Export Model - VRML Export ( Home & Drawing Editor )

Tool summary :

  • Exports your entire 3D model to a VRML file if you activate this tool when not in Modeling . In Modeling , you can optionally select the members that want to output.
  • VRML stands for "Virtual Reality Markup Language." The usual extension for a VRML file is .wrl . A VRML file includes 3D solids representations of members and submaterials and can optionally include bolts, holes and welds. The file can be imported into programs such as NavisWorks.
  • A VRML model can be used for clash detection, but does not contain the additional, non-visual data contained in a CIS/2 or IFC model.
  • This is available to all users of SDS2. It does not require a special Export Model license.
  • Step-by-step instructions for exporting the entire model (on this page).

Also see :

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   Step-by-step instructions for exporting the entire model :

If you perform this export from the Drawing Editor or Home , you do not select which members you want to include -- the entire model is output. If you are in Modeling , you can optionally select members as described in step 1d or step 2 .

1 . Before exporting:

1a : Make sure that all members have undergone Process and Create Solids and that you have thoroughly reviewed the 3D Model.

1b (optional) : If you are in Modeling , you can use Status Display to mask members that you do not wish to export. For example, you may want to mask " Existing members " or particular " Zones " or " Sequences ." Also, if you set " Show item as " colors in Status Display and ' Model color ' is selected for " Output material color " (step 4), members will be output in their status display colors.

1c (optional) : You may also want to set up an appropriate output configuration for User and Site Options > Output > " Export Model ." Output may be set to a specific file folder (directory) or the report viewer (your computer screen).

Select Items bindings (step 1d)

1d (optional) : In Modeling with an appropriate selection filter selected, you can hold down the Shift key and Select+ the members that you want to output to the .wrl file . If you do not select members at this time, you will be prompted to select them in step 2 .

2 . Open the Export Model window using one (1) of the following methods:

Method 1 : Home > Export > 3D > Export Model .

Method 2 : If " Modeling layout style " or " Drawing Editor layout style " is ' Classic ', you can use the menu system to choose Interface > Export Model .

Method 3, 4 or 5 : Click the icon pictured above , or use a keyboard shortcut . If you are in Modeling and have added Export Model to the context menu , you can right-click and choose Export Model on the context menu.

After method 2, 3, 4 or 5 in Modeling , if you did not do step 1d, Select Item(s) mouse bindings will become available, and you will be prompted to select members.

bindings in Modeling if you didn't do step 1d

If you decline to select members -- for example, by pressing Enter or Esc without selecting members -- you end this operation.

3 . On the Export Model window (this window), do the following:

3a : Select ' VRML ' as the " Export file format ."

3b : Confirm that the " Destination " is where you want the file to be sent. ' Directory ' outputs the file to a file folder. Export Model will name the VRML file after your current Job and add a .wrl extension. ' Screen ' outputs the file to the report viewer , from which you can optionally write to disk.

3c (optional) : If you want to change the output destination, press the " Change... " button and make appropriate selections on the Output Configuration Setup window.

4 . While still on the Export Model window, press the " Properties " button next to " Export file format " to open the VRML Properties window.

It is generally good practice to set the " Units " to ' Meter '. This is especially crucial if you plan to integrate the SDS2 VRML model with another model from a different program.

Units: Inch or Meter . Tip : Set " Units " to ' Meter ' to comply with the VRML standard. The primary dimension " Units " specified in Drawing Presentation are irrelevant to the selection you make here. If ' Inch ' is selected, the VRML file will output distances in inches. Since a VRML reader will interpret all distance values to be in meters, the scale of the VRML model will be much larger than its true scale. If ' Meter ' is selected, Export Model converts distances to meters, and the VRML model will be displayed at its true scale since the file's units of measure will match the VRML standard.

Translation: 0 or a +/- number . Make your entries in meters if your VRML " Units " are set to ' Meter ' (as they should be). For example, if " Units " is set to ' Meter ' and you want to translate the model 10-0 feet in the X direction, you would enter 3.048 meters to the " X " field. " X " resets the X global axis coordinates of all members in the VRML file. " Y " resets their Y global axis coordinates. " Z " resets the Z global axis (elevation) of all members. Since these options reset the location of all members in the VRML file by the same amount, they do not affect the relative locations of members with respect to one another. Application: You might, for example, want to reset the " Translation X, Y or Z " to align the insertion points of two different VRML models (e.g., an SDS2 model with an HVAC model). Tip : The 0, 0, 0 global coordinate is the default insertion point (when " X " " Y " and " Z " translation are all set to 0).

Output material color: Model color or Surface finish . Select ' Model color ' if you want materials to be output in the " Color " that is selected on their material edit windows. If you are in Modeling , members can be output in their status display colors . Select ' Surface finish ' to output materials in a color that matches the " Surface finish " that is selected for those materials on their material edit windows.

Show insertion point: or . The insertion point in a VRML file may be identified with a cone. If this box is checked ( ), the cone will be shown. If the box is not checked ( ), the cone will not be shown.

insertion point

Rotate model: or . If this box is checked ( ), the members are exported with transformations that follow the " Rotate " settings (below). If the box is not checked ( ), the members are exported with the Z axis (the elevation axis) pointing up, and the " Rotate " options are disabled (grayed out).

Rotation: Y up or Y up 180 or Z up or User specified . This applies only if " Rotate model " is checked (above). The global coordinate systems of modeling software typically have X, Y and Z axes. In the SDS2 3D model, the Z global axis is the elevation axis. In other software, the Y axis may be the elevation axis. ' Y up ' exports the model with transformations in the file that make the Y axis point up. ' Y up 180 ' is the same as ' Y up ', but rotates the model 180 degrees. ' Z up ' maintains the model orientation that exists in the SDS2 3D model, which is the same as leaving " Rotate model " not checked. To enter a ' User specified ' transformation, type in the exact " X " " Y " " Z " values and " Angle " that you want. Applications : If you are exporting this file in order to integrate an SDS2 VRML model with another VRML model, the coordinate systems in the two VRML files need to match. For example, if you export using ' Y up ' and find that the resulting imported model does not properly align with a model imported from another package, you might try exporting the file again, but this time using ' Y up 180 '.

Export welds: or . If this box is checked ( ) welds will be output to the VRML file. If this option is not checked ( ), welds will not be output to the export file.

Export holes: or . If this box is checked ( ) hole data is output to the VRML file. If the box is not checked ( ), holes will not be output to the export file.

Export bolts: or . If this box is checked ( ) bolt data is output to the VRML file that will be generated when you press " OK " on the Export Model window. If the box is not checked ( ), bolts will not be output to the export file.

Alternative 1 : Press the " OK " button if you want the settings on this window to be applied to the VRML file.

Alternative 2 : Press the " Cancel " button if you do not want any changes made to this window applied to the VRML file.

5 . The Export Model window again becomes active.

5a : Press the " OK " button on the bottom of that window.

6 . A 3D VRML .wrl file is written to the " Destination " set in step 3. A notification window opens. On it is the message, " Finished exporting file for Export Model ." Press the " OK " button at the bottom of the notification window.

Possibility 1 : If you performed this operation from Home or in the Drawing Editor , your entire model -- with the exception of members that cannot be exported -- will be output to the VRML .wrl file.

Possibility 2 : If you are in Modeling and did step 1d or step 2 , only those members that you selected will be exported to the .wrl file.

Please note: You may notice that piecemark names are changed in the VRML file that is output. This is done to comply with the VRML standards and to help to ensure the readability of the file when it is imported by other programs. The following characters are automatically changed:

% is changed to %25
" is changed to %22
# is changed to %23
' is changed to %27
, is changed to %2c
. is changed to %2e
[ is changed to %5b
\ is changed to %5c
] is changed to %5d
{ is changed to %7b
} is changed to %7d
(space) is changed to %20

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