Architectural Desktop and VIZ 4

[Cesar R]

Does anyone know if/and how once I build a house in Architectural desktop, and put windows and doors in 3D, to make Viz recognize the windows and or import the file to that everything works seamlesly ?

[hvs]

Hi!

 

All works perfect. Use File Link Manager in VIZ.

[Cesar R]

cool thanks, ill give it a try

[Spongebob]

This is news to me. I have imported many, many models from AutoCAD 14.0 thru ADT 3.3 into VIZ. I have used every means available (that I know about)and I have never once had the doors, windows, stairs, etc show up as anything other than a "Vizblock"

Drawing file linking seems to work well, but material assigning is a little confusing. For example if I link a window assembly object it will show as a vizblock. If you assign a glass material to the object it will also assign to the frame. Call me picky but I think this is not right.

 

To assign a material correctly (without just converting to a editable mesh) you would have to use the template materials which are under the 'ADT templates' folder within the matlibs. These are all multi-sub material containing up to 255 sub-materials. I have not seen a consistent pattern as to which materials are used so it ends up being a guessing game. Sometimes it seems as if it is the color of the object as seen in the 'model' display configuratuin in ADT. Other times it seems to not work.

 

The alternative is to convert the objects to meshes in which case you loose the benefit of file linking.

 

I do not use VIZ as much as I'd like, so sometimes my solution is just a quick-fix. (However lately I have found that modeling in VIZ is quite handy.)

[Kerry Thompson]

Hi

 

I have just completed a 3 story fit out project using ADT 3.3 and am using this model for some interior rendering work. I use the ADT model files linked to the Viz 4 as follows:

 

I use the file link to link the ADT model to the Viz 4. I can then update the geometry as required.

 

I generally file link using by colour or by layer depending on how I have used non ADT objects in the file. This setting does not seem to have any effect on how the ADT Viz block are linked.

 

I use xrefs extensively in my ADT models and combine these models using Viz xrefed scenes rather than resolving the xrefs in the file link settings.

 

The materials are applied to the Viz objects using the acad colour number as the material ID for the sub object material. In the Viz sub-object material editor, each sub material has an ID. To identify the colours in the Viz block, open out the components in the Viz block modify stack. Each colour component of the Viz block will be listed.

 

Changing the Material ID in the sub object material definition to correspond with the numbers in the Viz block will directly map the material to the correct components in the Viz block.

 

Note that the filelink imports the model display rep of the ADT model. From the Edit Styles dialogue, Display Prop tab in ADT, set the various parts of the AEC object to the appropriate colours (i.e. to represent the material), rather than by block.

 

I do not use the ADT Viz supplied material libraries as I have find them very cumbersome to use. Each material I make , relates to a family of like objects in the linked model and I only have 3 or four sub materials in each material definition.

 

Hope this helps - any comments or input gratefully received

 

Kerry Thompson