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Quick 3D viewer and special export format on CU (#425)
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FSD  
#1 Posted : Wednesday, July 4, 2007 8:08:56 AM(UTC)
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That would be a great thing to be able to export 3D object from CU that everybody could see with a free viewer. (And ideally that would run on Mac too.)
I have tryed the SolidWorks e-drawing and it is just great, the Acrobat3D is compatible with any 3D application but it makes too big pdf files to be read on machines with old graphic cards.

Any user sharing same whish?

Possible Tim?
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Tim Olson  
#2 Posted : Wednesday, July 4, 2007 10:02:49 AM(UTC)
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>>That would be a great thing to be able to export 3D object from CU that everybody could see with a free viewer. (And ideally that would run on Mac too.

What about using the CU demo version?
Tim Olson
IMSI Design/Encore
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Claus  
#3 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 1:30:16 AM(UTC)
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Tim,

the CU demo requires some level of skills likely to put non-tech clients off. The interface should be very simple with very few buttons to click like a "3d Player".

Claus
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ALBANO  
#4 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 1:36:37 AM(UTC)
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Tim Olson wrote:
>>That would be a great thing to be able to export 3D object from CU that everybody could see with a free viewer. (And ideally that would run on Mac too.

What about using the CU demo version?


I work with a carbon structure maufacutrer on a regular basis. Up to 5 times a year.
Our work is of colaborative nature as they are much involved in the layout of the parts. I had the Idea of using the Demo version and it worked quite well for one time and 2 weeks.
A special striped down version of CU that can only view and modify existing CU-files or view them...no printing, no exporting, no importing, only saving for the CU it was created with (SN dependent?) would be great.
Besides it would be a great door opener in my oppinion. Once the partners realize the advantages of CU they maybe buy a full version!?
In my case the partners are really considering to buy CU.


ALBANO
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bmeissner  
#5 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 4:06:15 AM(UTC)
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ALBANO wrote:
A special striped down version of CU that can only view and modify existing CU-files or view them... would be great.



Funny this kind of request appears on EVERY forum for EACH 3D application I use. IronCad has this thread, FormZ has this thread but all of them don't have (and probably won't get) a viewer application.

My (personal) opinion: Clients usually don't want to install anything which doesn't belong to their well known office environment. Even worse, most of them aren't allowed to install something by their admins. So if you want to demo 3D contents, you'll have to do this in a way they *can* use.

I've seen and tested so many "3D view-them-all" applications, which already exist. There are free viewers for Parasolid, ACIS, Granite. There are other viewers for a number of additional formats. And - last but not least - there is Acrobat 3D, which is the first application that really is able to close the gap between the CAD and office world. Every office user has Acrobat on his PC, at least Reader, if not Standard or Pro. Every office user with version 7.x (and newer) is able to view (and probably markup) 3D contents within Acrobat.

The final size of an Acrobat 3D file is controllable, depending on your quality settings. With Acrobat 3D v8 there is a new (internal) format besides *.u3d facetted geometry, which allows even smaller files. Acrobat "eats" several formats you can export from CU (STEP, ACIS)

So why do I post this opinion? Well, because someone has to pay for development. That's the user. And I prefer to pay for things I really need ;-)

Bernd
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FSD  
#6 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 11:51:08 AM(UTC)
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OK, Bernd doesn't need it. I do.

Because I am dealing functional and aesthtical features with non engineer minded folks, mainly marketing people.

And to reply to Tim's suggestion and Albano's comment, I doubt my customers would be able to open a CU file on a demo version. I 'll make the trial with one person who seems OK to me.

I totally agree with Bernd on one point : Acrobat3D is great, compatible with every 3D sofware, every 3D format. Not cheap. Anyway, I really would have been tempted to buy a licence, but it does not run on mac. Too bad for me.

FSD.
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bmeissner  
#7 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 12:06:46 PM(UTC)
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FSD wrote:
Because I am dealing functional and aesthtical features with non engineer minded folks, mainly marketing people.


Hi FSD,

yes, these are the ones who usually prefer a PowerPoint presentation ;-)

FSD wrote:
Anyway, I really would have been tempted to buy a licence, but it does not run on mac. Too bad for me.


Just FYI, I'm running it on my MacPro in a Parallels VM. While it could be faster when moving views, it works perfectly for conversion.

Bernd
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dexter  
#8 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 1:21:17 PM(UTC)
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Export to something e-Drawings (free) will open (DXF). It is Mac and PC these days...comment at will in the program.

Just did it with ViaCAD, exported to DXF 2006, opened with e-Drawings, and it worked great. Even brought it in as CSI......Punch! Blue!!!

Using a MacBook Pro...
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jlm  
#9 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 10:10:06 PM(UTC)
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Tim Olson wrote:
>>
What about using the CU demo version?


I'm sorry Tim, I don't think that's a correct answer.
CU demo isn't a good viewer, except for CU users.
FSD customers and mine too, are needing a simple quick interface like edrawing with less than 10 buttons : Zoom, pan, rotate...

Is that difficult to make ?

JL
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jlm  
#10 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 10:26:02 PM(UTC)
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dexter wrote:
Export to something e-Drawings
Just did it with ViaCAD, exported to DXF 2006, opened with e-Drawings, and it worked great.


Yes Dexter, it works great !
http://www.edrawingsviewer.com/MAC_Viewer.html

The only issue I have is : any complex CU solid, DXF exported has a very, very bad resolution in edrawing , facets, wrinkles, gaps ...
Not exactly the good way to sell a product.
I tried many object treatments before exporting, with same awfull results.
As a benchmark, the SW samples they provide are fantastic!

Du pain sur la planche!
JL
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jlm  
#11 Posted : Thursday, July 5, 2007 10:29:31 PM(UTC)
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bmeissner wrote:
Funny… this kind of request appears on EVERY forum for EACH 3D application I use. Bernd


Bernd,
Maybe it's just because people are needing it ...
:)
JL
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Tim Olson  
#12 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 1:02:57 AM(UTC)
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>>>Even brought it in as CSI......Punch! Blue!!!

:)
Tim Olson
IMSI Design/Encore
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Tim Olson  
#13 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 1:08:43 AM(UTC)
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>>And - last but not least - there is Acrobat 3D

I've been researching supporting this format lately. Many companies seem to be standardizing on this format for engineering documentation. I would be curious how many ViaCAD and Concepts users are interested.
Tim Olson
IMSI Design/Encore
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Tim Olson  
#14 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 1:10:23 AM(UTC)
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>>been tempted to buy a licence, but it does not run on mac.

That does stink. Has anyone heard rumours if Adobe plans to support Acrobat 3D in the future on the mac?
Tim Olson
IMSI Design/Encore
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bmeissner  
#15 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 3:54:56 AM(UTC)
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Tim Olson wrote:
That does stink. Has anyone heard rumours if Adobe plans to support Acrobat 3D in the future on the mac?



AFAIK no plans yet, and I doubt there will be any

I'm pretty sure that this has the following reasons (besides the usual lack of enthusiasm for the Mac platform):

- The main converter engine Acrobat 3D (7) relied on (RH's Deep Exploration) is PC only. Without this converter there is no Acrobat 3D or Toolkit.

- Acrobat's new converter engine is based on the technology of TTF (they simply acquired the whole company). These guys also don't seem to know what a Mac is.

Bernd
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bmeissner  
#16 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 4:09:37 AM(UTC)
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jlm wrote:
Maybe it's just because people are needing it ...
:)



Sure, I definitely see the point. I'm just trying to get a realistic look onto the "target audience", which I have to deal with, i.e. the marketing guys of various companies.

A 'typical' client of mine would need to:

- install a Pro/E viewer for reviewing files constructed in his own company
- install an Autocad viewer for the same reason, different department
- install a FormZ viewer, to view my files
- install a ViaCad/CU viewer to view other files I do
- install a Catia/SolidWorks/whatever viewer to check files from their contractors

And these marketing guys I'm talking about are in most cases not able to handle their Outlook/Office environment without constantly crashing their PCs (well, of course this has to do with the software, too ;-P). I don't know how competent all your clients are (as far as computer knowledge is needed), but 90% of my clients wouldn't a) like to, b) be able to and c) be allowed to install all these viewers.

But maybe you all made a better experience ;-)

Bernd
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dexter  
#17 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 5:38:06 AM(UTC)
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Maybe some kind of web platform would do the trick. Subscription-based service that a design/engineering provider could pay for to show clients what they need, and after a designated time...it disappears.

There is a web application called Concept Share (www.conceptshare.com) that does that with flat art. It imports various types of files, then you can collaborate through its interface.

Let's start one for the 3D world!
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ALBANO  
#18 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 7:32:01 AM(UTC)
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bmeissner wrote:
I don't know how competent all your clients are (as far as computer knowledge is needed), but 90% of my clients wouldn't a) like to, b) be able to and c) be allowed to install all these viewers.

Bernd


You are totally right with that!
So another try:
Tim, is it very complicated to have self running files? They would be compiled with a small and optimized programpart that does the OpenGL display and maybe some interactivity for predefined features?


ALBAN
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giulioandrea  
#19 Posted : Friday, July 6, 2007 11:30:36 AM(UTC)
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silly idea perhaps...
but have a look to this great mac software:
http://unity3d.com/
and also what about vrml? Is it so bad?
G.


PS anyway we need .obj asap.
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