Export from archicad to 3d studio max

[3dvizual]

Hi.

 

I would like to know if anyone else uses these to programs together.?

 

How do you export a file from archicad to 3d studio max.?

 

Filetype, units etc.

 

Is there a automatic solution:?

[BrianKitts]

3ds files have always worked the best for me. but......Always Always Always, export with your drawing units set to 1000mm in archicad, no matter what units you work with in max be it metric or US standard. Otherwise you'll never get a properly scaled import.

 

I prefer to export by material it's a lot easier to work with less objects in max that way, and just detach the parts you need to adjust for cleanup purposes. You just have to really stay on the people who create the BIM model to keep their materials clean otherwise you'll get a model with a hundred materials. It's a huge pain in the butt, but so much in archicad is preprogrammed and the users typically don't care about material assignments which will make your job of cleanup difficult. But if you're going to do alot of design iterations it's easier to get them fixed on the archicad side rather than fixing it on the max side after every import.

 

And if you want an interative workflow that keeps bringing in new models to max from archicad, then check out the archicad import wizard tool. It's a bit out of date and has some flaws but where it does work it can save you time. Specifically when you are dumping a model, bring in a new one, you can use the material assigner to reassign all your old materials to the new model (again why it's good to export by material)

 

http://plugins.angstraum.at/archicad_wiz/index.htm

 

note: due to an update with max's interface since the tool was released it will actually install into the "group" menu in the file menu instead of the "tools" drop down as written in the setup.

Edited February 22, 2011 by BrianKitts

[Cyberstyle]

Yep, I use the two programs together quite often.

 

I can't give any more info though. What Brian has already said in the previous post is the same method I use, and find it to be the most efficient way of dealing with models between the two programs.

[postite]

I use this script :

 

http://www.mirarkitektur.com/?menu=softwares&categorie=maxscript

 

Can import, update,... But works until max 2009

[3dvizual]

Thanks for your advices. I will follow them.

 

I am using 3ds 2011, and therefore I can't use the plugin provided by mira.