To fix 3D PDF's made in Pro/E

[Patriot_1776]

The first couple of times I made them, the output wasn't user friendly at all in Acrobat. The "spin center" was in a bad location. I found a fix, and thought I'd post it:

[TomD.inPDX]

I don't seem to get the same options. I'll have to keep playing with it but it does help.

Now if we could just solve the color problems!

[Patriot_1776]

Hmmmm, maybe you have a different version of Adobe? I don't think the version of Pro/E you're using compared to e should matter, but maybe it does..... I've gotta think that you'd have the same options in Adobe, but maybe just located somewhere elase as an "enhancement". Perhaps buried deep in a (Gasp!) "ribbon" somewhere? LOLZ.....

Yeah, it seems to import objects as a single color, hence why the wiring itself all came in as silver, dammit!

[TomD.inPDX]

The Save Camera View button stays grayed out no matter what.

It does work to pick a model and the spin center then becomes somewhere on that component. That is working.

I have the basic Adobe reader and it is up to date.

[Patriot_1776]

Bummer it's not working. Wonder why.......

[asun-2]

To reset the spin center of a 3D PDF model, after selecting "Click to activate..." just right-click to display the menus, select the first item "Part Options" and then "Fit visible". Works in Adobe Reader X and XI.

Even when the spin center is correctly positioned when you load a model, the spin center may shift when you hide and unhide objects within an assembly. The "Fit visible" option works every time.

[breed]

The option may be hidden by default. Look at the left button on the toolbar that pops up when you enter 3D mode is there a small drop down menu on the right of the icon? If you click on that you should see the Camera Properties button referred to. I also Like Andy Sun's comment of using right-click > "Part Options" and then "Fit visible".

But by saving the view it is setup for the next time the file is opened.

[TomD.inPDX]

Finally! Now I can lock the rotation to the object to some reasonable degree. Thanks Brian!

It is still a very poor interface, but at least the object isn't flying off the screen at a whim.

Why saved views from Creo don't use a logical spin center in 3D PDF is beyond me.

[breed]

I think the problem is really with the specification for Adobe 3D PDF's. However, maybe PTC could work with Adobe to get it fixed.

I started a product Idea here: http://communities.ptc.com/ideas/4437 go vote for it!

[TomD.inPDX]

Corrected link...

Fix Spin Center when Creating 3D PDF's

[dgschaefer]

Adobe outsourced the 3D PDF function 4 years ago to a company named TechSoft 3D.

[breed]

Maybe PTC can work with TechSoft to improve the functionality of 3D PDF's. I realize that PTC's focus is going to be mostly on CreoView but, 3D PDF's are a great tool for some applicaitons where CreoView is not an option.

[TomD.inPDX]

Considering the undelying functionality of 3D PDF, Adobe or PTC certainly settled with the bare bones code. Surface textures and individual surface colors can easily be preserved in 3D PDF. Neither of these features seem to a) be transported to the output or b) read by the import. What a shame!

Anyone have a quality 3D PDF file (link) than does open with greater detail in Adobe reader?

[dschenken]

I assume that Adobe dropped it because of lack of interest in a common format from the CAD companies or the user volume wasn't there.

3D PDF based on U3D (Universal 3D) is one of many interchange formats that has been cast aside by the mainstream. Remember VRML? It's been replaced by X3D. There's also Collada.

Maybe U3D doesn't have the features that people wanted, or doesn't offer enough control. It's not like the 3D printing companies look to support it first - that distinction went to STL and OBJ.

When I looked at the Tech Soft 3D site I noticed they also hold HOOPS, which is a graphics development environment like OpenGL, which competes with DirectX. HOOPS was going to be the next big thing, but OpenGL came out the victor in technical display and now HOOPS is on the sidelines from mainstream computing.

[dgallup]

I think a big part of the problem with 3D PDF adoption is the files are HUGE. It's not possible to email even a small assembly. One of the reasons standard PDF became such a popular standard (beyond the free viewer) is the relatively small file size. Sure you can zip a 3D PDF but why should we have to? The interface is also very poor as noted above. Seems like Adobe only gave it half a try and quit.

[mkaruppannan]

Hello,

Is there a way to import U3D back to pro-e. I have 3d pdf file but want to load it in pro-e.

Thanks

[dgschaefer]

Can you save as a neutral format (STEP, IGES, etc.) within Acrobat? Then you could import that into Proe/Creo.

[mkaruppannan]

Yes. But how can we export from U3D to STEP, IGES, etc?

[dschenken]

Not that I know of offhand - you can read more from a supplier of conversion software Okino's Universal-3D (.u3d) 3D File Import Converter

Okino has demo versions available Okino PolyTrans and NuGraf Software Demo Downloads

Another company, also supporting 3D PDF is Tetra4D (and thanks for swallowing the URL and leaving the page title) Support

[mashton-2]

We have trialed Tetra4d and the colours were OK but you have to set the config option “save_instance_accelerator” from “none” to “always”. I did this in our config.sup but this prevented users from saving assemblies which contained family tables in PDMLink 11. We are using Creo 3 m120. So I had to set “save_instance_accelerator” back to  “none”. Does anyone know a way round this or why this config option would cause saves to fail?