4.4.3. 3DS Import

ARCHLine.XP^® program supports the using of objects given in 3DS ( 3D Studio) format.

The objects imported in this way keep the materials assigned originally, too.

You can import in three different ways:

• With File menu – Import command

• Dragging onto the drawing area by drag and drop

• Dragging into the Design Center by drag and drop

File menu - Import

• Import any .3ds format object with the File menu - Import command. After clicking the Open button, the following panel pops up:

• Select the scaling and sizes you want to apply when importing the object. Click OK.

Open

If the object is not appropriate, here you can open another one.

Choose object library

In the Choose library dialog the program offers to save the object into the appropriate .oli library in the Design Center. After that the object can be used as an architectural element like any ARCHLine.XP^® object saved into the library before.

After selecting the library the 3D Model Decimation dialog box appears, by which you can reduce the number of polygon faces along with the size of the object. The size reduction often goes with the quality decreasing together, therefore we recommend the No decimation option and to go on.

&See the Chapter 4.4.3.1. Optimizing 3D models when importing - Decimation

Place

The element is created as a 3D solid in the 3D window. In this case we recommend to save the 3D solid into the object library with the Modeling – Object – Define custom object command. The element saved in this way can be used as an architectural element thereafter.

Dragging onto the drawing area by drag and drop

You can drag and drop the object directly from the file manager. If you drag and drop the object onto the drawing area of the program, the above 3DS Import scaling dialog box appears.

Dragging into the Design Center by drag and drop

If you drag and drop the object into the Design center, the program offers to save it to the appropriate oli directory displayed in the Choose library dialog box.