Exporting DXF's to Sketchup

[R Tibenham]

Hi,

I recently came down your session at CIBSE going over tips for modelling in ModelIT and Sketchup. At the session we discussed exporting DXF's into sketchup in order to create geometry which is difficult/impossible to model within ModelIT.

I've had experience of ModelIT and the Sketchup plug-in and realise they both have their strengths and weaknesses. Ideally I want to build the bulk of my models within ModelIT, where I can easily achieve accurate, 'fully sealed' volmes, and then export the model as a 'polyface mesh' DXF file into Sketchup, where I can tweek the model and construct more complex geometries such as the roof. I could then export the whole model from sketchup as a GEM file, or use the Sketchup plug-in to identify room and set an mit. file up that way.

This would be particularly beneficial for models which have multi level and complex roofs, where the roof cuts into some rooms and sits atop others.

At the session it was advised to export the model as a 'polyfaced mesh' dxf file (i.e, polylines and surfaces). The problem I am having is that IES crashes every time I try to export a model in this format. A dialog box appears saying 'VE MFC has stopped working and the program will terminate'. I am able to export the model as a 'polyline' DXF file, but this imports into Skecthup as polylines only, hence if I try to run the 'Identify Rooms' tool, it cannot find any closed volumes.

Can you identify any solution to this problem?


Regards,

R Tibenham

[vajindarladdad]

Can you please send the model to our support team ?

[R Tibenham]

Just e-mailed the cab. file over...

[R Tibenham]

Vajindar,

FYI, I've just successfully exported another model as a polymesh DXF, so it must be something inherent in that model.

[vajindarladdad]

I am investigating on this issue , for 6.3 the crash does occur.
The good news is this crash does not occur on our latest developing build & it is successfully imported to SketchUp.
If needed I can send you the dxf file for the same.

[PCully]

the DXF import was in the Free SketchUp versions 6 and 7 but sadly in SketchUp 8 it has been moved only to the Pro version. Quite useful to be able to take VE geometry back out to SketchUp if you do have Pro though...

[PCully]

I didn't think there were any problems using Export DXF in 6.1.1. We had a problem in 6.2 where it would crash but this is fixed in 6.3 onwards so if it's not working 6.1.1 then yeah try it in 6.3 onwards when you get a chance.

Phil