3D objects not imported with 3D Dwg

[DangCad1]

Hi all,

I’m running into an issue when working with a consultant’s 3D DWG in ArchiCAD. Here’s the situation:

• I attach the DWG as an Xref, including all layers.

• Most layers are visible, but elements drawn in 3D by the consultant do not appear, neither in plan or 3D/section (see screenshot).

• If I import the same DWG into Rhino, all elements—including the 3D ones—are visible in both plan and 3D views (see screenshot.

• When I attach the DWG as an External Drawing instead of an Xref, the lines from the 3D objects are visible in plan—but I need it as an Xref to maintain layer control.

• If I instead use File > Interoperability > Merge, the 3D elements are still missing, and layers are not assigned in the Xref section.

• If I instead use File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object, i get the same result but the orientation and location in the file is off.

Has anyone encountered this before? Is there a known limitation with ArchiCAD’s handling of 3D DWGs as Xrefs, or is there a workflow that allows me to keep both the 3D geometry and layer control? I've tried playing around with the translator settings but to no good.

I can ask the consultant (using AutoCAD 2026) to save it in a different format, but which one would be the go-to in that case? 

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Rhino:

ArchiCAD:

Operating system used: Mac Apple Silicon

  

[Aaron Bourgoin]

3D content in a DWG can be brought into the model via GDL. Use "Open Library Part" and selct DWG as the file type to open. This. will convert the 3D elements into a single Archhicad object.

[DangCad1]

Is "Open Library Part" different from  File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object? Because that option I've already tried and unfortunately it only brought in the 2D elements.

[Aaron Bourgoin]

Yes, Open Object (my bad). Have a look at the settings for the translator you're using. See screenshot. I've selected Binary as the GDL script would be mostly useless.

[DangCad1]

Hm, I used the Open Object dialog, but to no luck. However, I can't find anywhere where to choose a translator in this dialog. What am I missing here? Google is no help, unfortunately.

[Aaron Bourgoin]

it shows up in the dialog where you choose the format DWG. bottom right of the file open dialog? smae place as it does when you use the File open command.

[Barry Kelly]

And in pictures...

Barry.

[Laszlo Nagy]

FYI: Whenever you cannot explicitly choose a DWG/DXF Translator, for example, when you place a DWG/DXF with the Drawing tool, Archicad will use the default Translator for Import.

You can go to the DXF-DWG Translation Setup Dialog and check which one it is.

Usually, it is the "02 For editable import" Translator. The little blue left-pointing arrow before its name is that indication for that. In the green arrow column, you can specify if a Translator is used for Export, Import, or Both, and when a Translator is used for Import, you can then use the blue arrow column to specify import Translator should be the default one.