Import new object

[ciro51]

Hi everybody,
I'm trying to import new objects from the internet but i didn't succeed up to now. I tried with the object wizard and found the .dxf file but or i cannot see them or they are not correct!
Can anyone help me... please?
Thanks

[Allan Chesney]

Hi, Welcome to the forum.

The Import Wizard should work to import objects.  Generally 3DS files are best.  DXF files that are 3D can also be imported but there are usually more problems with textures.  Maybe the DXF file you tried was only 2D.  Objects imported this way only stay in that model and are not available to other projects later unless you specifically add them to the catalogue (File> Catalogues> Save element to catalogue)

Objects can also be imported directly into some of the catalogue groups eg Interior Accessories, Exterior Accessories etc.  Right click in an appropriate group, select Add Element and choose "Import geometry from file".  This will put the object directly in your catalogue but do not forget to save it when prompted as you close TFP.

You can also add objects to the Lighting and they will become illuminated. Right click in the Lighting group, select Add Element and in the lower part of the Basic tab you will see "Imported Element" and a Select button. Choose the object and set the lighting properties to what you want.

I have attached a very basic 3DS file for you to try.  It is just a cube with two textures but is very useful as it can be resized and replicated to make all sorts of objects. Try importing this in one of the ways mentioned above and let us know how you get on.

Allan

[ciro51]

Hi,
thanks for the welcome and for the suggestions... sadly they worked only partially.
I succeded the importation of the cube you send; i have tried with other things (.dxf and .3d) but it didn't work out, all of them look like "exploded". I have attached a file here and if you can try I'll be grateful... if on your PC will work I'll start to think that the problem is not the program but my hardware.

P.S.: I have tried one chair and it did work out... I really don't know what to think!

Thank you again.

Ciro

[Draft Patrick]

Hi Ciro51,

Perhaps I can help

Attached is your object with a small modification, try to use the wizard to import this file and let us know about the results

Draftcad

[Allan Chesney]

Thanks for coming in on this one - whatever you did has fixed this particular file.  I imported the original into TFP and it is split into 3 pieces which was presumably Ciro's problem. I tried in two other 3DS viewers to try to verify that it was not a problem with the 3DS file itself and the other viewers also had problems with it.  One was the same as TFP and one slightly better.

I have now imported your 'fixed' 3DS and it renders fine as you can see in the image with the fixed chair alongside the original one.  

The only problem with the adjusted file is that it is all one texture. It is a useful model but ideally the legs should be a separate colour to the seat.  Is it possible to restore that functionality?

Allan

[Draft Patrick]

Hi Allan,

Sorry I didn't write my name. I'm Pat  

OK, the layers were exactly the problem with the file. I just merged the layers. I had the same problem with other programs importing 3DS files

As you probably know, the 3DS format is tricky and the object and the layers must be developed carefully. Unfortunatelly, I am not proficient enough with 3DS files to fix the layers of this object
Just as additional info, I opened the 3DS file with TurboCad Professional and it shows the same issues

However, I found an alternative solution with other (old) program--> I converted the 3DS file to DXF with layers included. If selected to import by object, each leg is a separated object and can be textured separately

Both files are attached

Hope this helps

Pat / Draftcad

[Allan Chesney]

Thanks Pat,

Looks like we have it sorted out now. What I have done is import your adjusted DXF file and then exported it from TFP as a 3DS.  This has reduced the file size to one third, so will help TFP deal with the memory issue that could arivse if a few were used. It has also maintained the texture settings. In the example I has set the legs to chrome and it comes up quite nicely.

Thanks again and welcome to the forum!!

Allan

[Draft Patrick]

Hi Allan,

Thank you for the welcome! I am glad to help. In special, I love import / export challenges 

DXF is a very primitive format, and yes, the files are large. You can open the DXF files with Notepad, or other text editor (yes, text) and see the entities, and this explains the size issue
Anyway, is important to mention that, if you see the size of my file "Ryan_Coffee_3Dlow rp.3ds" you will notice that, in the conversion , I reduced the size from the original (rp means reduced polygons) --> lots of free 3DS objects in the web are very "rich"  in polygons, unnecessarily. As you know, lots of objects with too much polygons are the enemies # 1  of the rendering speed

For the users: there are many programs for 3DS modeling, some of them are free--> these programs allow layers + polygons reduction

Hope this helps!

Pat / Draftcad

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Pat,

Yes there are some very nice 3DS files around but, as you said ,some are gigantic!  OK for their original purpose I suppose but not good as a minor part of a TFP model.  I don't know whether you realised or not but you can reduce the polygon count in TFP also and turn off the layers individually. (Properties tab).  In the first image I have reduced the right hand chair from 15,000 polygons to 10,000 but it obviously does not render as well. OK maybe if not too close to the camera.

The 3DS car in the other image was only 157 polygons yet the reproduction is quite good really.  There is only one of course - the other three are reflections in 'mirror' walls. It was just an experiment in reflections.

Allan

[Draft Patrick]

Hi Allan,

Nice image! and interesting discussion

Regarding the polygons, yes, you can reduce the number by eliminating layers as you described, but there are other methods, and I think that each method is OK or not for different uses /situations: you can merge all the layers in one (as I did yesterday) or simply making larger polygons--> in this case you have a file with less Kb but also a less detailed object

Regards

Pat / Draftcad

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Pat,

I don't know much about the technicalities of this sort of thing, but TFP has two methods of reducing the size of an element: Turning off layers but doing that removes part of the object (in the case of the chair you can turn off the legs or the seat in 3D, 2D or both).  The second method is to reduce the number of polygons using a slider bar. Starts at 100% (15,000+ for the chair). I slid it down so it said 10,000.  What it actually did I suspect is remove some of the smaller polygons. The image shows both chairs together close up.  I have changed the legs to black and it shows up 'holes' in the legs of the one on the right - the one I reduced.  Your original is on the left.  The larger polygons in the seat seem to be still in tact.

If you look closely at the holes you can see right through to the wall and baseboard behind. The two closeup view really show up the deleted polygons. OK I suppose if it is in the distance or has reflective legs as in the previous image.

Allan

[Draft Patrick]

Hi Allan,

I see, but I meant was reducing polygons before you import the 3DS file
Anyway, all this is a great way to learn!! 

Pat / Draftcad

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Pat,

I did realise that you meant to reduce the polygons before import.  I was just curious to try the built in 'reducer' to see what it did, as I have never had time to play with it previously.  I recently took redundancy as an early retirement, so I now have time to experiment occasionally!!

Allan