3d .dwg export and import in archicad

[jespizua]

Hello,

I´m working with a colleague who use autocad, and i´m trying to import his 3d dwg within archicad with not success. Im a bit desperate and any help would be very handy.

Thanks in advance and cheers.

[Stig Bengtsson]

You have to open the dwg as an object: file/lib&obj/open object.

Stig

[Robert Fuchs]

We to have had problems opening 3D dwg files from consultants.
What we have figured out so far is that ArchiCAD can not open
dwg files as library parts if the dwg file was modeled using solids.
All we could open from our Engineer were 3D reference lines because
all the other objects were created as solids. The fix I was told (which I
haven't tried) is to have the file exported as a 3DS file and then
open the 3DS file in AutoCAD and save it as a DWG file. That is supposed
to remove the solids feature of the model. I can't get my consultant to do
this so I don't know if it really works.

[jespizua]

Thanks for your answers. But the problem reside when i import .3ds within autocad, because autocad translate solids elements to triangulated furface which make the file useless. I think that there is no way to solve it, i hope that archicad improve the .dwg export import in the next release.

[Thomas Holm]

You might try to install the 3DS import addon in Archicad - I don't know if it'll solve your problem but worth a try. Check the Goodies section of the Help menu, download it form Graphisoft. It will convert 3DS files to GDL objects:
"HOW DO I USE "3DStudio In" ADD-ON?

To convert a 3DS object:

Select the 3ds file with the Convert 3DS to GDL object command from the Design/ Design Extras>>3DS Converter menu.
The add-on displays information about the original 3DS file (number of points, polygons and object count). You can modify the object sizes (X dimension(A), Y dimension(B) and height).
Force smooth option: The add-on tries smoothing all object surfaces.
Import hidden objects: Hidden objects will also be imported from the file.
Use texture’s alpha channel: The transparency information will be imported from the 3D Studio file, if the related TGA/TIFF textures contain alpha channel information.
Click OK."

[David Larrew]

Have you and/or your consultant tried saving the .DWG to a .DXF and then tried bringing the 3D .DXF into AC?

[jespizua]

David wrote:
Have you and/or your consultant tried saving the .DWG to a .DXF and then tried bringing the 3D .DXF into AC?

No, i have not tried that, i did not know that archicad support 3d .dxf. I´ll try that just now . Thanks so much!!

[jespizua]

Sorry but not luck with this workaround ,same problem as importing 3d .dwg. Are there any special steps to follow within the import dialog box ?

[jespizua]

All i can see with this method is a proyected (frontal) view of the 3d model.

[Karl Ottenstein]

jespizua wrote:
All i can see with this method is a proyected (frontal) view of the 3d model.

If all you see is a 2d view, then you did not open the file as an object.

3DS is superior to dwg/dxf for 3D as mentioned below.

There are shareware programs that can help convert between different formats. Perhaps one of them can read the dwg solid info and convert to 3DS.

Karl