Using .OBJ vs .SKP CA

[olyconstruction]

Hi Chiefs,

 

I need to import some .SKP and .OBJ files in to CA to show the specified fixtures for a bathroom remodel. 

 

SKP files seem to work best, sometimes when they come in however, they are rotated the wrong way. Does anyone know how I would rotate them to the correct angle after importing them as a CAD Symbol?

 

The other thing I am having problems with are the OBJ files. Every time I bring them into CA, it becomes very slow and I have the same rotation problems. They are great object files, but I think they are just too large. Has anyone out there had any success converting the OBJ to SKP files to make them easier to work with? 

 

Please let me know if you are interested and I can send you the plan (its too big to upload? tried to upload an object file and it was too big?? 25 MB seems like a lot smaller download capacity than the last forums format had, whats the deal) I have attached a few screen shots that might be useful

 

So to summarize the question:

A: How do you rotate the default position of a cad symbol?

B: how do you make a large OBJ file work for you, have you had any success exporting it as a skp from sketchup? 

 

Please let me know what you think, thank you so much,

AB

[mattyt12]

picture say a 1000 words......I generally try to avoid any file over 5mb unless its a specific item to use in raytraces, otherwise I'll make my own.

[olyconstruction]

Thanks for the reply Matty, 

That was my first thought too was to change the rotation angle to 0, or something else. Whenever I did that it would revert back to 90. I did mess with the + and - rotation buttons until I got what I wanted. (Also they do not update automatically at least not the hardware, I had to reload them to see the change.) I was hoping though that I would be able to adjust the degree of rotation in the text box, seems like I should be able to. 

 

 

 

[Dermot]

A: How do you rotate a symbol?

 

You use the rotate buttons in the Open Symbol dialog.  First type in the angle you want to rotate and then click the appropriate button.  If you turn on the x-y-z axis indicators, you will probably find this less confusing. 

 

B: How do you make a large OBJ/SKP symbol work?

 

I don't think the file format matters.  If you are having performance problems with a large symbol, you should replace it with a smaller one.  Anyone can post anything they want online but that doesn't make it perform well in Chief.  One thing that can help you determine whether or not the symbol will perform well is to pay attention to the number of surfaces listed in the Open Symbol dialog.  As a general rule, the more surfaces it has, the slower it will perform.

 

 

[olyconstruction]

Thank you so much Dermot,

 

I realized how the rotation dial works after I had posted. You are right, I think it is an easier system too. 

 

The problem with the file definitely is the size. It has some 9000 surfaces I think. Is there some way to simplify the object in chief? It is a really great symbol and I want to use it. That is why I was thinking of pulling it into another 3d modeling platform and re formatting it to a smaller file.