Many of my models are created from AutoCAD drawings run through Illustrator to create shape profiles and imported into Carrara for spline extrusion. In C1 I finally figured out that to make filled extrusions I needed to import shapes already turned into compound shapes in Illustrator. In C2 nothing I try will form a filled extrusion from these shapes. I have tried importing as compound shapes, compounding the shape after import into C2 and changing the fill shape check box in the extrusion settings box. Nothing seems to work! A long winded question but any ideas would be appreciated.

I think I understand what you're getting at but could you post an image of one of the shapes after you get it into C? If you import the shape and then get it into the vertex modeler, you should be able to select it and fill the polygons. Hard to tell if that's what you're talking about though. -Kix

-Kix

Sorry to suggest this if you've already checked it... It sounds like the points/nodes along the path in the CAD drawing may not be actually joined into a continous path in illustrators eyes. From some clients, I've received CAD files and had to select and join the points 2 by 2 in illustrator; a hassel for some of the more complex shapes. It's ended up being a CAD to Illustrator issue vs. an Illustrator to Carrara thing. It depends on the CAD authoring software. If this isn't it and you get it figured out, please post back. I'll probably run into it in the next few weeks myself. Mark

Thanks Kix and Mark - I will try the joining process in Illustrator and post some images.

Kix - The screenshots will hopefully explain what I am getting at. The extrusion shown has the closed option checked in the cross section options but does not close. Mark - It looks as if you are correct. I went into Illustrator and was able to join nodes seemingly joined already on curved segments. I don't know why I did not face this in C1 but am now. I will post an example after I complete the work, it is a huge undertaking. I'm hoping to discover some buried software trick to end my pain. Thanks both of you for the help!! Michael

Hmmm, interesting. I'm not super sure why your shape isn't closed up. Do you have two of the same shape that are laying on top of each other and they are compounded? That's about the only thing I can think of. Regardless, I'm pretty sure you should now be able to change this shape to a vertex object, select the vertices on one end, and fill. Then repeat for the other end. Like Mark, I'm danged curios to see how this comes out. -Kix

-Kix

I tend to use a lot of software in the mix so Illustrator is around often. When exporting Flash files from Swift3d I also get unconnected lines (the endpoints do overlap but they are simply not part of the same line). I did find a neat trick to extract filled shapes. The only downside is that the resulting shapes are a wee bit smaller, so that could be a problem if your AutoCad stuff involves advanced product design for medical equipment or something... In Illustrator: - select all - convert lines to outlines (I use a localized version so I don't know the exact wording), look somewhere around Object/Path - With everything still selected, Pathfinder: combine *you now have a large compound shape of everything, but that is not what you need, I guess. BUT - Deselect - Select the outer line with the hollow cursor - Cut/delete The compound is destroyed, but you have now filled shapes, connected and all. Only a tad smaller. Overlapping shapes you want to keep intact should be brought to their own layer before doing this (and the layers should be handled one at a time as well) It works because the endpoint of the unconnected lines do overlap enough to become one shape. if they are not EXACTLY in the same place, just extend the endpoints in the 'line' tab before doing all of this. This could save you a hell of a lot time, as it did me. Questions? Just ask...

Wow, this has turned out to quite an experiment. All of the ideas posted work and I can see different applications for all of them. The attached screenshots show Kix's vertex fill on the left and Mark's joining on the right. The vertex fill yields a hollow shape and the join yields a solid. To accomplish the join idea I first simplified the curves with a fidelity setting of 100%, this also joined the seperate vertexes. All that remained was to join any vertex forming a hard angle instead of a curve, on this shape that meant a total of 2 joins, easy! Hoofdcommissaris pathfinder idea also works with great ease as long as I don't need 100% accuracy, this is the case often enough to add this to my bag of tricks. Thanks all for the help!! As usual the forum saves the day when I have grown tired of banging my head against the wall. Michael