ArchiCAD to Lightwave

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I'm an old AutoCAD user trying to adapt to ArchiCAD. I use Lightwave for rendering, and would like to hear any tips and tricks if anyone here is using that combination. What are the best ways of exporting? Can you create AC GDL objects from LW models?

(I use AC 7 and LW 7.5)

[stefan]

To create GDL objects, export to 3ds from Lightwave and import in ArchiCAD as a Library object.

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

[Bricklyne Clarence]

stefan wrote:
To create GDL objects, export to 3ds from Lightwave and import in ArchiCAD as a Library object.

(Yikes!!!!!)

......that wouldn't work. He (She?) uses ArchiCAD v7, that doesn't import 3DS objects/files without the import plugin. I suggest you try to find the 3ds-import plugin to import the objects into ArchiCAD. I believe there was a link to a download site somewhere on the forum. I'm not sure about whether or not there was one for version 7; I'm pretty sure that there were some for versions 8 and 8.1, in German however. Alternatively you can just upgrade to ArchiCAD v9 which has the 3DS import version built in and in English ( if that is your Lingua Prefere) plus it has a ton of other upgrades and optimizations that you'll just lovecoming from version 7; not to try to plug it or anything.

As for importing from ArchiCAD to Lightwave, once you're done with all your modelling in ArchiCAD then export from the 3D window as a LWO or OBJ object. I believe Lightwave accepts both formats, but I'm not sure which is preferable for rendering pruposes since I haven't used Lightwave in a very long time.

[stefan]

Bricklyne wrote:

stefan wrote:
To create GDL objects, export to 3ds from Lightwave and import in ArchiCAD as a Library object.

(Yikes!!!!!)

......that wouldn't work. He (She?) uses ArchiCAD v7, that doesn't import 3DS objects/files without the import plugin. I suggest you try to find the 3ds-import plugin to import the objects into ArchiCAD. I believe there was a link to a download site somewhere on the forum. I'm not sure about whether or not there was one for version 7; I'm pretty sure that there were some for versions 8 and 8.1, in German however. Alternatively you can just upgrade to ArchiCAD v9 which has the 3DS import version built in and in English ( if that is your Lingua Prefere) plus it has a ton of other upgrades and optimizations that you'll just lovecoming from version 7; not to try to plug it or anything.

As for importing from ArchiCAD to Lightwave, once you're done with all your modelling in ArchiCAD then export from the 3D window as a LWO or OBJ object. I believe Lightwave accepts both formats, but I'm not sure which is preferable for rendering pruposes since I haven't used Lightwave in a very long time.

The import plugin exists (but is hard to find).
In older ArchiCAD versions, you could import OBJ-files, with support for smoothing angles. This is gone now, for whatever reason.
I didn't remember ArchiCAD being able to export LWO-files... Maybe I should boot ArchiCAD again (it's been a while).

[Anonymous]

stefan wrote:
The import plugin exists (but is hard to find).

Hello Stefan

I'm searching this "hard to find plugin" to import .lwo file into ArchiCAD.
Have you some "tracks" to find it ?

[stefan]

I never had a plugin to open LWO or LWS files in ArchiCAD, but I thought Lightwave was able to export 3ds-files, which you can import into ArchiCAD. ArchiCAD 9 has the plugin included, for older versions I can send you a copy. They're free, but were a bit hard to find.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick reply Stefan

It is what I want to know.
Then no easy way to import Light Wave Object in ArchiCAD without Light Wave…

[stefan]

Are you saying that you have a Lightwave object you want to import, but you don't have Lightwave?

There are conversion programs to do that, so for a one-time conversion I want to give it a try.

[Anonymous]

stefan wrote:
Are you saying that you have a Lightwave object you want to import, but you don't have Lightwave?

Yes, I find some site with lightwave object —like this one http://dmi.chez.tiscali.fr/models16.html — and like to use it on ArchiCAD

stefan wrote:
There are conversion programs to do that, so for a one-time conversion I want to give it a try.

Does this conversion programs are freeware or not?
How can we do a try ?

Does some other program can open .lwo and export .3ds like Cinema 4D CE6 ?

Yes it works

Thanks for the Work around Stefan…