I tried to export this rather simple file and MoI couldn't do it. I tried as OBJ and STL and neither worked. It just hung. It's a solid. Any ideas on how to export?
https://altuit.cloud/web/dbpub/3D/bugExport.3dm



FWIW, the file that created that object was a .obj imported with Max's script..
https://altuit.cloud/web/dbpub/3D/min3.obj

Hi Chipp,

both files export fine here, under OS X Yosemite and MoI v3.

Regards
Stefan

Hi Chipp - it seems to export fine over here... From your screenshot it looks like your problem might be that you have not selected the object before doing the export.

Basically in MoI, a File > Export is short for "Export Selected Objects" - it's a way to write just some objects to the file you pick rather than all objects as will happen with File > Save As.

You should normally select the objects you want to export before you run File > Export, or if you just want to save everything instead of a subset, do a File > Save As instead. But if you do a File > Export and you have nothing selected, MoI will pause and a prompt will be shown in the upper right command options area that says "Select objects to export", and MoI will wait there until you select some objects and then push Done (or right-click in a viewport or push enter which are shortcuts for "Done").

The prompt in this situation can tend to be easily overlooked so I have thought about changing this to pop up an error message instead if you don't have any selection since this has caused some confusion. I have tried to avoid these kinds of "in your face" popups but this is a case where it would probably be good to have one.

- Michael

Ugh. Sorry. In my effort to streamline the 'bug,' I ended up going back too far, and I believe you are right, I did not select it before exporting.

In anycase, HERE is the file which won't export-- even when selected.
https://altuit.cloud/web/dbpub/3D/bugExport2.3dm

As you can see in the image below, it hangs at 15% and never gets any farther. fyi, I'm on Mac with latest version of El Capitain



Also, FWIW, I've tried several different export settings with none of them working.

Hi Chipp - I'm able to repeat that second one over here.

It looks like it's probably the mesher going crazy trying to deal with various mangled trimming boundaries in several different surfaces in there.

Here's one example one:


You can see there that the edges making up the trimming boundary are sticking out a long ways off of the actual surface control points. This particular kind of mangled boundary confuses the export mesher and makes it take a really long time to finish some of its calculations.

It's definitely a bug but probably more of a bug in the geometry construction code that built such a mangled boundary in the first place.

Probably to get it to export these particular mangled faces will have to be removed, I'll see if I can help you with that.

- Michael

Hi Chipp, so it looks like there are 4 problematic surfaces - these 2 on each side:



If you delete those 4 surfaces your export will then go ok. If you construct something new to fill in those 4 open areas then you should be ok after that.

Those 4 surfaces just happen to be mangled in a way that the export mesher really doesn't like too much. I think if you let it sit for a really long time it might finish eventually though.

Hope this helps,

- Michael

And you may need to divide up those open areas in half or something like that to fill them in very well rather than trying to do a sweep or something along a sharply hooked shaped boundary like that which would tend to make a surface that folded back over top of itself.

Michael,

Please don't spend any time on my behalf resolving these details. It was just something I was playing around with.

I ended up taking the previous .obj import (from Max's script as I mentioned earlier), and exported as STEP then placed into Onshape and performed what fillets I could there. Then imported back into MoI and added the kitbash items there, along with a calculated fillet (the one where you sweep a circle along a path, bool diff it from the model and stitch it back up with Blend and Network).

The places you point to are obvious errors introduced in Onshape or when exported as STEP from Onshape.

Good to know. Thanks for your help. :-)

The 2 lower ones can be filled in with planar surfaces, after you delete each one, select the main object and run Construct > Planar to fill in the hole. Do those one by one so you don't open up a larger non-planar hole as would happen if you deleted both of them at once.

Then the upper one runs into some problem trying to do that I think because of a teeny tiny edge in this area here:






That little edge is only 0.0004 units long and something around that size under the fitting tolerance tends to get collapsed down and cause topology problems.

That may need to be dealt with by drawing in a line from its end and making a triangle on the left side there first, then the remaining area will probably behave better. Let me know if you're stuck with that part.

- Michael

FYI, yes, I left it long enough and eventually it *DID* export. :-D

@Chipp
<< The places you point to are obvious errors introduced in Onshape or when exported as STEP from Onshape.

Yon know that you can now also use again 123D Design between Moi for delicate fillets ! ;)
http://www.123dapp.com/design
Because Step / Sat format import export have made their return for Free version! ;)
DIfference than Onshape : it's a local application! ;)

Thanks Frenchy, DID not know that. Much appreciated!

FWIW, I really like the Autodesk 123D program. I don't see where it exports STEP, but SAT works fine. I was able to quickly cobble together a basic widget in short order:


Create the basic shape in MoI


Export as SAT to 123D, fillet there using dynamic filleting, and bring back as imported SAT. Next add some kitbash:


Exports as OBJ to KeyShot and Voilà

@Chipp

<<I don't see where it exports STEP, but SAT works fine.

Don't know what format is the best for you? :)
But your results seems yet convincing!

PS Free version is of course for no commercial use! ;)

>

When you press it you have that! :) (Windows user)

>

Interesting. Mine is different (I'm using free commercial version downloaded from Mac App Store)

@Chipp

Maybe an "advantage" or more "disadvantage"of the Mac World! ;)
In any case one format is yet sufficient for Nurbs world! :)