Lately I’ve been getting back into modeling units for Total Annihilation, which requires models to be in 3DO format. There is a program called 3DO Builder+ which can combine .dxf or .lwo files and create a compatible .3do file. However, I’m noticing some problems exporting .dxf files from Blender. Here is a description of what happens:
I’ll open Blender, and a new scene will be provided, complete with 1 cube. I’ll immediately Export -> DXF, making no changes, adjustments, or touching anything whatsoever. Then, I will clear the scene of the original cube, and try to turn right around and Import the cube I just exported seconds prior. What happens is this: After the Import is complete, an object will be added to the Blender scene with the name I exported the cube as. There’s just no model to speak of. There are no vertices, faces, nothing… only the object center is there for reference, which itself can be moved, rotated, and scaled like any other Empty. Here’s the catch: the instant I try to edit the object in any way(i.e. move, scale, rotate), the entire model suddenly appears out of thin air. This same thing happens regardless of what .dxf model I export then immediately import, not just the default cube.
Try this yourself and see if the same thing happens… there has to be something I’m not doing right.
I can export/import .lwo files within Blender without problem, but I’m still unable to import either file format into the 3DO builder for Total Annihilation, just in case anyone has any experience with that. I guess I’m just hoping the problem is within Blender and that someone here can help me out. Is there anything obvious I’m doing wrong/skipping?
I’m no expert, but the .dxf import/export exhibits some very weird behavior - I’ve been importing them from AutoCAD a lot these days, and they’re crashing Blender like mad.
I’m not surprised by your results, and was able to repeat it exactly as you described. That said: why not just grin ‘n’ bear it, do your thing with your import/export, but realize that each time you do, you need to enter edit mode with the resulting object before you can work with it? (Entering edit mode seems to “bring it to life” when I do it.) I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, but at the same time, it sounds like you can work around this problem pretty easily.
You’re right of course. Its not a problem in terms of just straight modeling in Blender.
However, I have a more specific issue since I need the resulting .dxf file that Blender exports for use with the 3DO Builder for Total Annihilation. This little hiccup in the functionality seems to be(hopefully) the major roadblock for me.
I’m practically positive this problem is local within Blender, and not the 3rd party software I’m using post-export. Here’s what led me to this conclusion: Total Annihilation 3DO files are a 3d model file format, and using the application 3DO Builder+, you can export individual portions of that model as .dxf files. These .dxf files, fresh from the parent .3do file, can be imported into Blender flawlessly, WITHOUT the small hitch I described in my original post. However, if you take a .dxf mesh which you’ve just imported in this manner, and turn around and immediately export->re-import it again, this problem rears its head.
So basically Blender can import .dxf files just fine, the real problem seems to be with the export functionality.