hi all,i seem to have problems exporting from rhino to max. i've saved as the 3ds file type and max tells me no appropriate import module found.any ideas how to fix this?thanks!

Have you imported .3ds files before?Does this problem happen with all .3ds files, or just this one?You may need to run a repair on your Max installation. It sounds like the import module may have become corrupted or maybe it didn't get installed properly.Or you could just export from Rhino to a different format.
Cad642011-04-03 20:33:45

the 3ds worked but i don't like how nurbs translate so i'm going to just restart in max. i love the product from max but there's a few things i don't quite get in terms of modeling if you don't mind clearing up an unrelated topic in this discussion:when im altering an object how can i change where the changes occur from. i've moved the gizmo but it still seems to be that scaling or changing a dimension still occurs from an undesired point of origin. (is there an equivalent to 'scale 1d' in rhino... i'm working from an architectural standpoint not a cg standpoint so dimensional accuracy is hugely important to me...how can i make altering objects after-the-fact more helpful)is there an easier way to snap... i know thats fairly vague but it seems that despite my having an object selected and hovering over the (say i'm looking to use an endpoint) endpoint it'll still go ahead and grab another object--its hard to get the crosshair with arrows needed to grab the desired point. super silly... how do you suggest doing moldings? i.e an equivalent to sweeping and lofting in rhino any other helpful tips not listed on the forum that you might suggest to someone thats been teaching themself? habits that promote more efficient modeling techniques/tactics.thanks so much! you're always such a huge help cad64!  

One thing you have to understand about Max is that it is NOT a CAD program. You can create dimensionally accurate models in Max, but I usually draw 2D outlines or profiles in Autocad and then import those into Max and extrude them. It's much easier and faster to draw accurately in CAD and then import.As for snapping, yes, it's a little tricky. It's not as simple as you may be used to in other programs, so you just have to be careful and make sure you see the cursor change to the little arrows before you click and drag. It's just something you have to practice.For moldings, you can sweep or loft in Max just the same as you can in other programs.Other helpful tips? I wouldn't even know where to begin. That question is just too wide open. If you have specific questions, I can try to answer them, but I can't really sit here and try to think of things to tell you because I don't know what you already know, or what you don't know.

Hm... when you import from cad do you ever have trouble having your polys come in whole or as a surface? i turn everything into a poly in cad and import as an entity. sometimes the lines disappear when i try to extrude... seemingly temperamental actually. i'll never get quite the same result with each import. some work some dont. one more quick question for now (thanks for answering my perpetual stream of inquiry). polys v. mesh... advantages? thanks again.

When you draw in Autocad, are you drawing with polylines? Do you make sure that all your polylines connect and are closed? The only time I usually have problems is if my polylines are not closed. If you want to send me some of your CAD files that don't work when imported, I can take a look and try to figure out what's wrong.Poly vs. Mesh? It's really up to you but I think most people use poly's. I never work with meshes because I take my models into ZBrush and ZBrush doesn't like triangles. Meshes are a throwback to the old days of Max. I don't know of any advantages to using them as opposed to poly's. In fact, I would probably say there are more advantages to using Poly's than meshes. There seems to be a lot more poly editing tools than mesh editing tools, but having never really used meshes, I can't really tell you more than that. If you search online for 3DS Max poly vs mesh you will find many forums filled with discussions on this topic.

so just to clarify i can delete the photos in my "photos" folder and the images on iphoto when i open it will still be there?

That's a pretty random question. I have no idea what you're talking about???

Haha!!! I totally clicked reply to the wrong forum email. What fascinates me is that I didn't even realize the titlebar said cadforum not macforum. Self deprecating laugh of the day.