Importing file contents as symbol definitions

For the following file types, you can use the specific Import [file type] command to directly import the contents of an individual file as a symbol definition in the Resource Manager; for more information, see Resource Manager and Concept: Vectorworks symbols.

DXF

DWG

3ds

IGES

OBJ

SAT

STEP

STL

Rhino 3DM

Parasolid X_T

SketchUp

Importing symbols as a batch

Command

Path

Import Symbol (Batch)

File > Import

Resource Manager > Action

The Import Symbol (Batch) command imports multiple files or folders containing files into the Resource Manager. The contents of the imported files are saved as symbol definitions.

To import one or more files or folders as symbol definitions:

Select the command.

The Import Symbol (Batch) dialog box opens.

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Select one or more files

Imports certain files within a folder. Click Choose Files and choose one or more files to import. The number of files selected is displayed.

Select a folder

Imports all files from a specified folder. Click Choose Folder and choose the source folder. The folder name and location are displayed.

Import from subfolders

Imports files from all subfolders of the the selected folder

Create symbol folders for subfolders

Creates a symbol folder in the Resource Manager for every subfolder of the selected folder

Assign to Class

Select the class for the imported symbols, or create a new class

Insertion Point

Select the insertion point for the imported symbols

Options

Opens the Import Symbol (Batch) Options dialog box to specify import options for some file formats

Click Options to specify import information for some file types based on their format.

The Import Symbol (Batch) Options dialog box opens.

Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter

Description

File format pane

Click a file format to specify import options for that file type

Import materials

(3DS/OBJ/SketchUp)

Imports material and texture information from the files as Renderworks textures, and/or creates Renderworks textures for all materials from the files

Import mesh objects

(3DS only)

Imports object geometry from each 3ds file as a mesh object or as groups of 3D polygons

Import the geometry from the file as

(SketchUp only)

Imports object geometry from each SketchUp file as a mesh object or as groups of 3D polygons

Click OK to return to the Import Symbol (Batch) dialog box.

Click Import.

The progress of the import is displayed for each imported file during import. The final results of the import process are displayed in the Import Symbol (Batch) Results dialog box.

Click Details to open the results log file. The log text file, named ImportAsSymbolLog, is placed in the Vectorworks user folder. The report provides a summary of the import, including a list of which files succeeded, and which failed.

DXF/DWG and DWF import options

Importing 3ds

Importing IGES

Importing OBJ

Importing SAT

Importing STEP

Importing STL

Importing Rhino 3DM

Importing Parasolid X_T

Importing SketchUp

 

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