Converting a dwg 2d to 3D in chief

[Craiglamy]

My question is I have a 3-D camera for my iPad  that scans interiors and I can use it to completely lay out a house once I have made my scans I send them to the company and they send me in return a DWG file that’s exactly what I scan from the house.  I know the 3-D works in his spot on because I can open the DWG up in sketch up and it looks perfect when I follow the chief to Torio‘s to import into chief and use cad to walls I can’t seem to get it to work I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. When I import the file into chief I cannot click on individual wall lines it imports as one big image I don’t know how I can get past this stage

[Joe_Carrick]

Can you post the dwg here?  That's the only way we can see what you have and don't have to work with.

 

btw, most people just trace over the walls with Chief Wall Types.  IAE, you have to set the Wall Defaults to get the right Exterior & Interior Wall Types, Floor Defaults for heights, etc.

[Chopsaw]

Are you using Structure Sensor ?  If so there was a discussion about it not long ago here:

 

 https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/topic/17107-x9-dwg-import/?do=findComment&comment=150601

 

[Craiglamy]

this is a dwg i have and it is flawless in sketchup.

Global_Parlee.dwg

[Chopsaw]

Craig,  Try importing this into Chief and you should be able to snap you walls to it or maybe even use cad to walls. I see even the outlets are located. The trick will be exploding the cad blocks first.

 

Let us know how it goes.  Would love to know what kind of accuracy you are able to achieve.

 

EDIT:

I was going from memory and thought it was an orientation issue that was causing the issues.

Please disregard the file I posted if you down loaded it. It worked in AutoCAD but not Chief.

 

 

[glennw]

I wouldn't waste my time trying to do anything with that file.

It's a series of nested cad blocks which contain multiple duplicate cad entities.

It would be a whole lot faster to draw it from scratch in Chief - a lot faster than the time spent here. 

[Craiglamy]

ok after everything i have tried i think your right...^ having followed all tutorials to the T and exploring different variables in tutorial i started thinking it would not work because the import comes in as one big cad block and there are no individual wall lines i can define

[Alaskan_Son]

FWIW,  here are 2 methods that I find to be helpful for converting DWG files like this one.

 

Option #1:  Use the 2D version and trace.  Import the 2D version of the DWG into Chief, group select all CAD blocks (usually using the Match Properties tool and explode them.  Sometimes this needs to be done multiple times.  Once I have the blocks all exploded, I usually group select all the linework, change the color to something like a light gray, and then I put all the linework onto a locked layer.  I then figure out the wall definitions and set the Resize About setting in my General Wall Defaults to the appropriate setting so that I can simply trace the CAD work with my new walls.  Then trace other elements in a similar manner.

 

Option #2:  Use the 3D version and trace.  Import the 3D version of the DWG into Chief and rotate the resulting symbol onto its side.  Take an elevation view that cuts through your walls, windows, doors, etc.  Create a CAD Detail From View of that elevation view, Select All, Copy, and then Paste Hold Position that linework back into your plan view.  You can do this multiple times using multiple cut planes.  Once you get the linework you need, simply trace it using the same steps outlines in Option #1.  NOTE:  You may find it helpful to slide the symbol off to the side along the X axis so that your Paste Hold Position operation doesn't place the new linework right on top of your symbol. 

[Kbird1]

3 hours ago, Craiglamy said:

ok after everything i have tried i think your right...^ having followed all tutorials to the T and exploring different variables in tutorial i started thinking it would not work because the import comes in as one big cad block and there are no individual wall lines i can define

 

If you Import it as a dxf you get wall lines by the look and CAD to Walls does work to some degree ..... better start than nothing?

 

Maybe .stl would work if I knew what I was doing in Draftsight

 

*** caveat***  I don't know autocad , ( I used DrafthtSight Free to convert ) nor have used CAD to Walls Before

 

If you know the Sizes , then drawing something this small in Chief would be pretty quick ...as fast as fixing the Import probably ...it ain't perfect.

 

M.

 

since I had it done have a look at this.......

 

Global Parlee in CA.plan

 

 

[Craiglamy]

I totally get if I know the size of everything I can draw pretty quick.  I guess with my ultimate plan was I had bought the Structure sensor so I can scan properties I work for investment company and we buy homes remodel and approve them so for me the Structure sensor was to be able to get a quick scan of a home in essentially have blueprints without having to hire an architect to map it out yes I can do that myself but being the builder and the planter my plate is pretty full so I was planner I was looking for something to speed the process along

[Kbird1]

6 minutes ago, Craiglamy said:

I totally get if I know the size of everything I can draw pretty quick.  I guess with my ultimate plan was I had bought the Structure sensor so I can scan properties I work for investment company and we buy homes remodel and approve them so for me the Structure sensor was to be able to get a quick scan of a home in essentially have blueprints without having to hire an architect to map it out yes I can do that myself but being the builder and the planter my plate is pretty full so I was planner I was looking for something to speed the process along

 

did you explain the Issue to Structure ? perhaps they can change their Output for you somehow so Chief can import easily , be to their benefit to deal with Chief Direct I'd think and work it out...

 

M.

[Craiglamy]

they basically told me that they have dabbled with chief as an option but primarly use sketchup and revit. so for now i am sol for this peticular application...just as fast to draw from scratch

 

[Kbird1]

8 minutes ago, Craiglamy said:

they basically told me that they have dabbled with chief as an option but primarly use sketchup and revit. so for now i am sol for this peticular application...just as fast to draw from scratch

 

 

Perhaps Chief will Import the Sketchup .dae or .skp better if Structure works in Sketch Properly?