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3DS respect file dimensions??!! Not


David "Rex" Whalen

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Observation:: With the latest build of the Builder, I've noticed the 'choose file dimensions' as a check box on the Import; great idea.  This doesn't seem to parse the values over to the web interface however; IE, the dimension boxes arrive with 0 value and thus the object/model/file is non-rendering in the GUI....that's slightly confusing?!  I have to manually input the actual values of the file....:}, which is no better than previous build where a default value was jammed into the entry field...and I had to look up the models actual dimensions and manually input them to get a proper Size of the geometry.

 

I think/hope most modellers/3D artists construct to a logical size and/or MFGers specifications on the drawings/DWG/DXF files...just sayin', as the hippy kidz say they're saying...lol.

Edited by David "Rex" Whalen
clarifying pipeline/workflow
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Here are my Import results from the Model Tab, the first step of the process. 1794799716_IMPORT__USEFILEDIMENSIONS_0.thumb.png.b328e5fc238c2ece7758893c37d415fb.png

I've named the geometry, checked Use File Dimensions, it's a 3DS File, I'm Uploading, I hit OK.

This is the resulting object with no dimension data and you can zoom into infinity and not see any geometry.

USE_FILE_DIMENSIONS_RESULT_0.thumb.png.7af483cd392151ea6256366bf4255e94.png

If I go into the Geometries Tab and select the Existing model, I still get no dimensions...?!! Huh? and you're using C4D as your CAD tool for generating the 3DS file?

 

GeometryTabNoDimensions_0.thumb.png.a4f8d9ceb305efaa734e5d24d844e0d1.png

I can't imagine what I'm doing horribly wrong...? I'm thinking it's in the uploading process maybe, I can't believe there are Zero Vertices in the 3DS file...?!? Which would make it indeed a non-rendering object... good thing more than one individual is working on this paradigm, ;), cause we are not all using the same programs to generate fileTypes, imho, or browsers since this is web based tool. Chrome here, U.S.A, Windows 7 machine, C4D 16[I think]...and now when I go back into the Geomery Tab, the selected geometry has a vert count??!  Goofy...I've not had issues with earlier 3DS files and rendering...but now seem to.

 

David/rex

 

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Pretty much the same issues on a Windows10 laptop, Chrome, different 3DS file. Still very goofy Import.... The model I just uploaded has entirely wrong dimensions as it is not 2 mm x 2 mm....does have only 246 Verts, which should fall within the range to render, iirc, as to limitations on a 3DS model. I had no problems on the earlier version of the Builder, just sayin'....and now with new build and new features, I got's problems uploading...again, just sayin'...I have an observation; not saying it's right or wrong, it's what I'm observing at this moment in time, ;).  Anyone else had no problems earlier but now do??  Just askin'...

Rex

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Certainly, glad to help. Here's a simple Cube primitive, exported from Cinema4D as a 3DS file AT Units set to Meters in the C4D Scene, exported at units set to Meters to 3DS. Geometry had Material[no bitmap] applied to it with UV mapping and a Phong shader set to ~80+degrees angle.

Do a straight up Import using the Fixture Builder.  When you Import the 3DS file, it's got size values now[with this test model] and a vert count, but no rendering in the UI? None of my earlier Imports of 3DS files had this issue?CUBE.3ds

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Actually, i do see the qube in the builder and i think you do too, but the issue is in size. When i calculate box dimensions for this model, in MeshLab, here is what i get:

Mesh Bounding Box Size 2.000000 2.000000 2.000000

That is in milimeters. So the units are somewhat off.

So it is really tiny and this is why you "cannot" see it.

See attached Esprit head, so comparison.

Cheers

Petr

head.3ds

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Oh, I agree, by changing the values manually, I do get a rendering now. This, to me, is not respecting the file's Size. I set the UI to Meters, it's Exported at Meters. It arrives as 2 mm...even when I set the UI to meters and have to again, as before, set the Size manually...the original observation I made on this build. For me, checking the box, does nothing as an improvement and the default Units of the UI don't seem intuitive...

Ya, every time I Import this cube, it arrives at  2mm instead of it's exported units, Meters....even if I set the UI to Meters...that is not intuitive at all, imho.

 

Rexy

Edited by David "Rex" Whalen
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1 minute ago, David "Rex" Whalen said:

Oh, I agree, by changing the values manually, I do get a rendering now. This, to me, is not respecting the file's Size. I set the UI to Meters, it's Exported at Meters. It arrives as 2 mm...even when I set the UI to meters and have to again, as before, set the Size manually...the original observation I made on this build. For me, checking the box, does nothing as an improvement and the default Units of the UI don't seem intuitive...

I have checked your file in another tool and it shows the same size. 2x2x2mm.

I actually do not see any issue in the builder... i tested your file: when it imports, size is correctly either at 2x2x2mm, or, if i set the size manually, before the import, the size is applied correctly.

To me, the settings in your original program are not as you expect, when again, checked not only in the builder but also in unrelated 3rd party software here.

But i do not know C4D to be able to help you there.

 

 

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It must be how C4D exports 3DS files, as this file is definitely not 2mm per side in C4D, it is 2 M x 2 M x 2 M...the default Size of the Cube Primitive in Cinema4D??C4D_Export3DS_Meters.png.0193de04db81a68859ae0c9191f630b6.png

Here are the Preferences for Exporting 3DS files from my copy of C4D: Meters

 

C4D_Units_Meters.png.071342efc24aa0a8d3f663b030bf6044.png

Here are the Preferences for Displaying Units in the C4D Interface: Meters

C4D_ObjectInGUI_2Meters.thumb.png.006d8b5b2eed09d759ede7f7c16f3928.png

Here's the 2Meter Cube in the C4D Scene. Notice Size is 2m, not mm.

 

I've been Exporting 3DS files into MA Lighting MA3D for several years now for 3D visualizations; never had issue with Size or Scale of the models. Now, 2 programs say it's actually set to mm's...??! amazing and hard for me to believe actually...??? And I just checked in another 3D modeling/animation program I have and it said 2 Meter Cube...go figure?!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Guys,

So, Rex is correct in this because I'm getting the same result. I exported a 2m x 2m x 2m cube, very standard, and used the same export setting's I have been using for years with C4D MA3D, solidworks, and 3ds Max, and the import function for models seems like it's 1x 0 off every time.  I can bring this 3DS object into all other programs and it retains its correct size and position. Here are 3x screenshots of the 3x different exports I did into the builder648003583_GDTFBuilderScalemillimeterExport.thumb.PNG.a5545e71d61fc0d8810fe89e0a6916b0.PNG

875358380_GDTFBuilderScaleCentimeterExport.thumb.PNG.027468cf6134ab56e8506ff9d26de1e5.PNG

1283822049_GDTFBuilderScaleMeterExport.thumb.PNG.817fb435ca89cd2ab4786880e69fa15d.PNG

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Ya, Builder seems to hate C4D 3DS files....I Imported a random 3DS object/model from the web and the size was respected, so go figure? Never had a C4D model to be out of scale/size, except in this web based builder...seems to always bring in the file at the MM scale, taking the Unit value and stuffing into the MM wrapper, imho? All I got, being a 3rd party 'observer' to the process...lol.

 

Did you try some other 'flavor' of 3DS export?  Did they all get borked size as well...?  Coming from Max or Solidworks?  No word on what was utilized to create the online Builder. But, ya, I open my 2M cube anywhere else and it's a 2 Meter Cube...?  Wacky!

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Good morning ?

We have looked at it and the issue is very simple. 3DS models have no dimensions in any defined unit. It is for example 2.00 or 5.00 or 172.53 . It is then up to the software to make something of it.

MA2 3D is interpreting these as meters.

GDTF Builder is interpreting these as millimeters.

VectorWorks and Vision are interpreting these as millimeters.

So one possible solution is to have a checkbox on the import dialog (where you already specify "Use 3D model's dimensions") to choose if these are mm/m. But what we must take care about is how these get also exported.

So right now, before we explore all caveats of this, if you are building files, you can easily make this work by defining sizes in millimeters, either in the model directly, or in the builder itself.

?

 

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Thanks for the update, Petrvanek,  and I agree with generic 'units' of 3DS models, it's how C4D conceptualized 'units' before a certain version[R12 I believe], but now the program understands the various systems for measurements/conversions and can convert on the fly.  Yes, even when I try to set the UI of the Importer to M, it resets to MM and stuffs the "2" integer in the slot, so I get out of scale model....I'd love to manually specify 'units' upon Import, would seem to solve any scaling issues between Exporters of 3DS.

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  • 2 years later...
Il 28/9/2019 alle 15:54, David "Rex" Whalen ha detto:

Oh, e il Viewport 3D sul Builder basato sul web non riflette i campi di immissione Unità di misura[mm,cm,in,ft,m] dei campi di input...

Hello how can I create a fixture using a 3ds model?
The model must be imported complete or imported in parts
qunid
BASE
YOKE
HEAD
Or even all together? Thanks!

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