Just a few weeks ago an article here at Blender 3D Architect mentioned a script that will help artists to import data directly from AutoCAD to Blender. This will be a great help for anyone using Blender to create 3d models for architecture. But, several readers pointed at the comments section of that same article that one of the best ways to import DXF files to Blender, still is with the old 2.49b script. Since that day, I started to use Blender 2.49b and his built in DXF importer script and I have to agree with everyone that pointed this. If you want AutoCAD data in Blender, you should definitively give 2.49b a shot.
So far, all projects that I did try to import were processed with all lines and curves, and sometimes I do forget to cleanup the DXF file, and even with lots of “garbage” the script was able to process everything.
So, based on this experience I have to say that we still need Blender 2.49b! It is mostly useful to import DXF files to Blender. After you got all your data into Blender, just save the file as a .blend and open it in Blender 2.6 and you will have all information there, ready to be used as reference for modeling.
If you want to give it a try, you will find all Blender releases in this address. Be aware that the interface of Blender 2.49b is not pretty, but it is certainly useful!
yep, that was me who said it
Would it not be easier to port some of these architecture related scripts over?
I would love to help and I am just about good enough at python to be able to do it but I am wholly unexperienced in what the different functions and API calls have changed to from 2.49b to 2.6…
It would be invaluable with a complete changelog of all API calls!
What where they called and what are they called now. That sort of thing.
There is another way via Inkscape:
1 Save DXF in Autocad
2 Import DXF in Inkscape
3 Here is the trick save as DXF (if you save in SVG you import curves were you cant clip)
4 Import using the DXF import for Autocad in Blender
It is a lite bit messy but it works for me. 😉
Personally I would suggest using accutrans 3d and translation to .obj format… It’s faster, cheap and works great. Really, the time saved by the app instead of waiting sometimes for hours for the 2.49 script to complete is valuable. (You can try it for one month I think)
/please apologize if double posting, but my previous post from 20.Nov is still not visible here/
I prefer Blender 2.49b not only because of DXF support.
2.49b is superior to the 2.6x series in sense of performance, footprint, stability and extensibility (more capable python API).
It works fast for big CAD projects even on an old notebook (P4, 1GB).
In my opinion the only weakness of 2.49b is its nonstandard GUI.
I am still developing for 2.49b (see cad4arch.com), so I will probably do there some improvements in usability: standard mouse/key mapping, better help system, multi-line tooltips, scrollable long menu lists, drag&drop for materials, CAD capable out-liner and layers system.
Such version could be interesting for many users who have less modern hardware.
I am developing a new version of DXF-importer for 2.49 and 2.6x. It is almost finished now. I will send it to CADtools subscribers exclusively.
DXF-importer script for Blender 2.6+ is finished!
I am really happy I’ve got it managed, after months of endless tests and bugfixing.
all story here: http://cad4arch.com/dxf_importer/