Hi
I've started using the trial MOI. So far so good. I like what I've seen and really appreciate that Michael and all of you are very actively involved in the forum.
I'm a retired engineer and I still use some engineering software (Mecway FEA etc). I do like being able to import and export STEP files. I do like something simple to use as well.

The bigger use I have is doing house design - mainly from an interior design perspective on our house. Sometimes, I will be drawing the timber frame, sometimes an exterior view.

Most of the time, its for visualisation purposes so its important to be able to add a texture quickly like brick, wood grain etc. I have some occasional need for a drafting facility.

I've been using Sketchup Make and its been very helpful for this (no drafting or step export tho').

My question is will MOI3D work for me? The main advantage of the sketchup environment is that I can get a quick design of the rooms and use the 3D warehouse to get stl models to place in the house e.g. dishwashers, ovens, sinks, taps etc. I can use the supplied colours and textures to make the place look pretty close to reality without rendering.

Some specific questions:
Can MOI import 3ds and skp files?
Can you add textures to the surfaces easily like sketchup?
Can anyone direct me to examples of house design, interior room design?
What is the easiest way to render?
What is the best way to obtain 2D drawings? Import into Freecad etc?

Note that I don't need much in the way of rendering ( us retiree's are pretty easily pleased and our eyesight is not as sharp...)

I note that a dimensioning tool is hopefully on its way with V4? That'd be nice too.

Cheers and thanks

Hi, I'm not an Moi3D expert.

1. You can use moi for interior/exterior design.
2. You can import step,dxf,obj not skp sketchup files. but can use outside program first to get skp to .obj or dxf for instance.
3. Moi only supports shaders by (Styles), which are rgb colors. Texturing work should be done outside of moi.
4. Moi is a nurbs modeler primarily and not intended for rendering inside of.

Hope that helps a bit.

Jason

Hi Bert ...
I design houses and small buildings and always start with MoI3d for basic design and modeling. I will be really happy when the dimension functions are available (Coming soon). Then I export with .obj files and use SimLab Composer for textures and materials. It produces pretty good renderings, too. SimLab has a free version (though the Pro version has a lot more materials built in).

In the past I used AutoCad (until it got very expensive). ViaCad is a reasonable cost alternative for dimensioning after modeling with MoI 3d.
good luck with your search,
eric

Moi has an SKP file export! ;)

Each object will be a "Group" it will keep the name from Moi!
Colors will losted

If you want keep the different Object as Component format inside SketchUp you must export as 3DS format

Inside Sketchup each object will be named obj1, obj2 etc...and will be a component!
Original Names will be losted
Colors will be losted!

In each case explode one time!

if you export as OBJ format from Moi you will have inside SketchUp name + colors but Groups! (no need to explode)
Made with a plugin ImportOBJ by TIG for SKetchUp 2017 Make (so free)
(maybe orient faces for have similar color in a same object! )
Maybe Native OBJ Importer for SketchUp Pro is more strong! ?

Thanks Jason

Hi Eric
Thanks for the tips. Was that Viacad 2d/3d for $150?

Thanks Pilou for your interesting flow chart. I will experiment

Hi bert, although MoI could be used for what you are describing, it sounds to me like SketchUp is a better fit for what you want to do.

> Can MOI import 3ds and skp files?

No, MoI can export to 3ds and skp files but not import them. That's because those are polygon mesh file formats where data is stored as a bunch of flat polygon facets. MoI works with a different kind of data called NURBS surfaces which are smooth spline surfaces.


> Can you add textures to the surfaces easily like sketchup?

No, MoI is only focused on modeling and not on texturing or rendering itself. You would need to export to a rendering program to do that kind of stuff.


> Can anyone direct me to examples of house design, interior room design?

I think there are some in the gallery: http://moi3d.com/gallery .


> What is the easiest way to render?

Generally it's to export to .obj format to a rendering program like SimLab Composer.


> What is the best way to obtain 2D drawings? Import into Freecad etc?

You can generate a 2D drawing by saving to .dxf format which can then be imported into a 2D CAD program for annotation. I am in the process of adding some basic annotation dimensions into MoI for v4.


But SketchUp does more of what you are looking for and it's easy to use for kind of simple boxy type models. It has limits such as that it doesn't deal with curved surfaces very well but that doesn't sound like it is going to be much of an issue for you.


Thanks, - Michael

Michael,

Thanks so much for your honest help - I appreciate that. You are probably right. Sketchup does work. When I get to needing step file export I may return to MOI3D

Thanks

Hi Bert ...
Yes ...
I am eager to see if the new MOI 'dimensions' (upcoming) will allow me not to use other programs for dimensions.
Sketchup Make is awesome for a free program ... but I find MoI3d much more intuitive and easier to work with.
cheers,
eric

von mir auch ein Prosit for the long awaited dimensions.