[REQ] DWG/DXF Text Import

SketchUp Feature Requests
1

CAD Drawing´s text can only be imported into Sketchup if you either explode it in your CAD package or import text via a plugin (that often requires a second file to be created). Neither should be needed.

Text should be imported as 3D text, exactly as @TIG 's plugin does:

Besides that, and ideally, Sketchup’s native 3D text should be editable as it is when you use @thomthom 's plugin:

https://extensions.sketchup.com/pt-BR/content/3d-text-editor

We are loosing hours fixing a CAD import, using whatever plugins and workarounds we might have available, to ensure we can work with it. We should be working with the fil immediately after import.

If Sketchup is to be used professionally we shouldn’t be wasting time with this sort of stuff, when we have to deal with multiple engineers, with multiple CAD file revisions, everyday.

12 Likes
2

I would like to reactivate this feature request, as we consider this very important:

The only software we use for modeling and designing is Sketchup.
I do not use AutoCAD or anything else.
Therfore being able to import everything from a dwg or dxf file is important to us.
Importing text or even measurement lines, should be an option in the import process.
I as a user would like to decide myself, what I need in Sketchup and what not.

As not the whole world is using SketchUp I am regulary confronted with dwg/dxf files.

Currently I am using TIGs DXF text import. But as this only works for DXF, I first have to convert the dwg into a dxf and then can import it.
The whole process is extremly inefficient. As we get updated dwg files on a bi-weekly basis, we spend hours with the importing.

1 Like
3

I’m using DoubleCAD XT at the moment for a single purpose. Explode all CAD text and import the file to SketchUp. All text becomes lines that SketchUp can display.

I don’t see the reason for SketchUp not to do this natively without the need for installing double cad.

Of course the best choice would be to import text as editable 3d text which would imply integrating @thomthom s plugin functionality in SketchUp. This text should also be read as text in Layout and SketchUp CAD exports.

4

Thanks. I installed DoubleCAD XT and tried with one of the dwg files I received. But it seems to only explode AcDbMText, but not AcDbText.

5

That’s strange I can explode all text I find in my DWG files.

Go to edit > select by…

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image529×550 6.76 KB

7

Found the issue:
In the dxf file the text is a AcdbText. But it comes from an Block Attribute value, not a text entity:

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image898×462 24.3 KB

In “Select by … Entity Type”, I then have to choose “Block Insertion”.

When using Save As and in “Setup” I tick “Explode Text”, this text is unfortunately not converted to a curve:
image

8

@gsharp
Importing the dwg file as is into Layout, gives below result:
Some of the boxes around the block attribute values are positioned completely off side and all dimension arrows are far too big.

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image654×574 45.5 KB

9

Importing dwg files to Layout is a bit of a pain. I’d forget about that for all but the simplest drawings.

10

Agree.
Coming back to DoubleCAD: Do you know, if exploding Block Attribute values to curves can be done?

11

You can explode anything by using the explode command inside doublecad.

Select your blocks and explode them and then explode texts. This should be the fastest way

12

woooo, a mess !