Testing the Autodesk Labs Shape Extraction Tool for AutoCAD

In yesterdays post on Project Photofly, I promised the next post would be on the Shape Extraction tool, and I gave a little teaser about whether the hack for ACAD 2010 worked…

It didn’t. After following the directions, I could get the Point Cloud tab to show up, but the last step, loading the ShapeExtractionApp.arx file would not take. Look at the command line in the image to the right (click) for details. Also notice the clouds with question marks in place of several icons and the missing Density slider on the Point Cloud panel.

It would have been nice if it had worked as 2010 is the version I own, but I do have a Autodesk Assistance Program version of ACAD 2011 that the technology preview did install correctly on (I think)….

Truth be known, my only interest in this technology is for getting point clouds converted to a format that is useable in Inventor. I wish I didn’t have to muck around in AutoCAD at all, but it is what it is.

So, before starting this excellent adventure, I needed to download the sample files as I didn’t have any Indexed Point Cloud format (PCG or ISD) files laying around. Having done that, I clicking the Attach tool, and chose Room.pcg from the sample files. Blazam. A point-cloudy room-like thing appeared on-screen…

Sweet.

Then came a few minutes of stumbling around with the clumsy 3D navigation in AutoCAD (Inventor’s navigating capabilities are dramatically better). After a decent look-see, it was time to push some more buttons, or, in this case, slide the only slider.

The slider does what it says it does. It adjusts the density of the cloud. Set it at 1, and you have widely scattered clouds. At 100 you are completely overcast with a heavy fog thrown in for good measure.

And that’s where my excellent adventure with the Shape Extraction Tool must end for now

Beyond the ability to attach the file to a DWG and slide the slider, I am getting “Unknown command” for everything else. I am guessing it’s because the Autodesk Assistance (Student) version of AutoCAD 2011(?)……..or possibly aliens.

Whatever the case may be, I’ll try again as soon as I am able. Have a great day…