The Global ARCHICAD Community

[Tripp Mcneally]

Hi all,

I've just paid $800 for a high resolution interior scan of a Ford Transit 470 Jumbo van for reverse modelling (Building a stealth camper) and having problems importing the file.

For starters, it's huge at around 470mb and was sent in STL format. I've tried reducing the poly count and have converted it to OBJ at around 80mb but still no joy. How can I get this object into archicad!

I'm currently running a 2019 Dell G7 with the RTX 2060 card so processing shouldn't be the problem.

Thanks in advance
TM

[ejrolon]

What are you trying to do or need that model for?
AC is for architecture not for "car" design so it is possible that you are using the wrong tool.
Anyway what might be choking the file is your processor and cores not the graphic card.
Try opening in SketchUp or better yet in Rhino to see what happens and try to import from them. OBJ is a very old file type and might not be able to handle it.

[Tripp Mcneally]

Actually Archicad will be a perfect tool for fit out being native construction tools for the build I.e wall, roof, floor and cabinetry construction.
The vehicle is just an accurate guide.
What file type should I convert it to to allow import, when I drag and drop into an open template there is no response at all in terms of import (STL or OBJ). I don't have rhino

[Barry Kelly]

Archicad can open an STL file and it will convert it into a morph.
I just tried with a 7.5 MB file and it took a good 4 minutes.
I would say that your 470 MB file may be just to big and complex.
Even reducing the polygon count may not be enough.

Do you get the import STL dialogue at least when you try to open the file?

import_stl.jpg (10.66 KiB) Viewed 130 times

If so then it may just take a very long time to open and convert the file.

Barry.

[Tripp Mcneally]

Thanks for the responses crew really appreciate it!

Barry, definitely get the box and chose 1:1 scale! I get the load wheel saying "loading Binary file 1" or something along those lines. Let it sit for 2 hours while I went for coffee and no joy again

Reflecting on it more, I'm now thinking of getting the file exported from the maker as a .3DM file and just import as an object through the library manager?

I'll keep attacking!

TM

[Tripp Mcneally]

Okay seriously lost with this one, I've imported the file into Rhino 6 which executes perfectly. File>Libraries>import 3DM file as object in Archicad then "Can not import file refer to author". Looks simple enough when you watch the videos on youtube?

[Barry Kelly]

Are 3DM files like DWG files where there is a slightly new format every few years or so?
Maybe the Archicad version you are using can't open the latest version of 3DM file?
I am just guessing as I know next to nothing about 3DM files.
We actually haven't established what version of Archicad you are using - although I see the 22 icon in your last image.

If you have Rhino and can open it successfully there, can you save it as a RVA or RVT file?
Then maybe the BIM6x Geometry Exchange add-on can help.
It appears to only be for Archicad versions 21 & 22 (no 23 yet?).
I have used that before with good results - but again maybe your file is just too big.

https://bim6x.com/solutions#

You mentioned before that you got the 'loading binary file 1' message for a couple of hours.
That is still only stage one.
Stage two is converting it to a morph.
Maybe it needs to be left overnight.
As I said my tiny file took 4 or five minutes.


Barry.

[ejrolon]

Looks like AC23 won't read RH06 files. The solution is to go in Rhino to File -> Export (or Export Selected) and there you can specify RH05 which import fines.
While doing this instead of exporting everything in one chunk try exporting different selections of the file. For this to work you will need to always export a "registration object" which you will use to align all the different parts, usually I create 2 small cubes at opposite corners which define a bounding box for the selections.