autocad 3d into 2d drawing

Preparing an AutoCAD drawing for 3D

Introduction

It is extremely important to prepare an AutoCAD drawing taking into consideration two master bug

1. The drawing should be organised and drawn so as not to compromise the production drawing. This means that it should be drawn in a manner that benefits both the AutoCAD outputs and the 3D outputs. Right layering, closed polylines created from a framework and simplified object positioning are examples of this process
2. The drawing should exist organised to facilitate easy import / export with MAX/VIZ. Keeping a handle on what elements will need to be created equally single objects in 3D and which will need to be created as i object is very important. Also, making the layer organisation easily understandable and 'object focussed' is important

This tutorial explains the main issues to consider when drawing in AutoCAD and preparing a drawing for use in 3D piece of work

Download Sample Data

In lodge to follow this tutorial, you may desire to utilize the supplied files. Delight read the sample data instructions before downloading.

kf301_files.nada (583kb)

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Layers and Drawing Methods

Organisation of all elements that are to be used in 3D using layers is vital equally well every bit a good noesis of clean, accurate cartoon methods for 3D work. Recall that what looks acceptable in 2D may not work every bit you want in 3D and may look terrible. A good example of bad drawing is the non-use of arcs in the polyline command where a curved road section is represented past a series of line segments. When turned into a kerb line in 3D it will look similar the image below:

The correct cartoon method (which is easier) produces a adept looking and authentic issue in 3D

Clean and Simplify Drawing

Before using an AutoCAD drawing for importing into MAX/VIZ only those elements that are going to exist used for 3D work need keeping in the cartoon. Inapplicable lines and text should be removed and a 'buffer' drawing used instead of a main product drawing. The following checklist should also be implemented before starting to use AutoCAD information:

• Purge the drawing of all items and nested items
• Audit the cartoon
• Fix UCS to World if some other has been used
• Bind Xrefs
• Detach Images
• Use Drawing Cleanup tools if using Autodesk Map to simplify linear features and remove duplicates etc

• Finally, display simply those elements that are going to be used and Re-create and Paste into a New Drawing. Use Edit > Copy so Edit > Paste to Original Coordinates

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Layers

The chief method of creating objects in MAX/VIZ outlined in these tutorials is to create objects from layers. This is a straight forrard process that allows you to call up 'objects' correct from the start

Open up kf301_01.dwg in AutoCAD. This cartoon contains an example layer system used for easy import to MAX/VIZ

NOTE: Creating separate objects from ane layer in MAX/VIZ is handled on the import options dialogs in MAX/VIZ

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Drawing Methods

Good clean drawing techniques are essential to produce good looking scenes and benefit the cartoon as a whole. Together with a comprehensive layer organisation based on 'objects' and the use of airtight boundaries using a framework layer, and the boundary command, the use of appropriate AutoCAD tools make transition into 3D much easier. This tutorial explores some of the basic useful commands to create clean, simple, accurate lines in AutoCAD

NOTE: The creation of airtight boundary polygons and comprehensive layer system is useful for other outputs from AutoCAD and tertiary party applications. Export to CorelDraw or Mcolour for plan graphics, hatching areas in AutoCAD and list of area quantities are good examples of extended functionality using these methods

TIP: Always draw lines using the Polyline command. Using the Line control produces fragmented and less managable drawings

• Open kf301_02.dwg . This drawing contains some layers for a creating surfaces and a kerb for a uncomplicated mural scheme (shown completed below)

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Building

Notice that a layer called 'Framework' has been created and there are building framework lines already drawn. These accept been created using the Offset command. The landscape drawing is constructed by referencing the known positions of points and lines of the building - as it would be constructed on-site

• Make Edifice layer current
• Depict > Boundary > Pick Points - pick a betoken in the centre of the building framework lines. This creates a closed boundary for the edifice on the correct layer

NOTE: If the Purlieus command does not piece of work check the following points:

1. Elements such as blocks are frozen and not turned off (AutoCAD still includes off layers when searching for a boundary)
2. The boundary extents can be viewed on the screen (only graphics on the nowadays screen brandish are included in the boundary search)
3. All existing polylines and framework lines are 2D at zero height (ie non 3D polylines)
4. There are no gaps in any of the polylines

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Machine Park

• Make Framework layer current
• Describe a framework polyline from the bottom right corner of the building vertically upwardly using Ortho On (F8 toggles Ortho on>off)
• Beginning this line 30 metres to the right
• Plough OSnap On (Object Snap) and change the Snap Settings to Endpoint. Draw a horizontal polyline from the summit correct corner of the  building horizontally using Ortho On so that information technology crosses the previously drawn polyline
• Draw a ciclcle snapped to where these lines meet with a radius of 5 metres (this value can be typed on the control line when creating the circle)
• Start drawing a framework polyline snapped from the meridian right corner of the building with the 2nd vertex of the polyline snapped (intersection snap) to where the circle crosses the line. So type A at the control line (this is a polyline sub-command - wait at the command line - which allows you to draw an arc as part of a polyline). Snap the next vertex to where the circle crosses the vertical framework line. Then type 50 at the command line (this takes y'all back to drawing a normal line within the polyline). Using Ortho On elevate the polyline down and complete the polyline as shown below. This procedure accurately offsets the car park edge and gives a rounded corner of radius 5 metres

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First Path and Road

• Delete the circle
• Extend the bottom horizontal building framework line to meet the new auto park edge framework line and Offset the new automobile park edge line left 5 metres to the left. This creates a framework line for the road
• Offset the extended framework line downward 2 metres and the original right hand vertical framework edifice line to the right 2 metres. This creates framework lines for the first path
• Trim the lines and Delete unecessary lines so the framework looks like the image below. Using Ortho On describe a framework polyline that closes the road at the lower terminate

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Grassed Surface area and Planting Beds

• Using Grips with Ortho On elevate the left building framework line downwardly and the line created to close the road across left then they cross
• Using Ortho On depict a polyline line starting from the corner of the path down and using the Arc sub polyline command then Line sub polyline command depict the large planting bed

NOTE: Arc sub commands must only be used afterwards starting to depict a polyline in Line manner. Otherwise the arc 'balloons' due to it not having any direction

• In the left corner of the grassed area framework create a circumvolve snapped to the edge corner of the path framework to draw the small planting bed

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Second Path

• Draw a polyline using the Arc sub command and Line sub command to describe the centre line of the second path
• Offset this line 0.75 metres to the left and 0.75 metres to the correct
• Delete the centre polyline to give an initial framework for the 2d path

• To splay the entrance points to the path Trim both ends of the path:

• Finally (to complete the framework) Fillet the corners or the path entrances. Before filleting, Join the framework polylines using Pedit then use the Fillet control to create a fillet of radius 2 metres at each corner. Then use Snaps to snap a polyline to close the path ends
• Trim the circle for the pocket-size planting bed and then the lines do non interfere with the creation of boundaries

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Create Surface Boundaries

Making each layer current in plow use the Purlieus command to quickly create boundaries for each chemical element
Turn the Framework layer off

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Create Kerb Line

• Offset the Car Park boundary by 0.15 metres
• Select the offset polyline and identify on the Kerb layer past selecting the Kerb Layer in the Layer Dropdown List then pressing Esc twice. This layer will be turned off before importing into MAX/VIZ every bit edges are created from the purlieus lines using the Loft chemical compound object

This small tutorial shows how unproblematic the geometry should be when importing to MAX/VIZ. The cartoon should incorporate no edge information apart from the closed boundaries that delineate all surfaces seamlessly (the subject of this tutorial). Secondly, objects such as trees, benches, lamp posts etc should exist represented by simple circle and rectangular blocks on the correct layers. These elementary second blocks are replaced in MAX/VIZ with 3D objects, but are positioned in AutoCAD. Thirdly, 3D landform information in the grade of contours, 3D polylines (strings) or a triangulated mesh is needed in lodge to transform the second program into a 3D scene

NOTE: This sequence of tutorial files has been saved equally four drawings: kf301_02a/b/c/d.dwg for reference

Checklist of Commands

Go very familiar with the following commands which were all used to quickly and accurately create this elementary landscape program. More than complicated plans simply echo these commands over and over again

Movement
Rotate
Copy and Multiple Copy
Offset
Trim
Extend
Purlieus
Fillet > Chamfer
Pedit
Manipulation of Vertex Handles
Snap Mode On>Off and Snap Settings
Ortho

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Simplify Blocks

Complicated 2D blocks should non be imported into MAX/VIZ if they are merely used equally markers for 3D Objects or as objects for replacing with 3D objects. Replacing blocks with much simpler blocks before importing into MAX/VIZ is straightforward in AutoCAD using the Reference Edit dialog

• Open kf301_03.dwg. This drawing contains 4 detailed graphic blocks for trees which need simplifying by replacing them with circles

• Select one of the blocks (they are notwithstanding block reference) and double left click. This opens the Reference Edit dialog

Note: The Reference Edit dialog is a characteristic of AutoCAD 2004 plus. Replacing blocks in previous versions of AutoCAD entails 'redefining blocks'

• Printing Ok to isolate the block and open information technology upward for editing. A small toolbar appears and only the cake is bachelor for editing. All other blocks of the same proper noun disappear and all other elements in the cartoon turn grey
• Zoom to the block and describe a circumvolve in the aforementioned position and at the same size every bit the tree block

• Draw a circle around the tree cake on layer 0, and so delete the tree block lines
• Press the Save back changes to reference button to supervene upon all references of the block with a simple circle

TIP: Some other pick for replacing blocks can be found on the Express Card/Blocks. Use Supercede block with some other block to quickly replace a block in the drawing with another

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Import Options

Before importing data from AutoCAD into MAX/VIZ 2 issues must exist addressed

1. If the drawing has been created far from 0,0 on the 10 and Y axes, the drawing information needs to exist moved closer to 0,0. This improves how MAX/VIZ handles the data in the later stages and makes sure the modelling is authentic and any animation smooth
2. The relationship between the layers and how they are configured to create objects on import needs to be understood. Then simple routines using one of two divide import dialogs can be used to update the MAX/VIZ scene at any time

This section explains how to divide drawing data for MAX/VIZ from the production blueprint drawings and how to configure the Import dialog for easy update of the scene from AutoCAD

NOTE: If drawing units are in millimeters, then likewise re-scale the drawing at this phase (it is not advisable to keep in millimeters for a landscape scale project)

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Move to Zero

If AutoCAD geometry is created far from goose egg, then accuracy issues may occur when modelling this information in MAX/VIZ. This is due to the fact that AutoCAD is accurate to 64 decimal places, whereas MAX/VIZ is only (just?) authentic to 32 decimal places. The trouble usually manifests itself when animating cameras along paths when 'camera milkshake' volition occur. Large bounding boxes around objects are also a problem if the AutoCAD data is far from zilch considering the bounding boxes start at 0,0

AutoCAD drawings created far from zero are usually the outcome of using Ordnance Survey basemap information to offset the drawing process. Well-nigh basemap tiles are hundreds of thousands of metres away from zippo on the 10 and Y plane. Needless to say, mural drawings are often created far from zero

• Either move the basemaps to nothing before creating the drawing and in the knowledge that other data demand not be added in a 'mapped' surround or apply a separate cartoon for 3D work with a known basepoint for moving geometry to zero thus:

• Open and manage a new separate drawing for importing into MAX/VIZ
• Import the post-obit three elements needed for visualisation piece of work into this new drawing: Closed boundary lines delineating all surfaces / Simple blocks for objects / Landform data in the form of Contours, 3D polylines (strings) or Triangulated Mesh or Grid

TIP: Apply Autodesk Map 3D to adhere the project pattern drawing to the MAX/VIZ drawing and employ simple layer belongings queries to add elements to the MAX/VIZ cartoon at any time. This is a very effective method of filtering but the data needed for 3D work whilst keeping separate from the production drawings. It allows the original pattern drawing to be inverse without having to worry nearly layers on>off and layers that are not relevant to 3D work (cartoon for 3D work should be very straight forward and almost simplistic). Complicated blocks for copse, seats, lamp posts etc can fifty-fifty be replaced with simple blocks as office of the procedure. Changing 2D plans using GIS functionality and visualising these scenarios in 3D is another advantage of using Autodesk Map 3D with MAX/VIZ

• Open up kf301_04.dwg . This cartoon is an instance of a drawing containing these iii elements. However, if yous look at the coordinates of the data on the Satus Bar you will notice that it is far from zero

Round these coordinates up to 320000,456000

• Zoom out and record on a peice of paper the rounded upwardly coordinates preferably to the bottom left of the site. The rounded upwards coordinates would be 320000, 456000 in this case. This happens to be in the centre of the scheme, but this is Ok
• Turn on and unfreeze all layers
• Select all the elements in the drawing and utilise the Move command to move the data to nil thus:
• When prompted for the base of operations point or displacement type 320000,456000 on the command line then Return
• When prompted for the 2nd point of displacement type 0,0 on the command line and so Render. This moves the information from a known recorded betoken to 0,0

TIP: Some other method involves drawing a rectangle around the site (on a layer that can be frozen) and using the lesser left corner of the rectangle as the motility base indicate

The drawing is at present ready for import into MAX/VIZ without any problems connected to existence sited far from zero. Repeat this routine to move whatever new information from the original 2nd pattern drawing

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Import AutoCAD Drawing Dialogs

To control how AutoCAD information is imported into MAX/VIZ i of two Import Drawing dialogs is used depending on how the information has been organised in AutoCAD and how the objects need to be organised in MAX/VIZ

Importing using the Legacy AutoCAD dialog

This dialog is the 'sometime' version but does have some useful features

1. You tin can import text
2. Objects are named the same as the layer they were created on in AutoCAD to help with object organisation

• Reset MAX/VIZ
• File > Import. On the Select File to Import dialog modify the Files of Type to Legacy AutoCAD (*DWG). Select kf301_05.dwg then Open up
• On the Dwg Import dialog select Merge and press Ok

• On the Import AutoCAD Dwg File dialog check the following:

• Press Ok

• In the Select by Name dialog note that all the layers take been turned into objects and that all the steps, for instance, are one object. This is Ok for some objects, but not others. It is handy for the contours to be imported like this. So too the positioning blocks for mural objects such as bollards, seating and lamp posts. However, objects such as the steps need to be imported as separate objects. To import those objects that have been imported incorrectly delete the objects and re-import having changed the import settings as follows:

• Delete S teps lesser.01, Steps top.01, Sundial.01 and Wall.01

Importing using the AutoCAD Cartoon dialog

This dialog is the virtually contempo version and has other useful features

1. Y'all tin can select objects on layers you want to import from a layer list
2. Objects, however, are not renamed but organised in layers in MAX/VIZ

• File > Import. On the Select File to Import dialog change the Files of Type to AutoCAD Cartoon (* . DWG ,*.DXF ). Select kf301_05.dwg then Open
• On The Layers Tab choose Select from listing and select the following layers:

• On the Geometry Tab select the post-obit options:

• Press Ok to import the objects into MAX/VIZ
• Notice that the all objects have been named 'polyline' ie as the object 'type'. Utilize the Layer dialog and Rename dialog to organise the objects further:
• Open up the Layer dialog and right click over Steps bottom. Cull Select from the right click carte. This selects all the bottom step boundary lines

TIP: If the Layer dialog is not displaying right click on the main toolbar (not on an icon) and select Layers from the listing

• Tools > Rename Objects. On the Rename dialog type in the Base Proper noun, bank check 'Numbered' and set the Base Number to one

• Press Rename to rename all the objects selected

All objects are now in the correct format and named correctly in order to make the modelling procedure easier

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