I always have the issue that on import of STEP files from different CAD systems the layer structure of the original CAD system is imported into Rhino as nested blocks.
I HATE NESTED BLOCKS
Is there any way to enforce Rhino to not import these geometries into nested blocks but on individual layers instead?
My workflow currently means that I have to manually create all these layers, name them logically and drop each item (that arrives in Rhino on a SINGLE LAYER) into each layer - it is a real PITA as you can imagine.
I am sure there is a import function somewhere I overlook to enforce using layers instead of blocks.
Here is the Rhino message upon import:
" Some assembly objects have been imported as Rhino nested block instances.
Use the Explode command to access the geometry in these objects."
Just as you were typing this I stumbled across your old post here:
The Python script you have shared in that post works amazing!
It does EXACTLY what I would love Rhino to do out of the box
All nested items are converted from blocks into items on separate layers - I wish I had found that post of yours a few years ago
It would be truly amazing and sooooooooo useful to implement such a function into the STEP import dialog (offer this functionality in a little popup menu to choose between nested blocks or individual nested layers) instead of the current unhelpful popup message.
Any chance this could be implemented in a future built?
Hi Menos - ok, good, yeah the script should work fine, itās exactly the same as the plug-in. Iād forgot that I posted that. Weāve talked about adding this and so far the consensus seems to be that it would be much simpler and more generally useful to implement it as a separate post process command than to include it in the import process directly. And, since the script and plug-in seem to work pretty well, there is not a great crowd of developers banging at my door offering to make it ārealā. Which is not to say it cannot happen, but itās not yet a priorityā¦
Is there any way to make this script into a button I could place in my menubar?
At least this way I would have a button to press and its easier for me not to forget the procedure of having to run a script, ā¦?
! _-RunPythonScript "Full path to py file inside double-quotes"
(Thereās a folder on mac where you can put the py files then you donāt need to full path in the macro, but I donāt know it off hand and donāt have a mac handy at the moment. )
Hi @pascal
I was struggling with the same problem until I found this post
Many many thanks about this!
It solves a lot of interexchange problems.
Actually this option exist already in Solidworks import dialog which I find really useful.
Maybe itās time to rethink about adding this to Step import as well?
P.S. I just checked on your page but this plugin/script is missing. Please add it (or better bring inside Rhino!)
Hi @pascal
I am playing with Step files trying to fix the inability of Solidworks to import 3dm files keeping layers structure.
Is it possible to perform opposite action: trasform layer + layer structure to blocks?
Doing so Rhino files could be exported to any Solid Modeler keeping layers hierarchy!
It would resolve many export issues.
Thanks!
If I understand what youāre asking for, Iāve looked at this, and made a more or less working thing, a few years ago, but never got the kinks worked out well enough to āpublishā. I am pretty sure the bottleneck was lack of time and bandwidth, and not anything technical.
Hello @pascal
I think it would add a useful feature to Rhino.
It could be just a script which work the same way (but opposite to your ExplodeBlocksToLayers)
and/or
an option added to STEP import/export.
Just let me know if I can help you some how,
thanks!
Hi @pascal ,
sorry if I bother you again but would like to know if you managed to deal this.
I need quite often to export geometry from Rhino to STP and I would like to preserve layer structure.
Please confirm if you have read my latest posts and everything clear.
Thanks!
