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[Plugin] FreeDXF Importer

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  • T Offline
    TIG Moderator
    last edited by 21 Dec 2011, 22:28

    You are right.
    A DXF file gives objects layers, and those layers have colors.
    If you take the SKP layers the colors export as random colors.
    Even with similar SKPs newly made layers get unconnected colors.
    It's possible to rationalize a DXF by post processing it's text - I have a commercial tool I've written which uses the native DXF exporter, but where the client wanted all DXF layers to be consistently colored; so it has a 'lookup table' and ensures consistency by 'stream-editing' the DXF's text after it's made.
    Another way to have materials==colors is to export a custom made DXF but ignore the SKP's layers and using each material as if it were a DXF-layer... that way objects in the DXF are then grouped by each DXF 'layer' which is really made from the SKP's material-color rather than the proper SKP-layer...

    TIG

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    • J Offline
      Jim
      last edited by 21 Dec 2011, 22:42

      Dec 2011 - I have removed the external dependency on my inputbox.rb - it is no longer required as a separate download. Also, I attached the download to the first post of this topic rather than linking to an external site. Hopefully, these changes will make it easier for folks to try.

      Hi

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      • T Offline
        thomthom
        last edited by 22 Dec 2011, 08:29

        Is DXF extendable? I wonder if AutoDesk writes DXF with extra material info..?

        Thomas Thomassen β€” SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
        List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

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        • T Offline
          TIG Moderator
          last edited by 22 Dec 2011, 08:58

          A DXF can include all the types of data that you get in a DWG file itself.
          However, as objects have layers and layers have colors, that's it.
          You can assign attributes to objects containing additional info, so you can pass [otherwise-unused] data... but how that's useful later on is questionable.

          TIG

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          • T Offline
            thomthom
            last edited by 22 Dec 2011, 09:29

            I'm trying to find a good way to export a Revit model to SketchUp.

            I have tried exporting to FBX and then use Autodesk's converter utility to convert to DAE - but that fails on import every time on any model in SU. Fail in Blender as well.

            DWG and DXF import in SU - but uses layer material, as you describe. However, if I import the same DXF into another Autodesk application like 3DS - the materials are like how they where defined in Revit. And that is why I'm exploring this topic.

            Thomas Thomassen β€” SketchUp Monkey & Coding addict
            List of my plugins and link to the CookieWare fund

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            • J Offline
              Jim
              last edited by 23 Dec 2011, 16:19

              FreeDXF imports acad layers as SketchUp Groups, so it may be possible to color the Groups according to their acad layer color number.

              Hi

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              • S Offline
                syfyguy
                last edited by 31 Dec 2011, 05:06

                It doesn't seem to work for me. I have Sketchup 8, with the new maintenance pack. It shows up in the plugins menu, then when executed it asks for arc segments, etc. When I click ok, nothing shows up. I'm using DWGeditor 2007 to create dxfs in ASCii 2007 format.

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                • J Offline
                  Jim
                  last edited by 31 Dec 2011, 19:17

                  @syfyguy said:

                  It doesn't seem to work for me. I have Sketchup 8, with the new maintenance pack. It shows up in the plugins menu, then when executed it asks for arc segments, etc. When I click ok, nothing shows up. I'm using DWGeditor 2007 to create dxfs in ASCii 2007 format.

                  Can you post or send the file?

                  Hi

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                  • T Offline
                    Tenere
                    last edited by 6 Jan 2012, 15:00

                    😒 %(#4000FF)[I've got a script not loading error on start with free version 8.0.4811.
                    I would assume I had the files in the right places although I can't see the folder layout image in the script posting - just an image name.
                    Bound to be missing the obvious, be grateful if someone could nudge me in the right direction......cheers.

                    Ooh one other question......Can I load the SU pro trial in tandem with my free version without bu#@ering it up or compromising the trial?....would quite like to see what I'm missing.] πŸ‘

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                    • T Offline
                      TIG Moderator
                      last edited by 6 Jan 2012, 16:40

                      Capture.PNG Does you Sketchup Plugins folder look like this ?

                      TIG

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                      • T Offline
                        Tenere
                        last edited by 6 Jan 2012, 17:27

                        %(#0000FF)[πŸ‘ Hi Tig
                        Thanks for responding. My directory looks correct, are there any dependencies I may be missing?
                        I did read something in an earlier incarnation about the file naming system having to be basic without spaces ('joliet' stuff!!), it looks a bit more like an issue in that direction perhaps, paths & stuff....he says clutching at straws!!
                        Error:]

                        Error Loading File C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 8/Plugins/freedxf/freedxf.rb
                        no such file to load -- inputboxError Loading File freedxf_ext.rb
                        no such file to load -- inputbox

                        %(#0000FF)[.......The file is definitely there!
                        Being skint takes up a lot of my time! Just can't justify the Pro version though so your help is much appreciated!]

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                        • J Offline
                          JMdesigns
                          last edited by 6 Jan 2012, 18:10

                          I am having the same problem? but it does not let me inmport

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                          • T Offline
                            TIG Moderator
                            last edited by 6 Jan 2012, 20:06

                            The download page's image is wrong !
                            There should also be the file
                            inputbox.rb
                            in the subfolder.Capture.PNG
                            IF you get the latest zipped version of the tool it should include that file !

                            TIG

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                            • T Offline
                              Tenere
                              last edited by 6 Jan 2012, 20:37

                              Bingo....your a star Tig
                              That sorted it, many thanks for your expertise. I'm raising a beer to you right now!....Hic!....well it is Friday!

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                              • J Offline
                                juergen
                                last edited by 1 Sept 2012, 14:11

                                Handling metric units would realy be a plus. It is easily possible to scale from metric to imperial but the reverse is no as easy as it requires to scale by a fractional number.
                                As all my DXFs are in cm I can not use FreeDXF.

                                Please consider supporting metric drawings.

                                PS: If somebody knows a way, please reply!

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                                • T Offline
                                  TIG Moderator
                                  last edited by 1 Sept 2012, 17:50

                                  1" is 2.54cm
                                  therefore
                                  1cm is 0.393700787401574803" [1/2.54]
                                  However, Sketchup's in-built accuracy regards 0.3937007" as being 'exactly' 1cm... so you can use that [or even 0.3937] as your scaling factor. After all we are talking about modeling 'buildings' here, not 'swiss-watches'...

                                  TIG

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                                  • B Offline
                                    blackcat1313
                                    last edited by 5 Oct 2012, 04:24

                                    Hi -

                                    I am having trouble getting the plugin to run. I'm on a Mac running OSX 10.6.8 and Sketchup 8.0. I downloaded the latest version v0.57 and put the .rbz file in my plugin folder. There are lots of other plugins there, though no others of type rbz.

                                    When I start Sketchup, there is no FreeDXF Importer item in the Plugins menu. I am probably missing something really simple -- I'm a pretty new Sketchup user. Any help is much appreciated! Thanks!

                                    Bill
                                    

                                    Plugin folder.png

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                                    • pbacotP Offline
                                      pbacot
                                      last edited by 5 Oct 2012, 05:02

                                      Hi! try this:

                                      http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=38583

                                      MacOSX MojaveSketchUp Pro v19 Twilight v2 Thea v3 PowerCADD

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                                      • B Offline
                                        blackcat1313
                                        last edited by 5 Oct 2012, 14:40

                                        @pbacot said:

                                        Hi! try this:

                                        http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=38583

                                        Doh - thanks for that, it's all working now!

                                        Bill

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                                        • BraikenridgeB Offline
                                          Braikenridge
                                          last edited by 8 Apr 2013, 16:48

                                          I have sketchup 8.0 free and have put this .rbz ruby into the plugins folder but its not appearing when I load sketchup. Incidentally, nowhere does it let you unzip it either? Am I missing something? i'm trying to import a vector file from scan2cad

                                          kind regards

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