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Any clue on when we will get a Microstation plugin?
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:47 pm
by stonelli
It really would help. Right now I am forced to go through Max, which I would otherwise not use at all.
Thank you
Stefano
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:27 pm
by victor
You can export DXF and other formats from Microstation to Maxwell Studio. Check the available formats imported by Maxwell.
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:35 pm
by stonelli
Victo r, DXF is not an option as you get as many Studio objects as you had DXF objects, rather than one Object per layer...
I just did an STL test and the geometry came in on it's side and I was unable to properly orient the camera. Also, one very large object will not hide.
Any way. Why do you show the MS plugin in progress if you are then not willing to even give us an idea on the status??
As I have said in another thread in the wish list, I can't see practical use for your way of doing mapping, relative to the way I am used to work in both MS and MAX so workning in Studio, at this point, is something that I would wish to limit to material editing.
In both MS and MAX, I am used to being able to grab the camera origin and target and simply move them to approximately where I want them. Here I don't seem to be able to do it and I can't seem to get a handle on the controls (probably because Studio refuses to accept the middle button on my logithech mouse even though it is set to be a middle button so I have no way to move the target)
Any way, sorry for the train of thoughts, I just really would much rather do my work in MS and use studio for final tuning only...
Do you actually plan to provide us with a MS plugin or not. If you don't, tell us now so we can make other arrangements.
Thank you
Stefano
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:54 pm
by victor
We will not provide a MS plugin in a short time, but we would like to know what are the specific problems importing DXF files. We are grouping objects by layers and colors. We have architects working fine with DXF from AutoCAD.
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:43 pm
by stonelli
Victor. I sent a test case to Juan shortly after RC5 came out.
As I mentioned earlier, the dxf came in with as many Studio Objects as there were elements in the DXF, rather than one element/group per layer..
I have had the same issue exporting to version 2005 (where I have to make sure my settings export solids to polyface or 3df) or version 11\12 where no solids will be created because that version of AC did not support them yet.
In addition to creating this very confusing obecs list, the model comes in oriented incorrectly.
As I said in my earlier reply, STL seems to come in fine, even though it also comes in oriented incorrectly, but then I can't properly set up the camera because Studio does not recognise my middle button so I have no control on the target location and, as a subsequence, on rotating about it...
Kind of frustrating to see that you have no near term plans for MS plugin, guess for now I will have to keep using MAX as a translator of the translation....
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:03 pm
by x_site
:: i am also ver frustrated with this situation. I am still using beta version in order to work with MAX because of exporting problems. Right now it just makes my all life much harder unecessarely.....::
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:52 am
by stonelli
x_site wrote::: i am also ver frustrated with this situation. I am still using beta version in order to work with MAX because of exporting problems. Right now it just makes my all life much harder unecessarely.....::
Yaeh, real shame

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:11 pm
by stonelli
Victor, I am sending you a sample of a DXF created by MS 8.5 for you to see how it comes in.
The DXF opens up fine in MS but in Studio all layer information is lost and the scene is flipped...
Ciao
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:45 pm
by MickyMicky
Hello Victor ...
Congratulations ! Great job you do so far...!
But: DXF really is no option for the reasons Stonelli mentioned.
On the other hand DXF geometries are too rough, complex designs / forms/ shapes from MicroStation look like horror... as they probably would from other applications , too.
DWG is better (ACIS...) but also has it's limits... (STL, too...)
So : a direct MicroStation file format (DGN) conversion would be THE choice.
By the way: Good visualisation capabilities are - and always have been- a subject for many MicroStation users ( have a look at it : you can do a lot of that stuff within MicroStation ... ) - much more than a pure "SolidWorks", "Archicad", "Sketchup", etc. is aimed on...
it's much more a visualisation application than these...
So : what's the sense of putting MS at the end of the list ?
And - looking on the Maxwell homepage today : how shall we interpret that you deleted the all applications/pluggins "In Progress" ? - Good news ??...:=)
With kindest regards, Mike