[Plugin] importDXFtext

Mike Lucey · 27 Oct 2009, 09:58

Thanks TIG,

I haven't had a need to import DXF text of late but have have (a lot) in the past, so this will be bloody useful and a big time saver when I need it again

I have no doubts that it will work perfectly

Mike

TIG · 27 Oct 2009, 10:40

@cadfather said:

TIG i think a menu would be a nice addition.. ..might make testing simpler

first try:

Making 0 TEXT Entities...
> Making 144 MTEXT Entities...
> Error; #<TypeError; C;/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/_importDXFtext.rb;909;in `bounds'; reference to deleted DrawingElement>
> C;/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/_importDXFtext.rb;909
> true

must be something i missed

The next version will have a menu item.
The error you report seems to be caused by having a piece of Mtext that's only a <space> and no actual characters to make into a group - I'll trap for that so the error is ignored - watch out for an update later today...

Panga · 27 Oct 2009, 12:05

Thanks a lot for this one...long time wanted !!

TIG · 28 Oct 2009, 09:50

Here's v1.1 that has a menu item and the empty string glitch fixed...
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=194488#p194488

CadFather · 28 Oct 2009, 16:37

Thanks TIG - i get this error.. but i will try other files as well

Error; #<TypeError; C;/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/_importDXFtext.rb;923;in `bounds'; reference to deleted DrawingElement>
C;/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 7/Plugins/_importDXFtext.rb;923

TIG · 28 Oct 2009, 17:04

I reproduced the error occur by having a piece of Mtext with only a space or carriage-return in it. That's trapped - must be something similar although I thought I'd trapped all calls for bounds etc if the group wasn't valid? Please see if you can find what's causing the problem and report back - it can't be that hard to trap for if we know what it is !

TIG · 29 Oct 2009, 10:06

Here's v1.2 http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=194488#p194488

It should stop some of those errors - please try and feed back...
Empty strings are now show with a Cpoint, the grouped text does not cast or receive shadows and the VCB now shows progress as well as the Console if preferred...

redsteel · 20 Feb 2011, 22:36

Thank you very much for this, for once i was getting really pissed with SU but your work it's a life saver, thanks again.

...btw, is there a menu version?

TIG · 23 Mar 2011, 22:57

Alex
You didn't specify the DXF's units...
I downloaded your file anyway
I got a Bugsplat importing it using 'mm'!
Importing it using 'm' I did get some rapid output in the Ruby Console... then an error after some importing...
This is everything imported This is an extract of a part of it
The Ruby Console output failed on a layer name 'T' not being defined.
That layer name is used for Lines, but as far as I can see not for 'Text' ?
BUT then there are almost 150,000 lines of code in the DXF file [it's 'NOT BIG' ] !
The DXF won't load into AutoCAD at all !!! ... so I suspect it is corrupt in some way ??
The error is "Unknown value "AC1024" encountered in drawing version" - I only have ACAD2008 so perhaps it's made in an NEWER version? DWG convert might work if it were a DWG file... BUT it's a DXF file
I also made a layer named 'T' before trying 'meters' for the import units and got this result - after a looooong wait - with no errors... detail I can't believe you want ALL of this text importing - try to reduce the content of the DWG>>DXF and save in an older version like r2004, as it will import cleaner and quicker...

Could you edit the CAD file so it only contains 'text' and retry...

alexdobras · 24 Mar 2011, 00:23

i tried to import a dxf and SU is crashing. It is not a big file.
you can check it out: http://dl.transfer.ro/transfer_ro-23mar-7b7d941ec2f2cc8f.zip (it expires in 10 days)

alexdobras · 24 Mar 2011, 11:49

yeah, for some reason the file cannot import into Acad. I had a dwg, which i saved into dxf in order to work with the file in SU andBlender. Now, Blender 2.49 imports the file perfectly, i mean flawlessly with text and everything like i see it on CAD software i use: DraftSight. When i open the file in SU, the same file as in Blender, the model comes with a lot of deformations and with the text missing- I mean through SU 8 PRO native dwg/dxf importerthat comes with the pro version. No matter is dwg or dxf the file will import bad.
So i am using this plugin in http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=31186&start=75, which actually doesn't deform the model, but takes more time to import the file. The only problem is it doesn't import the text, and the model need to have everything exploded, so no blocks.
I hope you did understand about what i am talking about

TIG · 24 Mar 2011, 14:08

Sketchup doesn't import dwf/dxf text that's why I wrote the script...
It is a good idea to reduce the dxf down to just the text items- it speeds the import and aaoids errors. It's easy to make a copy of the file in your CAD app and then filter to leave just the dtext/mtext etc, then purge and audit the dwg, then finally save as a ~r2004 DXF...

alexdobras · 24 Mar 2011, 19:00

@tig said:

Sketchup doesn't import dwf/dxf text that's why I wrote the script...
It is a good idea to reduce the dxf down to just the text items- it speeds the import and aaoids errors. It's easy to make a copy of the file in your CAD app and then filter to leave just the dtext/mtext etc, then purge and audit the dwg, then finally save as a ~r2004 DXF...

i have done what you said, and still SU crashes right before imports the text

here is the 2004 ASCII drawing.DXF , only with text (just text)

btw, i have intel i5 750, 2gb ddram3, video Geforce GTS250, win7 64 bit, and SU8

TIG · 24 Mar 2011, 23:18

You have NOT trimmed down the file to include just 'Text' !!
You have simply switched other layers 'off' - these are still there and so Sketchup WILL try to import them !!!
Here's a properly reduced version of the DXF...TESTTEXT2004.dxf And the resultant SKP.TESTTEXT2004.skp

alexdobras · 24 Mar 2011, 23:34

@tig said:

You have NOT trimmed down the file to include just 'Text' !!
You have simply switched other layers 'off' - these are still there and so Sketchup WILL try to import them !!!
Here's a properly reduced version of the DXF...

i tryed what you have sent me
still, it crashes
now see for yourself:click on Télécharger ce fichier
http://dl.free.fr/getfile.pl?file=/r36AYYVu

TIG · 24 Mar 2011, 23:37

BUT you tried to import it in 'mm'... I did it in 'm' - as I explained before.......
I worked fine for me...
WHAT are the units you are working in ...

alexdobras · 24 Mar 2011, 23:45

@tig said:

BUT you tried to import it in 'mm'... I did it in 'm' - as I explained before.......
I worked fine for me...
WHAT are the units you are working in ...

sorry TIG, i knew i forgot to change something.
when putting to m , it works,
but i don't understand why is crashing at mm, though.
and a second one, why the file needs to be saved as 2004 ascii dxf, could;nt you make it up-to-date to ascii 2010 drawing?

thanks anyways for this wonderful plugin!

TIG · 25 Mar 2011, 00:03

@alexdobras said:

@tig said:

BUT you tried to import it in 'mm'... I did it in 'm' - as I explained before.......
I worked fine for me...
WHAT are the units you are working in ...

sorry TIG, i knew i forgot to change something.
when putting to m , it works,
but i don't understand why is crashing at mm, though.
and a second one, why the file needs to be saved as 2004 ascii dxf, could;nt you make it up-to-date to ascii 2010 drawing?
Thanks anyways for this wonderful plugin!

Presumably at 'mm' the size of some objects is just too small of Sketchup/OpenGL <~0.5mm - You OUGHT to import all of your DXFs etc in at their correct unit settings - I assumed 'm' as it simply 'worked' and you [still] gave me no clue - CAD files have no real UNITS - the recipient must be told that vital info so the units can be 'set' on import !??
Please remember that this is a ***ing 'free tool' I wrote it to read DXF format files as they were made at that time - so your saving it in a more recent DXF format gives YOU absolutely NO benefits and me only a headache...
Reading the code in a DXF file is complex enough to 'parse' - even in its 'text' format - I suggest you open a DXF file in Notepad to see what I mean... A binary format like DWG is a zillion times more involved [open one in Notepad to see the gobbledygook]... So... IF YOU want to write your own DXF importer and share it freely with the rest of us, then please feel free
Gift horse...mouth... etc

alexdobras · 25 Mar 2011, 00:22

"you [still] gave me no clue" - i don't exactly understand what are you saying.
Perhaps my English is not as good as should be.

alexdobras · 25 Mar 2011, 01:16

good news, mate:
i created another dxf with text and saved as Ascii 2010 drawing dxf
and guess what ? it has imported almost perfectly, if the cyan letters weren't reshaped:

here's the file:text2010.dxf
here's the preview in CAD:
here's the peview in SU:

seems when importing into SU, it is not recognized the shape of the cyan text

the same exact thing happens with a 2004 dxf ,with the cyan text