Need assistance with workflow from DXF on

[NHHiker]

I've used ACLT and 3DS for many years to create basic diagrams and occasional animations of vehicle accidents. We recently upgraded older software to the AEC collection and now that we have stronger tools, we'd like to see how far we can push the quality of our final product. Part of that goal is to move from the '2.5D' world of ACLT to true 3D. There are, however, a number of obstacles I've run into just in getting started.

Perhaps you could assist?

We complete general surveys of roadways consisting of 200-300 points. We import the resulting .DXF into ACAD and 'connect the dots' to create a final diagram with shaded roadways, sidewalks, etc. In considering implementing Max to a greater degree, I've tried to import a .DXF file into Max, but the best I can get is an array of point helpers - no so much even the points themselves. Is there any way to begin work in Max as we do in ACAD (i.e. with true 3D points AND importantly, displayed attributes)?

Thanks for the advice and patience,

John

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @NHHiker,

I'd like to try to help with this issue.  I don't know AutoCAD however so I wanted to make that clear up front.  

Max isn't going to want to work with points, but with actual geometry.  (Unless you want to rebuild it all, which doesn't seem to make sense to me.)  Are the points you connected in AutoCAD with roadways and sidewalks not considered geometry?  What do you mean by displayed attributes?  I'm not familiar with that term.  Is this similar to BIM information?  

How are you importing the data?  Are you importing or linking the DXF files?  Would it help if I created a private folder for you to upload your test file into so I can take a look?  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @NHHiker,

I just wanted to follow up here, any progress on your issue?

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Alfred,

Thanks for the feedback. I was under the impression that survey points shot in the field, when imported via .DXF, would become vertices in Max. That doesn't seem to be true. Therefore, it seems as though they need to be piggy-backed on a mesh of some sort.

My solution is to create an XYZ text file from the survey data, add the text file to a surface in Civil 3D, then import that surface into Max. If anyone has a more streamlined solution, I'd love to adopt one.

Attributes are data fields attached to the surveyed points. When I import the data into AutoCAD, each point comes in with text descriptions of the point's number, elevation, and a description of what it represents. It would be nice if Max could do something similar.

Thanks again.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

Thank you for the information, I appreciate it.  Please correct me where I'm off in my response or misunderstanding.  Thank you very much for your patience.  

I know Max is able to use contour lines to generate terrain, but that sounds a bit different than what you are doing unless those points in AutoCAD can become contour lines somehow.  I did find a movie showing how to turn an excel file into survey points in 3ds Max.  Is it possible to make a database of the points in AutoCAD and export them to excel? 

I looked up more information on how points are dealt with between Cad and Max, and they seem to come into Max as point helpers which are not technically geometry (verts), they are just considered helpers in 3ds Max.  (It would be easy to create verts manually on those helpers however, maybe even somewhat easily scriptable.)  

If there were any attribute data attached to the helpers, it might be visible in the object properties on the right click menu for the points.  Or, as you've stated it may be that the attributes are dropped on those points.  There is little info on the points in the help. This article is also very low on details.  I wonder if linking the file as a DWG would include those point attributes.  

Since the points export as helpers, that does create an issue for getting the model over.  Another method to get 3D geometry out of AutoCAD may be by exporting any model-based format.  (Such as FBX or OBJ.)  I am not familiar with that process in AutoCAD. The downside is the lack of the attribute data in that case.  

Last but not least, there has been a push recently to get BIM data out of Revit which is a start, but maybe we need more export options for attribute and similar data out of AutoCAD.  You can make an entry on the Feature Request board for 3ds Max to have this looked at in the future.  

If you'd like, I'll happily take a look at a simple file and see what I can do if you'd like to attach one.  I'd make one myself but I don't know AutoCAD well enough to do it and satisfy the current needs with this issue.  If privacy is necessary, I can even create a private temporary folder for the files so they are never linked/attached here in the forums.  I'm happy to do that, it would be a chance for me to learn more about this workflow for future users as well.  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

I just wanted to follow up here, any progress on this issue?

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Alfred,

I am in the middle of a hot project, but intend to follow up on this post as soon as I get a chance.

Thanks again,

John

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

No problem at all John, I have you stickied on my Outlook and I'll check back in a week or so.  (protocol.)  Hope the project comes out great. 

Best Regards,