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Render-to-file as hidden line

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Reid

Programmer
Jan 8, 1999
3
US
I can render my 3D object to a file but, I want it to look like a line drawing without showing hidden lines. Rendering to a file produces either a solid color or black surface image. Saving the file as an image produces the required line drawing but, all lines are shown which is messy.

 
Briefly the answer to your quetion would be: "Use Setup Profile in AutoCad".

Although its a long time since you asked this question, I will try to answer because I have been experimenting with your problem myself. I hope that someone will comment on these timetaking operations I now will describe.
I am working with AutoCad 14.
If I make technical drawings to amateurs, they appreciate when I make space for a litle 3d drawing on the paper. To do this, I arrange my drawing in Paperspace with floating viewports.
Steps for setting up a 3d drawing in paperspace:
Make a 3d drawing in AutoCad created of solids.
At the bottomline in AutoCad, DoubleClick “TILE”
Create 1 floating viewport, using a new layer for the
border.
(Try to go from modelspace to paperspace by sending the
commands “MS” and “PS”.)
Write “MS” and click on the floating viewport.
Arrange the 3d drawing e.g. with the command “DV”.
And now comes the revolution: On the Solids toolbar there
is a button called “Setup Profile”(Command “_solprof”).
This creates profile images of three-dimensional solids.
Try it out and afterwards, switch the layer containing
your 3d-drawing off. (Notice that AutoCad have made 2
new layers)
Move to paperspace by “PS”
if you are dissatisfied with the hidden lines spacing, a
primitive way to adjust this, could be with the
command “LTS” (LineType Scale).

If you want to make this viewport into an image and you have PHOTSHOP, export the created view in Eps format.
Open the eps in Photoshop.
Add a background layer so the layer that contains your drawing, becomes more visible.
I don’t know why, but when I open an eps in Photoshop, the image always is grey.
Therefor I usually add an adjustment layer called “Levels”, to the layer that contains the drawing.

a loooong answer with regards from KBBJ
 
If you only want hidden line on your plotter output,
you must check the hidden object button.

 
Oh yes you are quit right when plotting. You might also change the value on the command “Dispsilh” to 1. This will get rounded solid to be printed as silhouettes instead of a lot of faces.
BUT…
Could someone imaging an easier way to export an image of a line drawing with hidden lines from AutoCad, without having to use “Setup Profile”?

From KBBJ (-:

 
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