Exporting .mpd Files To .3DS?

[Tolora]

Howdy Guys!

I just came across the vast library of LEGO Ldraw files and I decided to download a couple of the and then exporting them as .3ds files. I went ahead and opened Blender 3D (which is the program I use to animate) but when I import the files the program crashes. I have no idea why this happens. Maybe I need to fiddle around with some settings when I export the model to a .3ds file. I don't know.

My question to you is, why is this happening? Is there a proper way to export the .3ds model so that Blender won't crash on me? I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks In Advance,

Tolora

[legolijntje]

Which program did you used to export the parts to a .3ds file? LDview? As far as I know that should just work...

[Shroud]

1. Export the LXF using LDD to an Ldraw file and make sure you use gallaghersart's XML file.

2. Use an Ldraw program (I use MLCAD) to then export it to your .3ds. I export to a lightwave file as well then Blender may work. I prefer max tbh and have had success going from there to a game engine.

[hjmediastudios]

I typically import an LDraw file into LeoCAD, then export it as a .obj file into Blender, and I haven't had any problems with it yet. If you want to export the initial .ldr file from LDD, though, be warned- there are often missing parts, although using the latest parts-translation XML file will go a long way toward solving this problem.

[___]

Howdy Guys!

I just came across the vast library of LEGO Ldraw files and I decided to download a couple of the and then exporting them as .3ds files. I went ahead and opened Blender 3D (which is the program I use to animate) but when I import the files the program crashes. I have no idea why this happens. Maybe I need to fiddle around with some settings when I export the model to a .3ds file. I don't know.

My question to you is, why is this happening? Is there a proper way to export the .3ds model so that Blender won't crash on me? I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks In Advance,

Tolora

I am second that...just searching this forum for exactly the same: when exported to .3ds from LDView then 2 unpleasant things happen:

1. 11kb .ldr file becomes 150mb .3ds monstrum!!!

2. upon importing it to Blender (v2.70a) it imports endlessly and then it crashes Blender (was checking ram usage of the proces and it comes to 500mb+ from initial Blender state of cca. 90mb!)

I typically import an LDraw file into LeoCAD, then export it as a .obj file into Blender, and I haven't had any problems with it yet. If you want to export the initial .ldr file from LDD, though, be warned- there are often missing parts, although using the latest parts-translation XML file will go a long way toward solving this problem.

As for .obj export from LeoCAD: yea, I did it like that without any problem untill I found out that without LDView export you simply miss that "seam" brick connection option so .obj from LeoCAD is not solution actualy + some minifig body meshes are messedup and almost useless

So really: does anyone know what is exactly going on here?

Edited May 7, 2014 by bublible

[___]

So I made another test: I put together like 4 simple bricks, exported to .3ds and now Blender imports this simple silly creation without any noticable problems altough also this small thing last to load like I was loading several mb of data when it has like 1mb, so it is probably problem of Blender and not problem of exporting from LDView cos else it would crashes Blender too, but it didn't this time...

[___]

UPDATE:

I installed PoseRay trying to convert that big 150mb .3ds file into .obj, it tooks several tens of minutes and at the end PoseRay frozen, BUT at least I saw how many groups there are in that .3ds made by LDView export, hold on:

170205 groups

...of what, omg?!?!?!?!?! :(

So maybe I was again too hurry in my opinion about LDView nonproblematic output to .3ds cos now it looks like the problem is strange .3ds export from LDView - nonproblematic if you export one minifig, but when you export some classic space base like I did with set #493 than you are lost like this :(

EDIT - UPDATE 2:

Strangely enough now as soon as I was going to close that frozen PoseRay it suddenly starts going on from that before like 10 minutes frozen state now DELETING ALL EMPTY GROUPS automatically, so perhaps the frozen period was somewhat the time when PoseRay internaly lining things up for its next conversing move and only the OS (W7 64bit) actually sets it state as "not responding", now I am waiting for PoseRay "building display list..." - again it takes quite a while...yayks!

I think now that LDView makes too many empty groups and therefore the size of its exported 3ds is so unbelievably big (150mb here with set #493) which makes things like Blender import crushingn Blender - gonna see how big will be this converted to .obj and if it also crushes Blender upon its import as well... ;)

BTW: actual RAM usage of PoseRay conversion is now 960mb and still rising...

Edited May 8, 2014 by bublible

[nobikaizhan]

good,it is probably problem of Blender and not problem of exporting from LDView cos else it would crashes Blender too, but it didn't this time.

Edited May 8, 2014 by nobikaizhan

[___]

good,it is probably problem of Blender and not problem of exporting from LDView cos else it would crashes Blender too, but it didn't this time.

Do not think so: if I import small .3ds it doesn't crush Blender but if I import insanely big one exported from LDView it crushes EVERY SW I FEED IT TOO, so... ;)

Read my previous posts about this.

To me it actually looks like LDView exports a lot of useless garbage to .3ds file (like many empty groups etc.) therefore the size of the file grows nonsensically high (like 150mb+ for a one rather small classic space set #493) and that causes the problem of crushing/frozing SW's which try to load such file.

BTW: PoseRay still converting it, now RAM usage is ilke 1.5GB for the PoseRay process only and stil rising up slowly..!!!

Edited May 8, 2014 by bublible

[___]

UPDATE 3 - Final conclusion:

3ds file exported by LDView crushed every single SW I try to import it into, namely:

- Blender 3D v2.70a

- PoseRay (although this one may still working on it cos it acts strangely: freezes for 15 minutes then suddenly continues its conversion as if nothing happened, thaen freezes again after several minutes...so will wait and will see) [EDIT: it loads it finaly after several hours of loading and cleaning of garbage mess, like many empty groups etc., but stays frozen saying "Out Of Memory" - which is also wrong as I got 8GB and plenty of headroom - although I see loaded image of the set in its window,,so maybe if I let it still in this state it actually unfrozen itself after some time as usually with this sw...and its RAM usage? 1.7GB :D heh, now tell me that this is normal...no way]

- Wings3D (crushed completely after its RAM usage gone over 4GB...)

- FBX Converter (and this one is directly from Autodesk - authors of 3D MAX software, a freeware): this one clearly states right from the beginning in log file that the .3ds file is NOT GOOD

- ivcon 3d (cmd line conversion tool): this one also stating that the file is not good, namely "Error,,unespected file end"

So we can definitely say that THE PROBLEM IS ON LDVIEW SIDE when converting more than several easy bricks.

To be able test/try yourself I attached my testing .ldr file below (just part of set #493, so it's not even in its complete state where the file would be even bigger when exported as .3ds!): feed it into LDView and let it export as .3ds

We should probably urging developers of LDView to properly look into this big problem.

P.S.: why I cannot attach my .ldr file? It says "I am not permitted to this kind of file"...what? why? on LDraw forum? heh, strange, isn't it?

milos-493.zip

Edited May 8, 2014 by bublible

[Calabar]

P.S.: why I cannot attach my .ldr file? It says "I am not permitted to this kind of file"...what? why? on LDraw forum? heh, strange, isn't it?

Forum's attachment function is very limited.

You could attach the file anyway, compressing it in zip format. If it is not too big at least.

The best way to share a file is to use an external hosting service that allows hotlinks. Thre are two LEGO relates serveces I can suggest you: brickshelf and bricksafe.

Note that you can use that only with contents related to lego.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Calabar

[___]

Forum's attachment function is very limited.

You could attach the file anyway, compressing it in zip format. If it is not too big at least.

The best way to share a file is to use an external hosting service that allows hotlinks. Thre are two LEGO relates serveces I can suggest you: brickshelf and bricksafe.

Note that you can use that only with contents related to lego.

OK, will do that using zip - no problem at all, anyway its .ldr size was only 11kb and the limit is 100kb therefore I say it is strange... ;)

Oh and one thing needs to be mentioned cos it could have some effect to the problem: I am using LDraw bricks with that modified files having lego-on-stud

Edited May 8, 2014 by bublible

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So did already someone else test it confirming what I am saying/thinking about LDView somewhat faulty .3ds export?