Re: CAD file format specifications?

2009-06-19 Thread PoD
On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:39:28 +0200, Anthra Norell wrote:

  I had a look at Blender. It looks impressive too. It might be an
 alternative to Sketch Up. I'll worry about that later. My immediate need
 is a file conversion utility. A cursory inspection of Blender's menu
 tabs and the various help options didn't turn up a file-conversion
 utility. So, my question is: How do I convert a bunch of
 three-dimensional coordinates defining lines into a file format Sketch
 Up can read (skp, dwg, dxf, 3ds, ddf or dem)?
 
 Frederic

If you look in the File/Import menu in Blender, you will see all the file 
types which it can load.

The importing is done with python scripts, so if you are going to write a 
converter you might just as well write an import script for Blender.

The raw import script shows how simple it can be.

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Re: CAD file format specifications?

2009-06-19 Thread Anthra Norell

Dennis Lee Bieber wrote:

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:39:28 +0200, Anthra Norell
anthra.nor...@bluewin.ch declaimed the following in
gmane.comp.python.general:


  
utility. So, my question is: How do I convert a bunch of 
three-dimensional coordinates defining lines into a file format Sketch 
Up can read (skp, dwg, dxf, 3ds, ddf or dem)?




Most CAD type data files are highly structured -- and the formats
may be under company control...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USGS_DEM
http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/nmpstds/acrodocs/dem/2DEM0198.PDF

http://www.martinreddy.net/gfx/3d/3DS.spec
  

Dennis, norseman,
  Thanks for your suggestions. First thing I'm trying to write a DXF 
converter using norseman's excellent documentation. It seems I only need 
a simple subset of the DXF format (Entities). When I'm done I shall take 
a close look at the links above. So, thanks again.


Frederic


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Re: CAD file format specifications?

2009-06-18 Thread Anthra Norell

norseman wrote:

Anthra Norell wrote:

Andres Acosta wrote:
HI there Anthara have you checked out www.Blender.org, It is open 
source and accepts a lot of your formats. for import and export.

Anrdres
Anthra Norell wrote:

Hi,
  Anyone working with CAD who knows about numeric data entry? I 
have 3d coordinates of a construction site on a slope (borders, 
setbacks and isometric elevation lines). Someone made me aware of 
Google's Sketch Up. It looks very attractive for the purpose of 
architectural planning, especially suited to create visual 
impressions. Doodling seems easy. But I have to start with modeling 
the terrain and the envelope and the only way to do that seems to 
be in one of several CAD file formats (skp, dwg, dxf, 3ds, ddf and 
dem). So I need to cast my numbers into one of these formats. Any 
suggestions?


Thanks

Frederic





Andres,

 Thanks for the tip. I wasn't aware of Blender. The web page looks 
promising. I downloaded it and am going to have a look at it.


Frederic


===
Frederic;
Could you be a little more specific about your data's current 
format and the format that seems to best suit your needs?


Tabular source data and dxf output files for use in CAD are quite 
simple to write.  But this assumes dxf suits your display program's 
needs.


I think, for display purposes, Microsoft Word still accepts dxf files. 
I run unix mostly and I don't keep up with Window$. ;(



I suggest you Google for CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) programs. There 
are free ones out there.  Most will take the DXF format.  If the 
contours are pre-traced you can polyline them to make the contours 
look correct. If the 3D points are X-section or random you will need a 
contour generating program  and so it goes.


Let's start here - what is your area of expertise, how much math in 
your background, why are you attempting this exercise?


In order to communicate properly I need to know.  I can tailor my 
comments to suit.






Steve Turner
Licensed Land Surveyor CA 5197 (inactive)
1st order Photogrammetric Compiler (2D depctions from 3D photo sets)
in short  Map Maker, Master Grade
norse...@hughes.net


Steve,
Thank you  for your support. In a nutshell: I have a patch of 
constructible land and have the coordinates of its borders and a few 
other parameters. The patch is on a slope, so I had a surveyor do the 
isometric elevation lines. That's a lot more coordinates. The 
coordinates are plain text. Plain text is a breeze to convert into 
Python sequences. So I made a bitmap of the ground plan with the 
elevation lines as a template to play around doing architecture. A 
ground plan is 2d and as such is rather ill-suited to conceptualize the 
vertical dimension. Then someone made me aware of Google Sketch Up. It 
looks sort of like MS Paint in three dimensions: intuitive for doodling. 
Before I waste time doodling a flying or a subterranean house I want to 
make a three-dimensional template of the terrain and the constructible 
volume. The way to import numeric data, for what I see, is as one of the 
following CAD-file formats: skp, dwg, dxf, 3ds, ddf or dem. So I need to 
convert my coordinates into one of them, preferably the 
conversion-friendliest, but I don't have the specifications of any one.
I had a look at Blender. It looks impressive too. It might be an 
alternative to Sketch Up. I'll worry about that later. My immediate need 
is a file conversion utility. A cursory inspection of Blender's menu 
tabs and the various help options didn't turn up a file-conversion 
utility. So, my question is: How do I convert a bunch of 
three-dimensional coordinates defining lines into a file format Sketch 
Up can read (skp, dwg, dxf, 3ds, ddf or dem)?


Frederic


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Re: CAD file format specifications?

2009-06-13 Thread Anthra Norell

Andres Acosta wrote:
HI there Anthara have you checked out www.Blender.org, It is open 
source and accepts a lot of your formats. for import and export.

Anrdres
Anthra Norell wrote:

Hi,
  Anyone working with CAD who knows about numeric data entry? I have 
3d coordinates of a construction site on a slope (borders, setbacks 
and isometric elevation lines). Someone made me aware of Google's 
Sketch Up. It looks very attractive for the purpose of architectural 
planning, especially suited to create visual impressions. Doodling 
seems easy. But I have to start with modeling the terrain and the 
envelope and the only way to do that seems to be in one of several 
CAD file formats (skp, dwg, dxf, 3ds, ddf and dem). So I need to cast 
my numbers into one of these formats. Any suggestions?


Thanks

Frederic





Andres,

 Thanks for the tip. I wasn't aware of Blender. The web page looks 
promising. I downloaded it and am going to have a look at it.


Frederic

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CAD file format specifications?

2009-06-12 Thread Anthra Norell

Hi,
  Anyone working with CAD who knows about numeric data entry? I have 3d 
coordinates of a construction site on a slope (borders, setbacks and 
isometric elevation lines). Someone made me aware of Google's Sketch Up. 
It looks very attractive for the purpose of architectural planning, 
especially suited to create visual impressions. Doodling seems easy. But 
I have to start with modeling the terrain and the envelope and the only 
way to do that seems to be in one of several CAD file formats (skp, dwg, 
dxf, 3ds, ddf and dem). So I need to cast my numbers into one of these 
formats. Any suggestions?


Thanks

Frederic

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