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How do i get smoother curves while importing from AutoCAD?!

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  • H Offline
    Howard leslie
    last edited by 30 Nov 2007, 10:50

    To make curves appear smoother, try this...
    BEFORE importing anything eg from Autocad.
    Select Circle Tool - Then Go to VCB (Box in Lower Right Hand Corner)- Type in the No. of Segments Reqd (eg 64 if you want a really smooth curve).
    Draw Circle.
    ...
    Import Autocad Data
    ...
    Delete Circle
    ...
    NB
    Sketchup doesn't draw curves - just straight lines - but I think you've already worked this out.
    File size and more importantly, poly count can build up rapidly when you make curves look really smooth.
    Choose an appropriate level of detail for the resolution / zoom factor any output will be seen at.
    There are no prizes for over modelling - only reduced PC performance.
    Always good to bear this in mind.
    ..
    Hope this helps
    Howard L'

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    • J Offline
      Jackson
      last edited by 30 Nov 2007, 10:50

      @unknownuser said:

      To make curves appear smoother, try this...
      BEFORE importing anything eg from Autocad.
      Select Circle Tool - Then Go to VCB (Box in Lower Right Hand Corner)- Type in the No. of Segments Reqd (eg 64 if you want a really smooth curve).
      Draw Circle.
      ...
      Import Autocad Data
      ...
      Delete Circle

      Sorry Howard- that doesn't work, see my post above.

      Jackson

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      • T Offline
        tomsdesk
        last edited by 30 Nov 2007, 10:51

        The number of segments of any entity that lists as a circle or an arc can be changed in the "entity info" toolbar. Go into or explode the autocad imported component and change the number of segments of arcs and circles as desired.

        http://www.tomsdesk.moonfruit.com/
        2.5D Trees & Shrubs!

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        • J Offline
          Jackson
          last edited by 30 Nov 2007, 10:51

          @tomsdesk said:

          The number of segments of any entity that lists as a circle or an arc can be changed in the "entity info" toolbar.

          Wow- great tip Tom!

          Jackson

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          • T Offline
            tomsdesk
            last edited by 30 Nov 2007, 10:52

            Well, it certainly would be nice to do this globally, rather than entity by entity...ruby guys?

            http://www.tomsdesk.moonfruit.com/
            2.5D Trees & Shrubs!

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            • G Offline
              Gaieus
              last edited by 30 Nov 2007, 10:52

              @tomsdesk said:

              The number of segments of any entity that lists as a circle or an arc can be changed in the "entity info" toolbar. Go into or explode the autocad imported component and change the number of segments of arcs and circles as desired.

              Yeah, but that - unfortunately - only works for a limited time (or more exactly until you affect the geometry with something that breaks this possibility).

              As for the "wish"; there is a topic about this already at the "Pro forums/Whish list" thingy...

              Gai...

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              • R Offline
                rajiv_kgd
                last edited by 17 Oct 2013, 04:05

                tomsdesk wrote:
                The number of segments of any entity that lists as a circle or an arc can be changed in the "entity info" toolbar. Go into or explode the autocad imported component and change the number of segments of arcs and circles as desired.

                If circle have radial lines crossing circle and if you change the no. of segment of each arch. it got deformed. rather than being a circle

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                • D Offline
                  Dave R
                  last edited by 17 Oct 2013, 09:45

                  Give us an image or better, an SKP file showing the original circle and the deformation.

                  Etaoin Shrdlu

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                  • T Offline
                    theurbantrex
                    last edited by 16 Feb 2016, 04:49

                    I came over this extension called 's4u Import DXF (for Sketchup Pro)' [Link: http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/s4u-import-dxf ] which pretty much solves the issue of importing the smoother curves. The only limitations are, the extension is [highlight=#ffffbf:dwz315js]not free[/highlight:dwz315js] (Use 10 day trial to test) and works only on [highlight=#ffffbf:dwz315js]Pro versions[/highlight:dwz315js] of Sketchup. Goodluck! 😄

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                    • T Offline
                      tpen
                      last edited by 31 Aug 2016, 20:49

                      I typically import typographic DWG's from an Illustator file for dimensional signage, and would have the same problem. My solution is to add anchor points to the vector art in Illustrator (Object/Path/Add Anchor Points) before exporting the file from AI.

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                      • T Offline
                        tzartos
                        last edited by 28 Feb 2018, 19:53

                        Brake apart the dxf or dwg file... and save it in 2004 version ACAD

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                        • E Offline
                          emilyfc
                          last edited by 17 Sept 2019, 08:49

                          Does anyone know of any progress on this front?
                          the dumbed down arcs being imported is one of my most hated things about SKP. i deal with huge site plans drafted in autocad and waste so much of my time making faces from the little bits that now don't connect or smoothing out rough lines eg kerbs, linemarking (no they don't select as an arc or circle so entity info does not work)
                          thanks

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                          • D Offline
                            Dave R
                            last edited by 18 Sept 2019, 11:21

                            If you use a 3D CAD export instead of 2D, you'll get the smooth curves you're after. This has been the way it's worked for better than a decade and it hasn't changed.

                            Etaoin Shrdlu

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                            • E Offline
                              emilyfc
                              last edited by 19 Sept 2019, 00:14

                              @dave r said:

                              If you use a 3D CAD export instead of 2D, you'll get the smooth curves you're after. This has been the way it's worked for better than a decade and it hasn't changed.

                              so what do I do with my dwg file that is drafted in 2d? am I meant to save it as another file type or should it have been drafted with 3d polylines?
                              AutoCAD 2018

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                              • D Offline
                                Dave R
                                last edited by 19 Sept 2019, 14:01

                                My apologies for the confusion.

                                I was referring to export from SketchUp. For import into SketchUp, there's nothing you can do to create smoother curves on import. If the curves are recognized by SketchUp as arcs or circles, you can edit the number of sides in Entity Info. Otherwise you would need to redraw the curves with more segments. If the curve is non-circular I would probably use Catmull Splines from Fredo6's Bezier Spline extension to redraw them. Since .dwg files import as components, I would draw the curve outside the component using the original as a guide and then replace the original with the new one.

                                Etaoin Shrdlu

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