QUESTION: What 3D file formats of furniture can I import, and how?


Hirnsausen
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No, when trying (it indeed gives me this option) then i get an error, that I must select a valid file. But I am able to import DXL files. Just, I cannot find them afterwards, even when selecting during the import "Move Drawing to the Origin in Chief Architect". Is there a way to select or find that imported item?

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No, when trying (it indeed gives me this option) then i get an error, that I must select a valid file. But I am able to import DXL files. Just, I cannot find them afterwards, even when selecting during the import "Move Drawing to the Origin in Chief Architect". Is there a way to select or find that imported item?

 

This post makes no sense to me. Are you downloading SKP files or "DXL" files?  SKP files should import with no problems unless you're using something other than CA X7 in which case you may need to download SKP files as older versions. 

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Start on page 1147 of the Reference Manual (Not the User's Guide).  Pay attention to the paragraph about placing a symbol after import.

 

"-Click OK to import the symbol, then click in floor plan view to place the symbol at that location. Continue clicking to place as many copies of the symbol as needed. Select another tool when finished."

 

Hope that helps,

 

jon

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Hi, when selecting SKP files, it interprets them as "signs" and gives an error that this is not the correct file.

But no problem, I converted all SKP files to DXL files. Now I can import them. But new problem: I don't see anywhere that imported furniture, even when using the import option to bring the important item to the origin.

 

Please open the RAR archive, it contains the house plan and also one DXL file (a half-round couch. Please try to import it and let it be inside the round mini room with the lowered floor inside the living room. And most important. tell me then please, how you did it. All steps. So I can learn from it and repeat it. Thanks.

JCaffee: thanks for your answer, too. One of my problems is that English is not my natural language, my stock of words is still a bit limited, as my correct understanding or interpretation is. The manual is almost everywhere full with words or terms I have difficulties to comprehend entirely. Example: a symbol is for me a flat 2D object (like a sign), not a 3D object. And so on. I just started to read books in English language, but those are novels (SciFi), that is easier for me to keep concentration in this different language. I prefer to post here, and get some practical instructions, that is easier, much easier, for me.   :-)

 

Please see the PLAN file:

http://www.BigTingsAGwaan.com/d/BowRoofMetric.rar

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Sketchup to Chief can be troublesome, To save yourself a lot of trouble just export a 3ds file from Sketchup, then import this 3ds file to Chief Architect.

 

Be careful of Sketchup models if the file size is too big, they may affect the performance of chief. By too big I mean an unnecessarily complicated model with too much detail. 

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Hmmmm, I tried. Still failing.

 

Just for example, try to place the round couch into the living room of my house. Both files (house plan and couch) are inside this compressed RAR archive:
http://www.BigTingsAGwaan.com/d/BowRoofMetric.rar

 

And if you succeed, please explain to me step by step, how you did the magic, button-click by button-click, I need to learn. Thanks. :-)
 

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Here is your plan with your round couch in the center of the living room.

 

bow roof metric.plan

 

It's an awfully small couch, though.

 

post-95-0-75487500-1446644260_thumb.png

 

Step by step guide:

1. Open the plan file.

2. File>Import>Import 3D Symbol

3. Select the Round Couch in the Import 3D Symbol File dialog box, click Open.

4. In the Import 3D Symbol dialog box select Furnishings (Interior) from the Category drop-down box, click OK.

5. Now click the mouse wherever in plan you want to place the couch.

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Thanks a lot. I tried by myself to import it as symbol (SKP file), but CAX7 errors with the message "Couldn't create a symbol. There were no 3D surfaces found in the data file".

 

The compressed RAR archive contains the house plan, and the ring table as SKP (Sketchup) and DWG file. When importing it, the units are meters.

 

Also, inside the plan you can see that I tried already to import the ring table, it is standing proudly inside the living room. But you can see it only on the regular plan, inside the camera view it cannot be seen. What went wrong?

 

http://www.BigTingsAGwaan.com/d/BowRoofMetric.rar

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Hmmmmm, thanks for your answer. I actually posted the same problem inside the Sketchup forum. It is hard to determine, where the problem is: on the import options of CAX7, or inside the Export feature of Sketchup. Another Sketchup user, answering my request for help, told me that he tested my DWG file inside AutoCad, and it was properly displayed as a solid 3D body.

 

On the other hand, I made with CAX7 the same experiences like you: it seems to become only some sort of symbol. Could it be, we two don't use the many import options correctly?

More help is needed for this interesting problem. Ideally, if someone not only uses CAX7 but also Sketchup 2015 (x64 version).

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I successfully imported the table from both the SketchUp and the AutoCAD files. The trick is to discover (sometimes through trial and error) the best import options, then using the Symbol Specification dbx to assign offset and size values.

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Now having discovered the trick , perhaps you'll like to share it.

No trick - as I stated, it's trial and error. The SketchUp file was created in metric. Using metric settings for the import option didn't seem to work as expected, it seemed like regardless of the import option setting CA was actually importing in imperial. Again, I wasn't smart enough to figure out the rhythm or reason - I just played until it I achieved a satisfactory result. Maybe someone else is smarter.

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Yes, that video is good and explains. While in CAX7, the term "Import 3D Symbol" was so misleading to me, that I never considered it (as I didn't intended to import symbols but a 3D item). Well, I learned something new today...

 

But new problem. CAX7 errors now "Could create a symbol. There were no 3D surfaces found in the data file". Now I am getting insane. Please help.

 

http://www.BigTingsAGwaan.com/d/RingTableCut.skp

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