Topic Title

Greetings to all,

Considering that DataCAD does not have interest in developing one intern view render more powerful than o2c. It will be possible to export with textures one to better view render software?Dwg and dxf does not supports textures to export from DataCAD.

One another problem - shader of the DataCAD is not vectorial. Difficult to draw in 3D.

Greetings to all,

Considering that DataCAD does not have interest in developing one intern view render more powerful than o2c. It will be possible to export with textures one to better view render software?Dwg and dxf does not supports textures to export from DataCAD.

One another problem - shader of the DataCAD is not vectorial. Difficult to draw in 3D.

I can't see how you could do this, unless that renderer is a kissing cousin to o2c. You export in DXF and use the textures etc. in the renderer you use. A lot of the stuff is the same anyway. The problem is the colours and transparency. Surfaces and textures can be swapped and borrowed at will. There is stuff around attached to no particular programme and you can make your own. I think the corrugated iron sheet I have came from RenderStar, or maybe it was Velocity.........

To export dxf from DataCAD. It means to remake rock, brick in rendering software.

To export 3ds from SketchUp. Rock, brick attributed from SketchUp is used to advantage directly without needing to remake textures in rendering software.

Then why the DataCAD imports 3ds and it does not export 3ds to rendering software?

To export dxf from DataCAD. It means to remake rock, brick in rendering software.

No it doesnt. It means to make the model in DataCad and add the surface in the renderer. This is what you expect to do with a 3D CAD programme

To export 3ds from SketchUp. Rock, brick attributed from SketchUp is used to advantage directly without needing to remake textures in rendering software.

I guess this is what you do with a sketch programme. Just dont expect to do CAD with it.

Then why the DataCAD imports 3ds and it does not export 3ds to rendering software?

My understanding is that it only imports the model from 3DS, not the render materiel. You can import an o2c model the same way. This all I would expect, after all, what would DataCad do with the additional information? DataCad is a CAD, not a renderer. Even o2c is not as integrated as it might be.
Further, I submit that generally that is the way it should be. CAD for CAD, render for render. If you want to make the twain meet, that is down to you. Madura et al have enuff problems getting V12 out as it is, without going off into flights of fancy in the rendering department - and still not managing to please everybody.

CAD for CAD is lowtech.

CAD for Render is hightech.

That is merely an opinion and an exceptionally narrow one to boot. Most people who use CAD have neither the inclination or the need to have a renderer. Those that do use a renderer are more likely to want to make their own choice, based on personal preference or professional needs, and may not to take kindly to having the decisions on a renderer made for them by DataCad LLC

Those that do use a renderer are more likely to want to make their own choice, based on personal preference or professional needs, and may not to take kindly to having the decisions on a renderer made for them by DataCad LLC

Ya know I'd have to agree with ya there Nick. That does make better sense. Now the trick is getting the transfers & ties to those external programs a better, which will be happening in future versions of Datacad.

Some softwares 2D without render are free. They are lowtech.

The render systems are in top softwares CAD. They are hightech.

I'll jump in here with a (not so) humble opinion.

I have to agree with Nick and Josh - there are those who would prefer to NOT deal with rendering and leave that duty to those who do only rendering as a consultant. Others (which is what Arthur appears to be leaning towards) prefer to keep it all in-house with total control over every aspect of the project.

There is nothing wrong with either position.

However, I think adding bloat-ware just because another cadd program has it isn't wise. With the addition of support for SketchUp in V12 (once we get it) some of this debate may go away - as you can download Kerkethya (a rendering program which works well with SU) for free!

Again, just my (not so) humble opinion.

It seems that Nick is voicing separation between architects and renderers/perspective artists. That is not the case now (for more that decade now). The high-tech CAD software comes usually with renderer, but important thing is that this rendering module is two-way compatible with CAD programs of which they are part. That means that changes in CAD are reflected automatically in renderer and changes in renderer (materials for instance) are reflected in CAD. A lot of offices use this facility. Yet, I think, useful as it would be, it is not that much of a critical fature of the next release. There are much more needed (and simpler to do) things, like shadow diagrams for instance. Authorities can ask you for nice pictures of your building or not, but most certainly will ask for shadow diagrams (strangely still missing from DataCAD).

I also agree with you Stefan, and here is where I think Nick's point of a choice in rendering engines kind of meets with your idea of a dynamic tie between the 2D/3D modeling and visualization. Datacad has stated that at this point smarter drafting / modeling (2D &3D), database ties and a few other main items are priority no. 1. Also along those lines they have said they have future plans that will include ties to external rendering applications. We've heard rumors of dynamic links between Sketch Up floating around for a while which is would be a great start. I haven't heard if this will make it into 12 or not, but at least it shows signs that ties to external applications is possible with Datacad. But what if Datacad throw in a rendering engine that you are not happy with the quality, function, etc? You would probably still end up buying additional software if it was important to you, plus as Alan puts it, you would have the processing for that "bloat-ware" going on in the background. Hopefully Datacad will get to add in ties with real photo realistic rendering engines in the semi-near future. It probably won't show up till ver. 45 (sorry guys) but who knows? I like the idea of having a choice in the programs I use. That's why I love Datacad! Come here you big ol' CAD program you.... sorry got to go .....

It seems that Nick is voicing separation between architects and renderers/perspective artists.

No I'm not. Read it again.

That means that changes in CAD are reflected automatically in renderer and changes in renderer (materials for instance) are reflected in CAD. A lot of offices use this facility.

Is this for real? A renderer, by defintion, renders. I would not expect to modify a design in a renderer and I would be very chary about having a renderer tell a CAD what to do.

Yet, I think, useful as it would be, it is not that much of a critical fature of the next release. There are much more needed (and simpler to do) things, like shadow diagrams for instance. Authorities can ask you for nice pictures of your building or not, but most certainly will ask for shadow diagrams (strangely still missing from DataCAD).

Agreed, but lets not let parochialism get in the way of other priorities. Despite New Mexico legislating on solar access over thirty years ago, I don't see a huge demand for this. When I first devised a shadows system about ten years ago, Evan Shu advised me that we would need another Yom Kippur war to get much action in the US. Well we've more or less just had that, but I'm not holding my breath.

And you don't need to go as far America to see disinterest either. Just up the road, Armidale/Dumeresq require no more than a tick in the box for the Statement of Environmental Effects, and Lismore City requires nothing.

CAD does not decide everything. Why to use SketchUp as X-Ref? Because some solutions will be extracted of the SketchUp.

This virtuous cycle of CAD and render for Stefan is incredible. To break the cycle is poverty reason.