[Radiance-general] Problems with CAD/ .dxf import

[Christian Fusenig]

Hello @all,

1. Problem
I got Auto CAD 2005 files of studio equipment, like video monitors, edit 
desks etc. from a company. I want to work with them in Radiance.
The 'radout' exporter doesn't work with autocad 2005, so i got an old 
license for Autocad 2000. There the exporter works. But the 2005 files 
dont work in 2000! An exported version of .dxf files didn't work either 
in 2000.
I got a hint from an old mailing list article, to export the files from 
autocad 2005 in a .3ds format. Autocad 2000 can read this format and the 
'radout' export worked. But now i have a '.rad' file with hundreds of 
polygons and its impossible to give them the right material, because i 
don't know where they belong to. If i create one material and apply it 
to all polygons, i can see the model.
How is it possible to get different 'layers' in the file like the body 
of a monitor and the screen separately ?
I have the feeling that even a simple box is subdivided in lots of polygons.
Do i have to modify may CAD files in a special way ?

2. Problem
I tried to import a 'Poser 3D' model of a character with 'dxf2rad'. I 
followed the instruction of the 'RwR' book on p. 422, but the command :
 $ dxf2rad  -i figur.dxf -orad figur
doesn't really work. When i execute:
 $ dxf2rad   figur.dxf   figur.rad
i end up like in my first problem. I have hundreds of single polygons 
with no specific name and the same identifier.
I am a CAD and a Radiance starter but maybe someone can guide me.
Thanks,...

P.S. Thank you Greg for your last answer concerning color an units. I 
included my own display primaries now.

-- 
Christian Fusenig
Diplomand, Medientechnik
Undergraduate, Media Technology
Hamburg University Of Applied Sciences

address: Beim Schlump 27/07
              20144 Hamburg

email:    christian_fusenig at gmx.de

mobile:  ++49 179 5975845