error importing Sketchup 2007 into 3DS Max Design 2015

[gunnargarness]

I am aware of the issue importing newer sketchup (after 2008) files into 3DS but now I have a model where saving it down to Sketchup 2008 or earlier does not do the trick (same "x32 reader terminated unexpectedly" error on import, regardless of what version of Sketchup I save to).

The only thing I can think of that is different with this file is that it originated in Revit 2015 and was exported to DWG in order to bring it into Sketchup Pro 2014.  I've double checked simple masses exported from Revit > Sketchup > 3DS and have had no problem.  I've purged the sketchup file and no luck.

Any ideas on what else could be causing the import error message?

[jonathan.matthews]

Hello.  I have no idea on this without testing it.  What might be better is to log this with our development team at the following site:

http://download.autodesk.com/us/support/report_a_bug.html?SelProduct=3dsMax

Please be sure that you are as specific as possible and provide development with files to test.  Once you have logged it please post back here the case number you are given so I can track it internally.  

Thank you.

[gunnargarness]

Thanks Jonathan. I will do that and post back here. I'd love to be able to get to the bottom of this.

[spacefrog_]

Gunnar:

Did you try importing the file after applying my Sketchup 2014 fix ?

http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/maxstation/n229-importing-sketchup-2013-and-2014-files-in-3ds-max

[gunnargarness]

Thanks Spacefrog.  I was out of the office last week but I tried swapping out those DLL's in my copy of 3DS max Design 2014 (as well as in 2015) and it didn't change anything.  Again, some revit models exported to DWG that were then saved down to Sketchup 8 import just fine and some don't.

The real trick is going to be figuring out what is different about the models that fail v. those that work.  I do know its not a size or complexity thing (some small models fail whereas some large ones succeed) and I know its not a Revit template issue (they all started with our office standard template).

It's really weird.  For the time being I am just working around it but I'd love to figure it out as there are times when you need sketchup's speed to add detail for a good rendering.

[Steve_Curley]

You have to save the Sketchup files as an earlier version (6 or 7 I think - I don't use Sketchup) before Max will import them. Unless 2007 is a much earlier version in which case I've no idea.

[PROH]

Hi. If the problem isn't in the Revit template or file size, then the first two things I would check in those SketchpUp files are:
1) The Units setup, including checking the if the scale of the building matches the units.
2) The distance from drawing origin to the object farthest away.

Hope it helps

[gunnargarness]

Thanks, I will look into it.

[gunnargarness]

I am aware of the save down to SU8 issue. These files are all SU8 and SU7.

[gunnargarness]

The scale is correct on all Sketchup files. The origin is around 1100 feet from the furthest point in both problem models (and less than a thousand in the ones that work). So I tried deleting unneeded geometry and moving one of the problem models closer to the origin and it still crashes on import.

Oh, and the same issue happens with DXF files I've exported from these problem Revit models and saved in Sketchup. I've tried copying and pasting the Revit models into fresh files too. No luck.

[PROH]

Ok. Hmmm.... The fact that the trouble files are further away than the files that work, could indicate a reason, but maybe not. The next I would do, was to open the CAD file in AutoCAD (or another CAD program) and check out a couple of things.

1) What happens when you use Zoom Extend? Does the building come closer zoom far away? If the latter, then it could be caused by a block insertion point far from zero. In this case explode the block.
2) Does the file contain any errors. Can't remember what it's called, but AutoCAD can check the file and make a list of errors.
3) Move the content closer to zero, save the file (with a new name) and see if you can import it now. This could indicate whether or not distance is an issue.

PS - Earlier you talked about DWG and now you write DXF. It's really a long time since I worked with large DXF files, but I do recall that in some cases DXF was quite troublesome.

Hope it helps (even if it's just a little) 😉

[gunnargarness]

Thanks for all the good suggestions PROH.

I only mentioned DXF's because I thougth it might be a way to work around the problem (its not though, same thing happens with DXF's).

I will try changing the extents in ACAD, purging etc. I deleted, purged and checked extents in one of the sketchup files (got it down to max 800' from origin) yet it still crashed when bring it into 3DS so i'm not sure this is going to solve anything.

I will audit the files in autocad as well and see what that does.

[gunnargarness]

OK, deleted all but the building itself in ACAD, moved directly on top of origin, purged and saved and checked extents. Imported into Sketchup and saved as SU8 file. Still crashes with the "reader x32 terminated" error. I'm guessing distance from origin and fixing errors (auditing) is not the issue.

Back to square one...

[PROH]

Last thing. Can you import this latest "cleaned and minimized" DWG file to Max? If so, the problem could be a SketchUp thing. If not, it's most likely Revit related.

This is really a tough one. Haven't seen this problem before, and I sure don't hope getting it. If you ever work this out, please let us know.

Good luck

[PROH]

Hi gunnargarness.

Just recieved a survey file where the map drawing was placed at z -9999.9990 (survey points had the correct hight). That just made me wonder. When you measured the distance from drawing origin to the point furthest away, did you then measure on the z axis?

I dont use Revit, so I dont know exactly how it deals with hight data, but I wondered if this could be caused by i.e. survey data as the one file I just recieved.

Regards

[gunnargarness]

The DWG in question imports just fine into Max Design 2015 so the issue could in fact be just with Sketchup Pro 2014. But since some of the Sketchup files from Revit generated DWG's import just fine it could also be a combination of Sketchup and Revit.

[gunnargarness]

I know exactly the issue you are talking about with surveys (I even have a custom script I use in ACAD to flatten all elements to level zero on the z-axis. But that's not the case here. None of our civil engineers have moved to Revit yet so we have to insert their 2d drawings into the working Revit model.