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 September 17, 2014 at 4:39am

Hi Chrisk,

I do not currently have PC to test this, but as far as I remember, you can't export an empty Rhino layer to .dwg/.dxf file. That particular layer(s) has to have some geometry in it.

Can you explain step by step what are you trying to do?

Permalink Reply by chrisk on September 17, 2014 at 6:33am

I only want to export with different layers that have geometry (Crv's) to .dwg. The color of the layers should be included as well, as the CNC machine reads both layer name and its color

The CADexporter of TTtoolbox only support 1 layer to be exported it seems, as another post on the GH forum confirms

Permalink Reply by djordje on September 17, 2014 at 10:34am

Check the attached file.
It can export Rhino geometry to all 41 types which Rhino 5 supports, and export geometry based on layer name (one or more layers) and geometryType (one type or more):

In your case you will have to use only "curve" as geometryType.

The component requires ghPython to be installed.

Attachments:

export_by_geometryType_and_layer.gh, 14 KB

Permalink Reply by chrisk on September 18, 2014 at 5:57am

Wow, many thanks for sharing this!! that saved my weekend ;).

It's this a solution you developed by yourself, or was this a solution hidden deep inside the trenches of the GH forum?

Permalink Reply by djordje on September 18, 2014 at 6:03am

Hi. It's a custom solution.

Permalink Reply by chrisk on September 18, 2014 at 10:14am

Hi djordje,

It works flawlessly, up untill the point the filepath has a space in the folder name. So "D:\test" works, "D:\test 1" doens't. Any thoughts on how to modify this?

After a succefull export, the grasshopper working environment stops working, that is I cannot press buttons, or edit components. Switching to my interface in the Remote Control Panel does the trick, and I can batch export

Permalink Reply by djordje on September 18, 2014 at 11:09am

Hi Chrisk.
The issue with space in path, is because I forgot to add an ascii double quotation mark, sorry. Now it works. Check the attached file.

For the other issue of your interface being blocked, the reason is not python component. It either has something to do with your geometry (or too many curves, particular chosen export type is struggling with particular geometry or similar) or Rhino. Maybe you can attach your .gh definition, so that I could check it on my PC.

Attachments:

export_by_geometryType_and_layer2.gh, 13 KB

Permalink Reply by Andrew Heumann on June 11, 2015 at 9:42am

The interface blocking thing could also have to do with the old bug with "button" objects when combined with long-running scripts - Try using a boolean toggle instead of a button and the blocking may not occur.

Permalink Reply by josh heinen on April 25, 2016 at 8:28pm

Hey Andrew,

I was testing out your UI tools along with a simple bake and export button. But for some reason it seems like its getting stuck on true once i push it. Every time I add a letter to the file name it tries to export again. I'm not sure if its a ui thing or the "local code exporter" node that I found online. I don't anything about coding and was wondering if you or anyone could shed some light on it. file attached.

thanks in advance

Attachments: