Save as/ Export .dwg/ .dxf Alias design 2017

[28degrees]

HI

Is it now not possible to save as or export > Active as: .dxg or .dxf?? This feature has been there in Alias Design up untill the 2016 version but is now missing in 2017??

PLease help, this is king of a deal breaker in my workflow.

Thanks

[Florian.Coenen]

Hello @kylehay

Can you even not import the attached Cube done in ACAD 2018.

I tested it on my systems and I can import it using Alias 2018 and 2018.1 Update

You can also send me your file, if needed , and I can test it on my system.

Regards,

[kylehay]

I'm trying to export a 2d DXF line drawing from adobe illustrator so I can project them on my 3D file in alias. How to I import 2D line work in Autodesk alias design 2018. Previous versions like 2014 allowed me to both import and export DXF files, but they took this feature away in 2017 alias.

[systembolaget]

DXF output from AutoCAD is not very good and not fully compliant.

Why don't you just save your Illustrator artwork in Illustrator 8 format and import that into Alias right away?

Remember to cut your artwork at all anchors in Illustrator before, because otherwise you get curves with multiknots in Alias, not usable for proper surface modeling! You can find an Illustrator script here called "Cut At Selected Anchors" that does that work for you.

[kylehay]

Thanks for the straight forward explanation. It worked 🙂

This is the explanation I think a lot of people on this thread were looking for. 

I can now import line drawings from Illustrator at will, and by using Export to Illustrator option in Alias, I now have a complete back and forth workflow between programs. 

This should be helpful for many designers and engineers. 

[hansgeerdink]

Hi,

Right!

Import and Export are indeed on the menu....

Exporting has not been a problem (so far)

I needed to communicate some curve and line data along with some (pretty simple) 3D solid data with Fusion 360 users.

The export via DWG went just fine, all data was imported into Fusion 360 correctly.

However, importing a Fusion 360 file that was exported as DWG will not import into Alias 2018:

DwgToAlias.exe crashes.

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: DwgToAlias.exe
Application Version: 24.0.60.0
Application Timestamp: 58d28f0f
Fault Module Name: ASMBASE223A.dll
Fault Module Version: 223.1.0.1280
Fault Module Timestamp: 58aeae4c
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000000000003bb51
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1043
Additional Information 1: ff30
Additional Information 2: ff3029a479224f000024c5dc58271ad3
Additional Information 3: c059
Additional Information 4: c059e7b551d99bba4a44828f0178c0ae

Then the program states:

Translation of Layout.dwg failed due to an unknown error (-1073741819)

VERY FRUSTRATING!!!

So, I went ahead and tried importing the same file in Alias 2016 ....

This worked just fine!

What is up with you guys at Autodesk Alias?

I have done some professional programming (for banks and insurance companies) over the past 10 years.

We always had a saying: "NEVER change a working program!"

So, I do not understand why an important file exchange program like DwgToAlias.exe which has worked for ages suddenly stops working.

(Please, you should not fix it if it isn't broke)

Note: I do not intend to offend anybody it is just so Very frustrating!

Cheers!

Hans

[Florian.Coenen]

Hello @hansgeerdink

sorry to hear that the Fusion-DWG is giving you errors.

1.. Can you send me the file the Fusion file (via PM is fine as well) and I can send it to the developers

2.: Can you try to use another exchange format from out of Fusion?

Best Regards,

[hansgeerdink]

Hi Florian,

Sadly, I am afraid I cannot send you the file since it contains confidential design information.

Also, I have tried Autodesk's DWG-viewer and it seems to work fine, I believe it looks like it is a Alias 2018 issue not so much a Fusion 360 export issue.

I had tries the export from Fusion 360 and import to Alias 2018 earlier in the design-phase with a much smaller file (17 Kb) without solids-data without any issues. Now the file has grown (958 Kb) and contains solids-data and I get the above mentioned error.  

I am a bit short on time to find a way to reproduce the error with a file with less sensitive information.

Will try to do so though a.s.a.p.

Cheers!

Hans

[hansgeerdink]

BTW,

I forgot to mention I need, as far as I know, the DWG format since it is the only format that will export the curves and line data.

Cheers!

Hans