Export Just Maya Nurbs Curves?

[fearstyle]

Well I have a bit of a technical problem to figure out. Right now I am in Maya 8.5 and need a way to export in some cad like format. Like dwg or dxf, anything would work. Ive been able to get geometry exported but for some reason just not curves.

The project im working on involves a organic model generated from a dynamics fluid simulation that was done in maya. There was a series of curves projected on the surface of the material and now we need to get just those curves exported. There

[deke-kincaid]

iges, step or fbx are the only formats that support curves.

[fearstyle]

IS there any way to get the curves into some sort of SVG form eps, ai ect? i need a vector based curve if i have to go trough more than one package im willing to do it?

[joojaa]

use vector render.

Ofcourse thst NOT 3d like the ges, step or fbx are. But thats a totaly different game because it needs to do some extra hoops (please note making a hidden line 2d image out of a actual mesh/wires is MUCH harder than just 3d data).

Also if you aren't interested in hidden lines just transform the curves and export eps.

Anyway dxf used to export curves but they changed over to uder the fbx dxf eporter taht does not. You can get a alternate dwg exporter form here:

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/maya\_export\_dwg/

please note dxf as format is bit fishy wich is why they want to get slowly rid of it. Anyway writing dxf is trivial, but reading isn't since you can trivially write many kinds if valid dxf.

[fearstyle]

QUOTE(beaker @ 03/16/08, 01:04 PM) [snapback]282691[/snapback]
iges, step or fbx are the only formats that support curves.

how does one export step from maya? seems iges is a nightmare wont export correctly... seems all the locations in the curves are wrong.

going to give that dxf exporter a try thx for your help guys

[joojaa]

make dure direct connect is loaded.

Anyway ods are the iges is correct your target app just doesnt read it right. (iges as a format IS a nightmare, in fact ALL 3d date bebelization is nigtmare unless you wirte the outputting module yourself.)

The real question s WHAT d youu intend to do with the data, now we are stabbing your latest incarnation fo the problem. Odds are you made the mistake in thinking at step 1. Its easier to fix your thinking day 1 than day 365 on theway.

So what application is the target.

QUOTE
seems all the locations in the curves are wrong.

points or interpolation?

[fearstyle]

QUOTE(Joojaa @ 03/17/08, 11:37 AM) [snapback]282742[/snapback]
make dure direct connect is loaded.

Anyway ods are the iges is correct your target app just doesnt read it right. (iges as a format IS a nightmare, in fact ALL 3d date bebelization is nigtmare unless you wirte the outputting module yourself.)
The real question s WHAT d youu intend to do with the data, now we are stabbing your latest incarnation fo the problem. Odds are you made the mistake in thinking at step 1. Its easier to fix your thinking day 1 than day 365 on theway.
So what application is the target.
points or interpolation?

Need to get into our CAM Software. VCarve Pro (dxf eps ai pdf pvc v3d v3m) for 3d cuts we use cut3d both from varitec. Im going to try to bring the dwg into solid works and see if i cant get the curves because right now it seems the DWG Exporter linked wont contain anything but actual geometry.

See the goal here is I have a organic surface and im projecting curves on it. So those curves im now taking and cutting them as flat files on a 3 axis CNC machine (Shopbot) the goal is to make a giant wireframe version of the shape. So far IGES seems to support curves but every where i look i see problems with interpreting the iges file when bringing it into another program and it holds true for me unfortunetly. The old exporter in 6 use to work fine in dwg but i just dont get why they dropped the curve support.

• EDIT -

And to answer your question IGEN the curves come out fine its the placement thats wrong. I have 40 curves that need to be exported and all in their exact X&Y positioning so when i build the tool path the notches that will get cut will all line up perfectly or i have no way to register them.

[joojaa]

QUOTE
And to answer your question IGEN the curves come out fine its the placement thats wrong. I have 40 curves that need to be exported and all in their exact X&Y positioning so when i build the tool path the notches that will get cut will all line up perfectly or i have no way to register them.

Parent everything under world. then they should all share cords.

QUOTE
Need to get into our CAM Software

Yes yes i can get that i was more interested in the nature of the curves and why they get doubletransfomed,

Ive never actually seen iges do this and ive potted a lot of tooling info trough maya (mayas not terribly good tool for this, theres lot better ones available, but sometimes i use maya to check a few things) but yes its probably a double transform somewhere down the line.

[joojaa]

It hit me in the middle of the night, just one question your using maya 2008?

[fearstyle]

QUOTE(Joojaa @ 03/19/08, 01:50 AM) [snapback]282859[/snapback]
It hit me in the middle of the night, just one question your using maya 2008?

I am now... reason im working in maya btw is because i am generating geometry using partical simulations to generate a surface. If i was doing purely a mechanical object id just work in solidworks or perhaps studiotools think we have a old license floating around some where here.

[joojaa]

QUOTE(FEARstyle @ 03/19/08, 04:27 PM) [snapback]282889[/snapback]
I am now... reason im working in maya btw is because i am generating geometry using partical simulations to generate a surface.

Well theres a slight glitch in maya 2008's nurbs toolset (i dont knw how deep it goes tough) . Anyway sure you can do that, this by teh way the kind of software i make.

Mayas not the best of tools for the real robots ik solution. (well nothing is unless you route it trough the actual robot controller but we do that too)

Still migrating to maya 2008 only 10600 lines of code to port

[fearstyle]

QUOTE(Joojaa @ 03/19/08, 10:00 AM) [snapback]282894[/snapback]
Well theres a slight glitch in maya 2008's nurbs toolset (i dont knw how deep it goes tough) . Anyway sure you can do that, this by teh way the kind of software i make.

Mayas not the best of tools for the real robots ik solution. (well nothing is unless you route it trough the actual robot controller but we do that too)

Still migrating to maya 2008 only 10600 lines of code to port

Well im having the problem in 8 and 7 as well... Big issue. Seems IGES is FUBAR exporting in ver 7 8 or 2k8, refuse to hold world position no matter what i do.

• EDIT -

Great News IGES in 2k8 works but the transformations need to be reset, if i make any move in maya after the freez it will mess up the export. Seems if i reset than export it works flawlessly. As far as i can tell.

[joojaa]

You should probably report this bug to autodesk.