I'm trying to import files but so far no luck.. They're pencil sketches and I'm trying to import them to trace for modeling. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to import anything
( .ai , .eps, .pdf ) so far. I'm ( perhaps ) foolishly assuming that : select import, then select file from the appropriate directory imports a file into one of the four windows? Thanks for your patience...

Hi Greg - yes just doing a File/Import is how it is supposed to work.

You can also do File/Open as well - "Import" means to merge the stuff in the selected file with all your current stuff, while "Open" does not keep your current stuff and replaces it with the stuff from the file.

MoI may have some difficulty reading PDF-based files currently though. How are you saving these files? If you have a choice to save as an "Illustrator version 8" or earlier type AI file then give that a try because that is a more simple format that should be easier to read than the PDF based ones.

You also might try loading your file into Mayura Draw (http://www.mayura.com/) and export from there as AI, I think it exports the older style AI format which MoI can read more easily.

If neither of these helps, if you could please post the file you are trying to load here as an attachment or e-mail it to me at moi@moi3d.com I'll take a look.

- Michael

Hi Greg, one other thing that I should mention is that if you use "Open" the viewports will automatically zoom to fit the objects that were loaded.

If you use "Import" (where it merges the objects with the current scene), it does not alter your viewports.

So it is possible after Import that you can have things that you just can't see at the current zoom level. After you do an Import you can push the "Reset" button inside of a viewport though (right click to apply to all viewports) to zoom out to see all current objects.

- Michael

Also one other note:

> imports a file into one of the four windows?

When you read in a 2D drawing file, it will be on the XY plane, which you can see in the Top view. So that's where you would look for 2D stuff.

- Michael

Hi

>They're pencil sketches and I'm trying to import them to trace for modeling.

There is a 'View' tool to import sketches (jpg, png, ..., etc.) located in same tab panel than 'Edit'.

Oops, I think ycarry above has the best advice.

I didn't read that "They're pencil sketches" closely enough - does that mean that those sketches were scanned in and are bitmap data?

MoI will only read vector curve data (things like lines, circles, drawing objects) out of AI or PDF files, not bitmaps.

To bring in a bitmap you need to put it in an image format like PNG and then use the View / Image command to bring it in as a background bitmap.

The File/Open and File/Import commands only deal with bringing in structured vector drawing objects like lines and curves, not bitmap/pixel data.

- Michael

Many thanks for your advice!!!

Yes, they're bitmapped scans that I convert to pdf via Adobe Distiller. I'll give it a try tonight when I get back..

We're currently trying to reproduce some ancient engravings from some 100 year old pics. Sketching works
better than scanning the images but then we scan to import to MOI. Awkward but so far it works.

Step two is CNC.

Thanks again!!