I want to put .dat files into SolidWorks
2011-10-24, 2:44 (This post was last modified: 2014-01-04, 20:44 by BrickWorks.)
2011-10-24, 2:44 (This post was last modified: 2014-01-04, 20:44 by BrickWorks.)
Hi-
I'm a die-hard SolidWorks user & wish to import LDraw .dat models into SolidWorks.
I'm having some trouble. Here's what I've tried:
I downloaded LDraw & the entire part library.
I downloaded, purchased, & registered 3DWin from TB Software.
3DWin can convert .dat files to .igs or .stl, both of which can be read by SolidWorks.
When I perform these file conversions, however, the files either won't load into SolidWorks, load but with errors/warnings & come up empty, or import and have just a few curves but no solids and the curves don't even look like the completely correct part.
I know that I'm starting with good .dat files, because MLCad opens up the .dat files just fine.
Does anybody have experience with this conversion? Or, is there already a library of parts models that can be imported into SolidWorks?
Thank you very much,
-Jason
PS--Here's a little more detail on some of the trials & tribulations, if some of you are familiar with the nitty gritty of this process.
1 - STL. After I have created an .STL file with 3DWin & I open the .STL file with SolidWorks, the file opens & is empty--there is no geometry. Tested this with 3001.dat & 3002.dat. When opening an .STL file generated from 1.dat, I get some thin geometry, but no solids, & it's incomplete.
2 - IGS. After I have created an .IGS file with 3DWin & I open the .IGS file with SolidWorks, I get one of the following errors:
a) "This file contains free curves/points which are not desired according to the import options. Do you wish to import them anyway? Yes/No" After I select "Yes", the file opens with a sort of a skeleton of imported curves, but no solid geometry, & the part looks incomplete. (I get these results with file 1.dat).
b) "Unable to read IGS file. File was truncated or contains invalid data. OK". I click "OK" & the box disappears & SolidWorks gives up on opening the file. (I get these results with files 3001.dat & 3002.
During my troubleshooting, I have tried parts 1.dat, 3001.dat, & 3002.dat. All of these open fine in MLCad, so I know that the source .DAT files are OK.
I'm a die-hard SolidWorks user & wish to import LDraw .dat models into SolidWorks.
I'm having some trouble. Here's what I've tried:
I downloaded LDraw & the entire part library.
I downloaded, purchased, & registered 3DWin from TB Software.
3DWin can convert .dat files to .igs or .stl, both of which can be read by SolidWorks.
When I perform these file conversions, however, the files either won't load into SolidWorks, load but with errors/warnings & come up empty, or import and have just a few curves but no solids and the curves don't even look like the completely correct part.
I know that I'm starting with good .dat files, because MLCad opens up the .dat files just fine.
Does anybody have experience with this conversion? Or, is there already a library of parts models that can be imported into SolidWorks?
Thank you very much,
-Jason
PS--Here's a little more detail on some of the trials & tribulations, if some of you are familiar with the nitty gritty of this process.
1 - STL. After I have created an .STL file with 3DWin & I open the .STL file with SolidWorks, the file opens & is empty--there is no geometry. Tested this with 3001.dat & 3002.dat. When opening an .STL file generated from 1.dat, I get some thin geometry, but no solids, & it's incomplete.
2 - IGS. After I have created an .IGS file with 3DWin & I open the .IGS file with SolidWorks, I get one of the following errors:
a) "This file contains free curves/points which are not desired according to the import options. Do you wish to import them anyway? Yes/No" After I select "Yes", the file opens with a sort of a skeleton of imported curves, but no solid geometry, & the part looks incomplete. (I get these results with file 1.dat).
b) "Unable to read IGS file. File was truncated or contains invalid data. OK". I click "OK" & the box disappears & SolidWorks gives up on opening the file. (I get these results with files 3001.dat & 3002.
During my troubleshooting, I have tried parts 1.dat, 3001.dat, & 3002.dat. All of these open fine in MLCad, so I know that the source .DAT files are OK.