conflict between nPower solids & Connection Extension?

[pluhn]

I've got a model that I need to export to SAT or STEP for our engineers to import into SolidWorks. Exporting using the NURBS Brep Export doesn't work at all. If it even writes a file, the export takes 2 seconds and writes a 3kb file. Going with the standard SAT export gives me an error message that there are no NURBS Brep Objects in the scene. I'm wondering if there's some conflict between the plugin and the Connection Extension. Anyone have any ideas?

[PiXeL_MoNKeY]

There are some conflicts between the plugins. You could try what I did and change the load order to see if that helps. Also, the BodyObjects are different from the BrepObjects. Which means you can't treat them like they are the same, the only way I know to go from one to the other would be to convert to NURBS first then convert to the other, see my post here (http://www.npowersoftware.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1119). If that doesn't work put the BodyObject.dlo ahead of the nPower Plugins. Hopefully this issue will be addressed in a future release.

-Eric

[nPower_Dave]

Currently, there isn't a utility to convert between BodyObjects and BrepObjects (although they are the same thing). That conversion will be available in the 7.0 release. We're working on a fix for the STEP & IGES export. But you should be able to export the BrepObjects to SAT (using the Power Translators Export).

[PiXeL_MoNKeY]

Do we really need a Utility to do the conversion? Isn't there a way that you could make the 2 objects realize both are BREP data? Same way both can Convert NURBS objects to native objects? It would also be nice to be able to convert from ****/BREP to NURBS with full trim conversion for those situations when you want to modify the object cage eventhough it has been collapsed. Or for those cases where you want modifiers to only effect a certain selection (not support with BREP/**** Objects). Heck make them both maxscript readable/creatable and this all could be done through scripting probably.

-Eric

[pluhn]

But you should be able to export the BrepObjects to SAT (using the Power Translators Export).
When I try that option, the cursor turns to the hourglass for about 2 seconds and then the process is done. No file is ever written.

At this point I may have to just reinstall Max with no Connection Extension in order to regain export capability.

Edit: Uninstalling the Connection Extension doesn't fix anything. Just to cover my bases, should my finished model be converted to anything in particular, or is a Pwr_EditNRB ok?

[nPower_Dave]

Make sure, when you export, to explicitly name the file with the proper extension. For example, a STEP file has to have a .stp extension. So an example STEP file name would be "mystepfile.stp".
If you leave off the extension, it will not work.

[pluhn]

I tried that based on another thread I found and that doesn't work either. I tried attaching the Max file here and it doesn't seem to want to work.

Time permitting, I'll just do a clean install of Max tomorrow and see if that works.

[PiXeL_MoNKeY]

I have had problems in the past with the Attachment management system. Have you tried zipping it up? Or posting it to an external website?

-Eric

[pluhn]

I've uploaded the max file to our FTP in case anyone wants to try exporting. The file is called Grundfos UPS 32-80.zip and is located in the base directory of the FTP site.
Host: sumpro.com
Username: artwork@sumpro.com
Password: metro2009

[pluhn]

I've made some progress in trying to export. Through trial and error I determined that I can export the file in pieces, such as the main components as one SAT file and the details like screws and whatnot as another SAT. For some reason, though, it will not export all as one, even if I make one EditNRB object and manually attach all the other objects. Is there some kind of limit to the exporter as far as the number of surfaces that can be exported?

[PiXeL_MoNKeY]

Are you getting any .msg files where you are exporting to? I know on import it creates log files, but not sure about export. If it does make one of those that may show where the problem is coming from. Do any of the objects have any modifiers on them that may convert to mesh? Did you possibly have a helper or other object selected that would be detected at non-EditNRB?

-Eric

[nPower_Dave]

I've made some progress in trying to export. Through trial and error I determined that I can export the file in pieces, such as the main components as one SAT file and the details like screws and whatnot as another SAT. For some reason, though, it will not export all as one, even if I make one EditNRB object and manually attach all the other objects. Is there some kind of limit to the exporter as far as the number of surfaces that can be exported?

First of all, thanks for posting the file. We'll take a look at it. There are no limits on file size (but if Max runs out of memory, that limits the process). It sounds interesting that you are able to export it in parts. That makes me wonder about memory limitations. But we will find out what is going on.

If anyone else is having similar problems, please share your example files.

[pluhn]

A couple more facts to expand on the last few posts:
- My PC has 8 gigs of ram and it's a relatively small model, so I don't think my machine is a factor
- I made sure to manually convert each object in the scene to a Pwr_EditNRB with no modifiers or polygon objects to ensure I'm only exporting solids
- Upon closer inspection, there is a part in there that has some bad geometry, so that may or may not have anything to do with it. That particular part exports fine, but imports back in in pieces with faces missing.

I'll play around some more this afternoon and see if a certain combination of parts might be causing it to not export.

[nPower_Michael]

Are you running the 32 or the 64 bit version of Max+Plugins?

[pluhn]

64-bit Max on XP64.

[eric pinkel]

I would be more than happy to look at the model. Please post it as a zip file.

[pluhn]

I would be more than happy to look at the model. Please post it as a zip file.

Eric, it's located on the FTP site I posted in an earlier post in this thread. I tried attaching a ZIP file but the forum kept giving an error message.

[nPower_erik]

The file export issues are a known bug for both 32 bit and 64 bit. We are currently looking into it but we are also in the middle of integrating some improved functions into our export/import libraries and part of that process will involve solving the issue. However it is interesting that we can export individual parts but not whole assemblies. We are sorry for the inconvenience and will have a fix as soon as we can.

Erik Toraason
erik@integrityware.com