Arcs imported from AutoCad look horrific
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@bsquared said:
Question though, for the parts of the model that I will need to redraw completely in Sketchup, is it better to leave the imported base as a component, unexploded, and just draw new lines and arcs over that information, so that I don't have issues with lines merging (getting sticky) with the base information?
Yes. This would be a good workflow once you've got what you need drawn in SketchUp, delete the CAD drawing component and purge unused components from the model.
Make sure you are creating the new geometry untagged. Once you've completed it, make a group or component to contain that geometry and give the group or component a tag if you wish so you can control its visibility.
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Interestingly some of the curves come in as arcs while some are exploded.
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This is the import settings. It's rather basic.
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@dave r said:
@bsquared said:
Question though, for the parts of the model that I will need to redraw completely in Sketchup, is it better to leave the imported base as a component, unexploded, and just draw new lines and arcs over that information, so that I don't have issues with lines merging (getting sticky) with the base information?
Yes. This would be a good workflow once you've got what you need drawn in SketchUp, delete the CAD drawing component and purge unused components from the model.
Make sure you are creating the new geometry untagged. Once you've completed it, make a group or component to contain that geometry and give the group or component a tag if you wish so you can control its visibility.
I was just kind of throwing that idea out there, is that typically how one would model a parking lot? By keeping the base a component? Or is it better to explode it if the linework looks good, and just make the arcs continuous?
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@gus r said:
This is the import settings. It's rather basic.
[attachment=0:1tjhg4zi]<!-- ia0 -->Dwg Import Settings.PNG<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:1tjhg4zi]
Thanks for checking it out. My new model this morning looked as good as yours, I'm thinking the origin setting might have been the culprit. I'd read on other threads about sketchup not behaving properly when the model is placed really from from the origin. The last import I did, I checked all of those boxes except 'preserve drawing origin'. Perhaps 'merge coplanar faces' and 'orient faces consistently' should remain unchecked?
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@bsquared said:
@gus r said:
This is the import settings. It's rather basic.
[attachment=0:28qxhv9g]<!-- ia0 -->Dwg Import Settings.PNG<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:28qxhv9g]
Thanks for checking it out. My new model this morning looked as good as yours, I'm thinking the origin setting might have been the culprit. I'd read on other threads about sketchup not behaving properly when the model is placed really from from the origin. The last import I did, I checked all of those boxes except 'preserve drawing origin'. Perhaps 'merge coplanar faces' and 'orient faces consistently' should remain unchecked?
I got the origin warning too which I ignored. The only setting I have checked is "import materials."
Maybe try exploding some polylines?
Sketchup doesn't use an infinite line for curves. They're always going to be comprised of segments. The more segments or edges the smoother the curve. Draw back is that will eventually create a larger skp and slow down SU.
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@bsquared said:
is that typically how one would model a parking lot? By keeping the base a component? Or is it better to explode it if the linework looks good, and just make the arcs continuous?
Most experienced users would use the imported CAD drawing as a reference for making clean geometry in SketchUp and then discard the imported geometry. How you divide the cleanup geometry is up to you. It might make sense to group all of the geometry for the parking lot after you've made it 3D or maybe you want to group the islands and the surrounding curbs separately. Depends on what you need to show and how you need to show it.
Perhaps the islands are optional or maybe there are different arrangements of the islands being considered. If that's the case, grouping them separately would make it easier to show the different options. You could have tags for Island Option A and Island Option B and show one set of islands or the other. Or show no islands. Lots of possibilities.
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@gus r said:
@bsquared said:
@gus r said:
This is the import settings. It's rather basic.
[attachment=0:3ukwnwe5]<!-- ia0 -->Dwg Import Settings.PNG<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:3ukwnwe5]
Thanks for checking it out. My new model this morning looked as good as yours, I'm thinking the origin setting might have been the culprit. I'd read on other threads about sketchup not behaving properly when the model is placed really from from the origin. The last import I did, I checked all of those boxes except 'preserve drawing origin'. Perhaps 'merge coplanar faces' and 'orient faces consistently' should remain unchecked?
I got the origin warning too which I ignored. The only setting I have checked is "import materials."
Maybe try exploding some polylines?
Sketchup doesn't use an infinite line for curves. They're always going to be comprised of segments. The more segments or edges the smoother the curve. Draw back is that will eventually create a larger skp and slow down SU.
Thank you I'll give that a try.
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@dave r said:
@bsquared said:
is that typically how one would model a parking lot? By keeping the base a component? Or is it better to explode it if the linework looks good, and just make the arcs continuous?
Most experienced users would use the imported CAD drawing as a reference for making clean geometry in SketchUp and then discard the imported geometry. How you divide the cleanup geometry is up to you. It might make sense to group all of the geometry for the parking lot after you've made it 3D or maybe you want to group the islands and the surrounding curbs separately. Depends on what you need to show and how you need to show it.
Perhaps the islands are optional or maybe there are different arrangements of the islands being considered. If that's the case, grouping them separately would make it easier to show the different options. You could have tags for Island Option A and Island Option B and show one set of islands or the other. Or show no islands. Lots of possibilities.
Thanks, I appreciate your help. Just to make sure were on the same page, you would draw the new raw geometry 'on the outside' of the base component (without going 'inside' the component to redraw the linework). And then once you have everything drawn, you'd just delete the original base component. The advantages being that you can then make all the new linework it's own group and seperate from any other linework in the base that could potentially merge and cause problems with the parking lot?
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@bsquared said:
Just to make sure were on the same page, you would draw the new raw geometry 'on the outside' of the base component (without going 'inside' the component to redraw the linework).
Yes. Creating your new geometry outside of the imported component will prevent the new from merging with the old.
@bsquared said:
And then once you have everything drawn, you'd just delete the original base component.
Yes. And purge the unused componets from the In Model components.
@bsquared said:
The advantages being that you can then make all the new linework it's own group and seperate from any other linework in the base that could potentially merge and cause problems with the parking lot?
That's one benefit. The other benefit is that the new geometry you create should be clean. No broken edges, gaps, or overruns that are common in .dxf and .dwg files. Also consistent numbers of segments in arcs which makes things easier to work with.
Note that as Gus indicated, you can use larger number of sides for arcs if you want. Be careful with that. There is a point of diminishing returns as you increase the number of sides. Large numbers can create performance and other issues while not really improving the model. As you work with circles and arcs, I think it makes sense to use some multiple of 12 segments. That way they are divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6.
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Always place your project close to 0,0! Your linework is 10 parsec from file's origin and it causes jaginess. you must relocate it close to 0. Also check all options in Import options except 'import materials'
And finally, to change default segmentation if imported arcs:
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=352084#p593781
you could set 96 for instance.
P.S. work wisely - build curbs with profile builder. -
Another advantage of creating new geometry is that some objects may be identical--so instead of drawing everything in place from imported parts, you may make one component and place it in multiple locations, using the imported drawing as guide in placement. In a parking lot even things like the planters or whole rows of parking hardscape may be identical, or mirrored--so redrawing each from the import would make no sense.
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@rv1974 said:
Always place your project close to 0,0! Your linework is 10 parsec from file's origin and it causes jaginess. you must relocate it close to 0. Also check all options in Import options except 'import materials'
And finally, to change default segmentation if imported arcs:
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=352084#p593781
you could set 96 for instance.
P.S. work wisely - build curbs with profile builder.Thanks!
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@pbacot said:
Another advantage of creating new geometry is that some objects may be identical--so instead of drawing everything in place from imported parts, you may make one component and place it in multiple locations, using the imported drawing as guide in placement. In a parking lot even things like the planters or whole rows of parking hardscape may be identical, or mirrored--so redrawing each from the import would make no sense.
Makes sense, I'm definitely trying to learn to be more efficient with it.
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@dave r said:
@bsquared said:
Just to make sure were on the same page, you would draw the new raw geometry 'on the outside' of the base component (without going 'inside' the component to redraw the linework).
Yes. Creating your new geometry outside of the imported component will prevent the new from merging with the old.
@bsquared said:
And then once you have everything drawn, you'd just delete the original base component.
Yes. And purge the unused componets from the In Model components.
@bsquared said:
The advantages being that you can then make all the new linework it's own group and seperate from any other linework in the base that could potentially merge and cause problems with the parking lot?
That's one benefit. The other benefit is that the new geometry you create should be clean. No broken edges, gaps, or overruns that are common in .dxf and .dwg files. Also consistent numbers of segments in arcs which makes things easier to work with.
Note that as Gus indicated, you can use larger number of sides for arcs if you want. Be careful with that. There is a point of diminishing returns as you increase the number of sides. Large numbers can create performance and other issues while not really improving the model. As you work with circles and arcs, I think it makes sense to use some multiple of 12 segments. That way they are divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6.
I did want to ask you though, if one has a very large site, such as a campus with multiple buildings, huge parking lots, sidewalks, etc. Do you think redrawing everything is still the best approach (with more of a long term benefit) or is there a point where a project is just too large that's it's just not practical to think about retracing everything in sketchup? And if that is the case, what do you think is the "next best" approach? I've been reading a book called 'Sketchup for Site Design', by Daniel Tal. His approach seems to lean more towards healing (as he puts it) the imperfections of the imported cad geometry in sketchup using a variety of extensions, and cleaning up the CAD file as much as possible before importing everything.
Another source I found prefers to import systems of the model from autocad individually, getting each one set, making it a group, and then importing the next system. (Example, importing the roads, then the sidewalks, then the buildings, etc) as apposed to importing the entire cad file at one time.
I was just curious to know your thoughts. Thank you.
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@bsquared said:
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Another source I found prefers to import systems of the model from autocad individually, getting each one set, making it a group, and then importing the next system. (Example, importing the roads, then the sidewalks, then the buildings, etc) as apposed to importing the entire cad file at one time.
I was just curious to know your thoughts. Thank you.
While I don't recommend it in general, I'll admit I use my own imported edges sometimes, after isolating the shapes I want and careful inspection. And if you have so much control of your CAD files, you may find this works. Most people are talking about files direct from other sources, when importing.
I don't see a reason for importing every group / block separately. You could create the blocks beforehand. They will still be individual components when you import them all at once. Pre-designed blocks could be a good way to organize. Keep proper Tag use in mind as imported geometry may get assigned a Tag other than "Untagged" in the process.
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This is my opinion based on what I've seen with CAD files I've been given to work with. It's also based on years of helping other SketchUp users. More often than not the geometry in those imported files has enough problems that starting over usually takes less time than trying to repair the imported geometry. That's not always the case and if you are creating the CAD files with the intent to use them in SketchUp you can probably do things to make sure the geometry is correct before you import it. If the files are coming from another source, at the very least take some time to examine the import closely before you commit to using that geometry directly. Maybe it'll be useful, maybe not. You need to be the judge of that. Personally I would rather create fresh, clean geometry that I know is not going to cause me problems later than spend time searching for and fixing issues in an import.
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@dave r said:
This is my opinion based on what I've seen with CAD files I've been given to work with. It's also based on years of helping other SketchUp users. More often than not the geometry in those imported files has enough problems that starting over usually takes less time than trying to repair the imported geometry. That's not always the case and if you are creating the CAD files with the intent to use them in SketchUp you can probably do things to make sure the geometry is correct before you import it. If the files are coming from another source, at the very least take some time to examine the import closely before you commit to using that geometry directly. Maybe it'll be useful, maybe not. You need to be the judge of that. Personally I would rather create fresh, clean geometry that I know is not going to cause me problems later than spend time searching for and fixing issues in an import.
Fair enough, I'm learning as I go so just trying to make sure I'm doing things the right way. Appreciate your help.
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