Bake and Export multiples layers with geometry to dwg/dxf for GH directly

Hi Guys,

I am trying to bake multiple geometries organized in different layers with GH (works fine) and in the same flow export this as dwg or dxf to be used in autocad. For this last part I cannot seem to find a working solutution. Doing this by hand is not a option, as I need to export up to 500+ dwg files, so any kind of automation is usefull.

So in essence I need to export 2 layers, with each layer containing a couple of crv's to DWG. The dwg should include this layers structure when opened

In the forum I found two components that should have this kind of functionality, but neither seem to work or is still supported.

I am currently testing with the TTtoolbox plugin and its CADexporter, however this does not support the export of multiple layers. Only 1 layer can be exported.
The Finches components could possibly be useful for export batch processing, but the component is not longer for download as the makers (http://www.nicholas.demonchaux.com/) website is offline. I am currently on Rhino 5, with GH 0.9.0075, so if comeone can share a gha file of this, that would be much appriciated.

Are there alternatives that are being used by the community that i am aware of? As this seem to me has been of use to more people

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by djordje on April 12, 2016 at 6:17am

Hi Ezhil,

Two things:
layerNames input is actually a so called full path property of a layer. Rhino's full paths can include a name of the parent layer also.
For example, a full path of a sub-layer A-MP-SITE-PARC is:

SITE PARCEL::A-MP-SITE-PARC

Notice the "::" which separates the parent layer SITE PARCEL and its sublayer A-MP-SITE-PARC.

Also do not put the filePath input in double quotes (or single quotes).

Check the attached file below.

Attachments:

export_by_geometryType_and_layer3.gh, 15 KB

Permalink Reply by Santiago Martín Laguna on June 11, 2015 at 9:19am

and how can I select from a curve component only these curves i would like to export?

for example, i have a curve component with 3 curves, I would like to export these 3 curves into an only one dxf file with diferent layers.

Is that possible?

Permalink Reply by Nik Willmore on June 11, 2015 at 11:58am

My reply here is relevant, about issuing native Rhino command lines from within Python, vastly simplified to offer you an example:

http://www.grasshopper3d.com/forum/topics/batch-exporting-stl-obj-d...

With direct Rhino commands, you can work out your detailed command sequence manually, then with some trial and error until it works from Python in Grasshopper, you have a program.

The underscore before Rhino commands merely forces English language, so I leave it out.

Permalink Reply by Ezhil Vignesh on September 23, 2015 at 4:55am

This question might/not suit in this blog.

I work in Meters/MM. But whenever I export Rhino to CAD it export as 'Inches'. I need to manually change in CAD file as meters/mm 'without scaling the model'.

Is it a bug or how can i work around this?

Thanks in advance.

Permalink Reply by Ola Jaensson on October 19, 2015 at 3:08am

I read somewhere that there is no support for specifying units in the DXF file format. And DWG support is often based on reverse engineering, with spotty support for exotic things like SI units.

I think I'll make a button for changing the units in AutoCAD "without scaling the model" and sell it for €1, €2 with batch processing ;-)

Permalink Reply by Ezhil Vignesh on April 12, 2016 at 10:38am

It works well. I think there is a limit in amount of content. I try to load 1000s curve, its failing to load.

But it works too good with relative data, thanks a lot for your time..

following your steps I added Hatch & dim and it worked well. Thanks again..

Attachments:

export_by_geometryType_and_layer4.gh, 9 KB

Permalink Reply by djordje on April 12, 2016 at 4:17pm

Hi Ezhil,

Double click on gh python component and find the line:

done = rs.Command(commandString)

replace it with:

done = rs.Command(commandString, False)

Try exporting your 1000 curves now, and let me know if it works, or not.

Permalink Reply by massimo78 on February 28, 2017 at 3:44am

hi djordje,

thanks for the great tool, have been playing around with it a bit.

i am trying to export different geometries on different layers to a single dxf file, keeping the layer properties.
all works well, i just have the same problem as ezhil, if the number of curves are to high, export crashes. i tried replacing the code like you advised, but the results are the same.

can you shed some light on this?

Permalink Reply by djordje on February 28, 2017 at 4:13am

Hi Massimo,
I understand this may not be what you need, but can you at least try to delete some of the geometry which lies on those different layers. Basically lower the number of geometry that needs to be exported to that single .dxf file. And then try to run my component.
What happens? Does Rhino crash again?

Permalink Reply by massimo78 on February 28, 2017 at 11:53am

Hi djordje,

I tried that, with less geometry your component works fine.
But in the end sadly thats Not an option, since those represent geodata which needs to be exact.

Is there a way to quicken the selection process of the geometry? It seems to me that selecting each item is a tedious task for rhino, Do You have any suggestions?

Thanks for your help,
Truly appreciated

Permalink Reply by djordje on February 28, 2017 at 11:58am

Okay. So when you do not delete anything, then component just gets stuck (loading for an hour, or two), or Can you explain exactly what you need to do?

Permalink Reply by massimo78 on February 28, 2017 at 8:38pm

When not deleting anything, Export is terminated (after maybe 30 sec)