[Fastest1]

I have some .dxf files provided by Hoss. If I open V24 and select file, open, then stepper mount dxf. Nothing happens or it isnt visible. I do see a name change on the top of my file with in BC but nothing on the screen. I went back within Hoss' files and selected open all .dxf with V24 and that didnt seem to change anything either. I am expecting that I can use the info rather redrawing it. Any tips would be great.

[BurrMan]

They may be comprised of entity types that dont translate through a generic translator... Can you post an example of one that appears empty?

[bill south]

Most likely it is a copy (photo) of the intended part. Unless there are vectors in the file (autocad), the file will not open in bobcad.
hope this helps and maybe there are betters solutions.
Bill

[bill south]

Oh yeah, one other thing you may try. Go into bobart and load it as an Image file then vectorize it. If bobcad will let you open the file as an image, you should be in business. However, you'll most likely have some cleaning up to do!
Good luck.
B

[Fastest1]

I can see the file if I open it with DWG TrueView. I just dont see it in BC. Wouldnt I be able to load the .dxf or .dwg file right onto the BC screen? It will recognize the basic drawing and let me assign toolpaths to the entities wont it? I tried dragging it in directly as shown on one of the BC tutorials but it isnt working for me.

[Fastest1]

Bill & Burr, Thanks for the response. I did have some luck importing it thru BobArt and I could improve it thru vectorization (I am very sporadic on my BC or CAD/CAM use and very inexperienced) but doesnt that defeat the purpose? My thought was the info was transferable and that I shouldnt have to redraw the part only assign toolpaths to an existing drawing. Isnt this the case?

Oh yeah, one other thing you may try. Go into bobart and load it as an Image file then vectorize it. If bobcad will let you open the file as an image, you should be in business. However, you'll most likely have some cleaning up to do!
Good luck.
B

[Trotline]

That's how it should always work, in theory, but in practice, file types are handled by each kind of software in subtly different ways, and incompatibilities crop up all the time. It's less apparent in the consumer world, where everything must be seamless or nobody buys the product, but in the small-run professional software market, that's still the state of affairs, sadly.

Luke

[Fastest1]

Trotline I watched a video by Aldo where he simply dragged and dropped it on the BC screen and it worked. I tried it and it doesnt work. It didnt work by using the file, open etc. either.

[BurrMan]

I did have some luck importing it thru BobArt and I could improve it thru vectorization

That would mean it's a "picture" and not geometry in the file...

Also, there are various entities other than geometry which can be kept in a dxf.

You can see this by creating text in BobCad and not vectorizing (exploding) the text block and saving it as a dwg.. The text block is a BobCad entity and not geometry yet. It wont be visible in other apps (You can still modify the text as text in BobCad). Exploding the block entity creates geometry out of it, but then it is no longer an "A", but 3 straight lines connected in some way....

Can you post a sample?

[Fastest1]

It is a purchased set of plans and I am not sure of what the etiquette is on that. It is a basic flat plate with a few holes and slots. I will ask Hoss a little more in regards to how it was saved. I know he told me created it in Autocad 2000. He recommended I download the TrueView so I coupld open it. It works great there.

[The Engine Guy]

It is a purchased set of plans and I am not sure of what the etiquette is on that. It is a basic flat plate with a few holes and slots. I will ask Hoss a little more in regards to how it was saved. I know he told me created it in Autocad 2000. He recommended I download the TrueView so I coupld open it. It works great there.

Looked up the Trueview software and it appears to be for .DWG files, although I didn`t look into it much nor downloaded and used it in all the info on the software it only mentions native Autocad DWG files, there is no mention of DXF files so maybe you do need to ask them just what the format is

I`ve attached one of my DXF files that was created in a different CadCAM software than BobCAD, it opens fine in BobCAD so try this file and see what happens, it may well be the files you have are DWG format.

Regards

[Fastest1]

Engine Guy,
I did open your file in BC V24 with no issue. Under the files location where I stored it for this test in downloads, it says this "DWG TrueView Drawing Interchange (.dxf)". As if machining didnt give me enough challenges, the electronics and computers will! I was under the impression that the TrueView would allow you to read and or convert most .dxf or .dwg files back and forth and even into different versions of software. I am so confused in computers, not scared to push buttons or crash it, just misunderstand it. I was born just a little early to take any classes during junior and or high school. The main reason for most of this besides the challenge is due to just getting my G0704 up and running and wanting to cut a file. I redrew the part in V24 that I was trying to import and the toolpath went erratic at some point and I am trying to figure out why. It did a few pockets correctly then all of a sudden did what appeared to be a finish pass (though no finish tool was chosen and 0 was in the tools diameter box) with a smaller diameter tool or so it appeared as it was a meatier cut. I watched in amazement at the aggessiveness of the cut and why something didnt break. Then it tried a full depth slot of .385 with a .250 4 FEM at 30ipm, it was supposed to be a .05 doc. I will have to investigate a little more thoroughly.

Looked up the Trueview software and it appears to be for .DWG files, although I didn`t look into it much nor downloaded and used it in all the info on the software it only mentions native Autocad DWG files, there is no mention of DXF files so maybe you do need to ask them just what the format is

I`ve attached one of my DXF files that was created in a different CadCAM software than BobCAD, it opens fine in BobCAD so try this file and see what happens, it may well be the files you have are DWG format.

Regards

[Fastest1]

I did try loading a different file or 2 from that same set with no luck. Maybe it is just a picture but it has .dxf as the file extension.

[SBC Cycle]

Possible that it's something simple like the entities being the same color as your background?

Try to do an "Entities Summary" (right click in the workspace) and see if there is anything there.

[The Engine Guy]

Upload one of the errant DXF files and we can all try opening it with different softwares, might be possible that someone can re-save them for you in a format that V24 will open for you.

Regards

[BurrMan]

Open the file with trueview. Make everything visible. Go to tools-inquiry-list and then window select everything you see. Right clcik. Using enter, scroll through all objects and take note of what they are. Any "mesh or Raster" objects will not open in BobCad.

[Fastest1]

Burr, I am not sure where you are seeing a tools-inquiry-list set of selections. I did talk to Hoss and he said I could post the file if it would help.


I have removed this file as it was purchased from a fellow zoner. I did have his permission to post it but due to courtesy I believe it shouldnt be made public. Simple enough to find the information for free if you read. Thanks for understanding.

Burr, if you have the file, I would still like to know your workaround if there is 1. I could email yoou the file if you didnt get it.

Thanks, John

[jrmach]

Bill & Burr, Thanks for the response. I did have some luck importing it thru BobArt and I could improve it thru vectorization (I am very sporadic on my BC or CAD/CAM use and very inexperienced) but doesnt that defeat the purpose? My thought was the info was transferable and that I shouldnt have to redraw the part only assign toolpaths to an existing drawing. Isnt this the case?

Are you sure?No luck here.At least with V23 and V25.

[SBC Cycle]

Burr, I am not sure where you are seeing a tools-inquiry-list set of selections. I did talk to Hoss and he said I could post the file if it would help.

Change your background color in BobCAD (I'm going to guess you are using Black).

It opened just fine for me.

WHOOPS! I forgot to try in V24. It opens fine in V25, NOT V24. My bad

[jrmach]

All I get is a couple of things in Layers box.Nothing on screen.Nothing Blanked.Nothing on Entity Summary.Cannot Load image from BoBART.HmmmmmThat was in 25.