[Plugin] FreeDXF Importer

Jim · 8 Apr 2014, 20:33

Just today loaded and tried with Make 2014 on Win 7 x64. Does not work!
Removed

Sorry you are having difficulty.

How did you install FreeDXF? What version did you install?

The only supported download is from the SketchUcation Plugin Store. The most recent version is 0.8.7. In recent versions of FreeDXF this version number appears right in the Plugins menu.

Is this what you see after installing?

Jim · 8 Apr 2014, 20:37

@rungek said:

Box. Your right of course so here is the error info. SU reports on startup

Error: #<SyntaxError: C:/Users/Laptop/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/Dxf_In_v2.2.rb:306: formal argument cannot be an instance variable
ramFile.each do |@line| #search for entities @line by @line
                    ^>
Thanks for any help. Maybe just using provious version of Google SU will be easier.

This error is not from FreeDXF - it is from a different plugin named Dxf_in.

rungek · 9 Apr 2014, 15:23

Thanks, still new to this and thought I installed the correct plugin. Works now.

wootton · 25 May 2014, 22:26

I'm also having trouble installing this plugin into Sketchup 2014. I may have the wrong version; I see above that the latest is 0.8.7, but in the filename I downloaded it's 0.8.2, which appears to have been created 2 months ago, and I can't find a more current version. Is "0.8.7" a typo? If not, is there a link to the newer version? I got it from the following link at the Sketchucation download store:

SketchUp Plugins | PluginStore | SketchUcation

SketchUp Plugin and Extension Store by SketchUcation provides free downloads of hundreds of SketchUp extensions and plugins

(sketchucation.com)

The filename is freedfx_v0.8.2.rbz

I pasted the file to the following folder on my computer, and restarted SketchUp:

C:\Users\tom\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp 2014\SketchUp\Plugins

When I try to find it in SketchUp, I don't see a "plugins" icon anywhere, and when I open Ruby console, nothing appears. Have I left out a step?

Thanks in advance,
Tom

wootton · 25 May 2014, 22:40

Never mind, I figured it out.

TIG · 27 May 2014, 10:55

@wootton said:

Never mind, I figured it out.
The latest is v0.8.2.
You need to install the RBZ archive's contents, using Preferences > Extensions > Install... button...
No need to mess on accessing your Plugins folder at all, for this kind of Plugin... Just 'AutoInstall' it...

SGC · 10 Jun 2014, 14:24

SU 14.1.1282
FreeDXF 0.8.2
Win7 Pro

Jim - when I open the plug-in I'm getting this empty dialog box. I tried reinstalling both the plug-in and SU14, no changes. Any suggestions?

TIG · 10 Jun 2014, 17:20

Open Internet Explorer > Safety > Delete Browsing History and empty the cache...
SketchUp uses IE for its web-dialogs, irrespective of your default browser.
Sometimes the cache is messed up and needs clearing...
Report back...

SGC · 10 Jun 2014, 18:57

@tig said:

Open Internet Explorer > Safety > Delete Browsing History and empty the cache...
SketchUp uses IE for its web-dialogs, irrespective of your default browser.
Sometimes the cache is messed up and needs clearing...
Report back...

That wasn't it. I deleted temp downloads, cookies, history, and tracking protection from IE, no changes. Did the same in Chrome (my default browser) just to be sure. Restarted SU and still have an empty dialog box when I call up the plugin.

Jim · 10 Jun 2014, 21:43

Hi Stephen - I've not experienced this myself, and don't know why it is happening.

The dialog is made using thomthom's SKUI framework.

Could it be an IE security setting?

TIG · 11 Jun 2014, 08:24

Yes, make sure that your IE Internet Options settings for Javascript etc are not overly strict...
Can you get other web-dialogs to work OK ?

dpatrickryan · 30 Jun 2014, 22:26

Very promising plugin, but it's not 100% for my application. I'm looking for something to allow me to import planar DXF exports of lasercut plans for 3D printer parts (for extrusion and export as STLs). The built-in DXF importer in SketchUp 2014 worked fine, but that Pro-only feature has now expired in my free version. I tried installing the 0.8.2 revision, and everything came in more or less OK, except some of the curve fits to SPLINE elements are pretty chunky. Is there any way to improve the resolution of those curve fits? (I've got no control over the DXF itself - it's what I'm being given by the printer maker.)

Jim · 30 Jun 2014, 22:58

Yeah sorry. Splines are added incorrectly as straight lines between points. I just have not figured out how to handle splines in the dxf yet.

It may help to convert the .dxf to an older version using this: http://www.opendesign.com/guestfiles/TeighaFileConverter

dpatrickryan · 30 Jun 2014, 23:42

Thanks for that - converting to R12 or R10 DXF seems to do the job.

mister bubbles · 9 Jul 2014, 19:46

Hi- Does this only work for PC? I cannot seem to download it...
Thank you.

TIG · 10 Jul 2014, 12:37

@mister bubbles said:

Hi- Does this only work for PC? I cannot seem to download it...
http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=freedfx
Thank you.
Have you tried the PluginStore link in the first post in this thread ?
Download the RBZ, then use the Preferences > Extensions > Install... button to do the hard-work...
That tool is available with the latest release of version 8 and newer versions too...

Should work on PC or MAC

SGC · 10 Jul 2014, 15:31

@tig said:

Yes, make sure that your IE Internet Options settings for Javascript etc are not overly strict...
Can you get other web-dialogs to work OK ?

I wanted to update this - I do not have problems with other dialogs. Infact, this same plugin works fine in my SU13. My work around has been to revert back to my SU13, call up the plugin, import, save, and open in SU14. So I can't imagine the dialog box error coming from IE if the same plugin works through a different version of SU.

rsa · 16 Jul 2014, 22:25

@jim said:

Yeah sorry. Splines are added incorrectly as straight lines between points. I just have not figured out how to handle splines in the dxf yet.

It may help to convert the .dxf to an older version using this: http://www.opendesign.com/guestfiles/TeighaFileConverter

Hi Jim,
I let myself to modify draw_spline methods.
I used bezier curve instead of lines for drawing splines.
Curves can be edit by "su bezier" plugin
If you interested I happy to send you code.

Jim · 17 Jul 2014, 20:31

@rsa said:

Hi Jim,
I let myself to modify draw_spline methods.
I used bezier curve instead of lines for drawing splines.
Curves can be edit by "su bezier" plugin
If you interested I happy to send you code.

Yes of course. That would be great! Thank you.

Jim · 7 Sept 2014, 13:32

Updated to version 0.9.0 with support for SPLINE entities thanks to rsa.

Splines are added to the model as Bezier curve objects, and are editable through the right-click menu.

Update available through the SketchUcation Plugin Store.