much is killing me (I only use it to translate files). I've attached an image of the options but there are flyouts which I'll illustrate below. If anyone can help, I'd be eternally indebted to you. Here's the choices for each. What I have picked is in the image. Again, I appreciate any help I can get. I'll bold what I feel the possible problem areas are. Should I try to have most things as a certain type of entity? I know in MicroStation there are "problem formats". How do I check this in ACad? Planar LineStrings: Polyline - 3D Polyline Nonplanar LineStrings: Polyline (flattened) - 3D Polyline Flat Solids & Surfaces - ACIS Entity (Body or 3D Solid) - Polyface Mesh - Wireframe Curved Solids and Surfaces - **ACIS Entity (Body or 3D Solid) - Polyface Mesh - Wireframe** FILLED ELEMENTS: 3 or 4 Sided Polygons: - Polyline - Solid Entity - Region Entity - Hatch Entity - Polyface Mesh 5 or more sided polygons: - Polyline - Region Entity - Hatch Entity - Polyface Mesh Complex Shapes: - **Polyline - Region Entity - Hatch Entity** 2D UNFILLED ELEMENTS: 3 or 4 Sided Polygons: - Polyline - Region Entity - Face Entity - Polyface Mesh 5 or more sided polygons: - Polyline - Region Entity - Polyface Mesh Complex Shapes: - Polyline - Region Entity - Polyface Mesh Grouped Holes: - Region Entity - Polyfaced Mesh 3D UNFILLED ELEMENTS: 3 or 4 Sided Polygons: - Polyline - Region Entity - Face Entity - Polyface Mesh 5 or more sided polygons: - Polyline - Region Entity - Polyface Mesh Complex Shapes: - Polyline - Region Entity - Polyface Mesh Grouped Holes: - Region Entity - Polyfaced Mesh

Ryan, I think that you answered your own question. If I read your question correctly, you are trying to port a 2D planar surface to Vue through AutoCAD. In AutoCAD, if for the surface to be planar, the only changes are to be in the (X,Y) plane. AutoCAD expects all Z elevations to be the same, like 'zero'. As soon as you try to import something that has a change in 'Z' value, it will fail unless you use a 3D polyline. Another conflict is that X,Y,Z relationship in VUE does not match the X,Y,Z relationship in AutoCAD. In AutoCAD, the 'Y' is the vertical while in VUE it is the 'Z' axis. But I am sure that you are aware of this. My suggestion is to make your 2D plane a 3D one. You can send me your DWG and I'll see what your problem is.

http://www.sycode.com/ might be something there of use

Here's an irregular planar shape out of MicroStation to DWG. How is this coming into ACAD as and should it be something else? Am I missing a step? This type of element, with no z change, wont import into Vue for me. Rename .txt to .dwg. Thanks!

Hi Ryan,

The shape is represented in AutoCAD as a SPLINE. It will not import just into VUE, but will not import into AMAPI nor HEXAGON. That leads me to suspect that a spline is not a definable entity in the 3DS file format.

I suggest that you create a surface of that shape in MS, export that to AutoCAD and then to 3DS. That process has always worked for me.

Message edited on: 02/16/2006 15:16

I suggest that you create a surface of that shape in MS, export that to AutoCAD then then to 3DS. That process has always worked for me. That's what I do though. So if ACAD users dont use splines in 3ds, what do they use for smooth curves?

Don't know about other people, but I form a surface, and the smoother I want it to be, the smaller triangles I form.

Facetres is the variable for Acis solids in Autocad. Should be at least 2. If you have a closed spline that is planar, you can export it as a region.