Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations TugboatEng on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
importing Adobe Illustrator Drawing to trace over
- Thread starter toycept
- Start date
Adobe Illustrator allows export to DXF, which you can bring into SW. The results depend on the content of the Illustrator file, since .ai files can be a mix ov raster and vector formats. If there are a lot of vector entities (lines, splines), then DXF is a good way to go.
There is a shareware application calle Ghostscript that can convert many formats. I use this sometimes. Hijaak Pro is also a good format bender. I think it still costs less than US$150.
![[bat]](/data/assets/smilies/bat.gif "[bat] [bat]")
"When everyone is thinking alike, no one is thinking very much." --Eckhard Schwarz (1930--2004)
There is a shareware application calle Ghostscript that can convert many formats. I use this sometimes. Hijaak Pro is also a good format bender. I think it still costs less than US$150.
"When everyone is thinking alike, no one is thinking very much." --Eckhard Schwarz (1930--2004)Select a sketch plane. Go to INSERT/OBJECT. Select "create from file" and browse to the location. Copy paste may also work. There is also an insert picture tool that can be added to the sketch toolbar from the customize dialog. All three methods achieve the same thing.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thank you both (Tick and Rock Guy).
1) I was able to open the file in SW through "insert/object. The only problem is when I try to draw (trace onto) the inserted picture, all the lines I draw wind up in the back of this picture. Once the sketch lines (circle, elipses, etc.) are drawn you can't see them, unless you move the inserted picture out of the way. Makes it difficult to edit the sketch elements. Any suggestions?
2) I was able to save (export) the original Illustrator template file as both DXF and DWG files.... however I could not get SW to open them. The icon of those files on the desktop only showed up as one of those tempory icons that SW doesn't open. Not sure why it's not showing up as a useable file.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
1) I was able to open the file in SW through "insert/object. The only problem is when I try to draw (trace onto) the inserted picture, all the lines I draw wind up in the back of this picture. Once the sketch lines (circle, elipses, etc.) are drawn you can't see them, unless you move the inserted picture out of the way. Makes it difficult to edit the sketch elements. Any suggestions?
2) I was able to save (export) the original Illustrator template file as both DXF and DWG files.... however I could not get SW to open them. The icon of those files on the desktop only showed up as one of those tempory icons that SW doesn't open. Not sure why it's not showing up as a useable file.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Make a DXF file from SolidWorks, and then open it in Notepad to examine the header. Do the same with a DXF from Illustrator. With some files, I have found that manually deleting header information in a text editor solves some translation issues. Last time I did this procedure, it worked fine with no "tricks".
"When everyone is thinking alike, no one is thinking very much." --Eckhard Schwarz (1930--2004)
Did you try opening using "File --> Open", or did you just double-click and hope for the best?toycept said:
"When everyone is thinking alike, no one is thinking very much." --Eckhard Schwarz (1930--2004)Try using a .tif format. Open a new part, go directly to INSERT - PICTURE.
The image will then be in the backgroud, availiable for tracing in the front view only.
To place on a plane or object face, use the INERT PICTURE icon from the toolbar, NOT from the menu tree as they given me different results.
Remember...
"If you don't use your head,
your going to have to use your feet."
The image will then be in the backgroud, availiable for tracing in the front view only.
To place on a plane or object face, use the INERT PICTURE icon from the toolbar, NOT from the menu tree as they given me different results.
Remember...
"If you don't use your head,
your going to have to use your feet."
If you insert a picture into a SW file i don't think you can remove it. At least I haven't found away yet. I have found the way to hide it though.
What you should do to trace and image:
1) Start a sketch on a plane
2) Use the Sketch Picture Icon to insert your picture - If you don't have this Icon on your Toolbar you will have to add it
3) Browse for your image and click Open
4) Scale it, Move it, do what you need to to make it the Size you want.
5) Exit the Sketch
6) Start a new sketch on the same plane
7) Start adding your sketches - You will find the Sketch lines don't disappear behind the image if you use this Sketch insert picture way
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP![[pc2]](/data/assets/smilies/pc2.gif "[pc2] [pc2]")
If you are in the SW Forum Check out the FAQ section
To make the Best of Eng-Tips Forums FAQ731-376
What you should do to trace and image:
1) Start a sketch on a plane
2) Use the Sketch Picture Icon to insert your picture - If you don't have this Icon on your Toolbar you will have to add it
3) Browse for your image and click Open
4) Scale it, Move it, do what you need to to make it the Size you want.
5) Exit the Sketch
6) Start a new sketch on the same plane
7) Start adding your sketches - You will find the Sketch lines don't disappear behind the image if you use this Sketch insert picture way
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
If you are in the SW Forum Check out the FAQ section
To make the Best of Eng-Tips Forums FAQ731-376
Not sure on the released SW 2006, but when I was using the 2006 EV, I kept on getting errors importing Adobe Illustraror files. Have not tried this with the released 2006 though.
Typically I still use ACAD 2002 to trace an image, then I open the .dwg in SW as a part file. Scott's reply is the way to go though if you prefer staying in SW.
Flores
Typically I still use ACAD 2002 to trace an image, then I open the .dwg in SW as a part file. Scott's reply is the way to go though if you prefer staying in SW.
Flores
The new Insert picture transparency is pretty cool and makes it much easier when using an Image to trace over. - in SW06
I have not seen the Adobe Illustrator to work yet in SW06, but I only tested one file so far.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
faq731-376
I have not seen the Adobe Illustrator to work yet in SW06, but I only tested one file so far.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP
faq731-376
Razberryjones
Industrial
Yeah, I've been trying to open an Illustrator in Solidworks 2006 for three days, and it simply does not work, the only help I have gotten is "click File open, select files of type as *.ai, browse to file and open the file"
Just one tiny, tiny, problem... It does not work at all.
I give up...won't load 2006 until the bugs are worked out three or four months down the road.
Just one tiny, tiny, problem... It does not work at all.
I give up...won't load 2006 until the bugs are worked out three or four months down the road.
- Thread starter
- #13
Just installed 2006 and tried the Illustrator import feature. I created a line drawing on my Mac and transferred it to the desktop on my PC. while in a new SW part drawing I went to "open" and changed file format to Adobe Illustrator and it didn't work. The reason it didn't work was because the Illustrator file name did not have .ai as the extentsion on the file name. I just added it on and I was then able to import the line drawing into the SW document. Works well.
- Thread starter
- #14
If you convert from .ai to dxf often, there's a utility called Bezarc ( that does a fantastic job of converting .ai to dxf. You have control over how accurately you match Bezier curves in the dxf--I've used it for years and couldn't live without it. Check it out.
I am using SW2006 the import Illustrator command doe snot work.
I then tried import object from file. When I did this I clicked the .ai file it then put an icon on my SW file. What am I supposed to do. I tried sketch and all it did was open my Photoshop / Illustrator program. How do I place these images on the SW PArt?
I then tried import object from file. When I did this I clicked the .ai file it then put an icon on my SW file. What am I supposed to do. I tried sketch and all it did was open my Photoshop / Illustrator program. How do I place these images on the SW PArt?
I just converted some AI files for someone into SW. I'm finding you have to save the files back to AI release 9 in order for them to open in SW.
Rob Rodriguez CSWP
SW 2006 SP 1.0EV
Rob Rodriguez CSWP
SW 2006 SP 1.0EV
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Question
- Locked
- Question