AutoCAD for Mac

[#1]

Hi,

I'm currently having some trouble using Illustrator shapes imported in Autocad 2013. The shapes are created using illustrator CS6 (no line / no fill), exported for Autocad 2004/2005/2006 as a dwg file. This dwg is imported as a block in Autocad without trouble. The shapes appear in Autocad as Splines. OK.

I designed a shape (using illustrator) that I want to extrude in Autocad, I can import it, it is nicely displayed as a spline, but the problem is I can't extrude it.

So I tried to do the same with simpler shapes :
- Square drawn using square tool -> Ok, can be extruded
- Circle drawn using circle tool -> Ok, can be extruded
- Hand drawn polygon using plume tool (closed shape) -> Ok, can be extruded
- Hand drawn shape with some curves using plume tool (closed shape) -> CAN'T BE EXTRUDED
- Complex shape (square and circle partially merged together using pathfinder) -> Ok, can be extruded
- My shape (heatsink section) closed shape -> Can't be extruded

You can see shapes here : http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/5466/capturedcran20130111162.png

It mostly works, but it seem that I can't extrude shapes that have hand drawn curves ?

Has anyone already experienced this ? Am I missing something (Autocad Newbie) or is it an incompatibility issue ?

Thanks for your help,

Julien

[#2]

Hi Julien,

Are the objects imported shown as Spline type or block type? You can see the object type by selecting it and it is shown in Properties Inspector.

If it is block type, you can explode it and then extrude.

If it is shown as Spline type, can you please share a simple drawing with the object?

Thanks,
Wei

[#3]

Hi,

Please find the files here : http://cloud.julienmaire.fr/public/shapes.zip

Above the line, shapes created whith AI preset tools. Under the line, Hand drawn shapes using plume tool.

I thought I couldn't  extrude the hand drawn shapes containing curves. But I have been able to extrude a hand drawn circle, but if change the way I make it, I can not extrude it anymore (see the 2 circles at the bottom, one has handles on the closing point, the other has no handles on the closing point). I don't understand...

Thanks for your help

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Hi Julien,

I examined your files and have found, that when I attempt to extrude shapes, that you can not extrude, I get an error from AutoCAD:

Modeling Operation Error:
     Sweep self intersects
Unable to extrude the selected object.

That means, that these shapes (they are splines in fact) have self-intersections, but AutoCAD can not extrude such objects. You will ask: why they have self-intersections? - I don't exactly know, maybe Illustrator created them in such a way.

If you really need to make 3D Solids from these shapes you can, for example, use LOFT command instead of EXTRUDE. Just copy the shape in extrusion direction to the required distance and create Loft object using original shape and it's copy. In your drawing this works only for "comb". For others I first converted them to Polylines with SPLINEDIT or PEDIT command and then extruded as usual.

See attached DWG - red objects.

Maxim

[#5]

Hi Julien,

I had the same problem. Some of the splines extrude and some wont. Even after extrusion i've got problem with extruded shapes with union and subtract commands.

As a workaround, I've used the pedit command on splines and converted them to plines. Everything worked fine after that.

Hope this helps to solve your problem.

Regards,

Phani

[#6]

Thanks guys for your help !