Vray Advice for the Eternal Novice...

[Marshall_Craft]

I believe I started this thread (months ago...) anyways, off-topic, but I prefer plotting to PDF from AutoCAD and then shading it in Photoshop. Illustrator can open DXF files I think, but I never found it useful. I hope Vectorworks works out for you; I hated it after using it for two summers... the snaps were a pain in the ass compared to those in AutoCAD, but maybe they've been improved recently.

later.

- Alex

[VKNT]

I plot to .eps from within Autocad. It's a native format for illustrator. So it works perfectly. Lineweights and everything... The advantage you get compared to photoshop is that everthing stays vectors (+ filesize is waaay smaller)
I also heard the complaints about snaps with vectorworks, but as I mentioned, this is a new version (12) And the problems should be solved I hope.

[geoffc]

At school we must learn autocad. For projects, we make plans in autocad, we make a model in autocad and then we use max to make renders. I don't like autocad for modeling, because I have to type so much. e.g. Just to move something I have to type 'm'. For a command that is often needed I find this very unpleasant. I have to move my left hand to the other side of the keyboard... As I can read here you all have things set up for best speed. Where can I learn to do such things?

When I first learned autocad, 15 yrs ago, I was fortunate to work for a firm that realized how efficient it was to fully customize the keyboard commands, so that 90% of the common commands are using left hand keys. For instance, DA for line, ED polyline, F for move, S for copy. This obviously becomes a straight memorization exercise at first, but it allows me to almost never pull my right hand off of the mouse and I don't have to look down at the keyboard. I've even customized the right click on the mouse to be 'cancel', so you don't have to constantly try to hit the Esc key.

So, if you stick with autocad, I'd highly recommend developing this sort of system for yourself. With it, I'm able to even model in 3d quite quickly.

[voltron7]

I can 3d model quickly in AutoCAD, but I've been trying to quit using it for 3d work. I like the viewport navigation in Max 100 times better for example. Also, soon I won't have CAD! I still find it easier/faster to do my 2d orthagonal work in CAD and import it to max for tracing, etc...but like it's been said already, Max is much better for non-orthagonal objects without a doubt. They can be done nearly as well in CAD but it takes longer and you really have to know the autocad 3d comands very well.
I guess the formal AutoCADtraining is difficult to abandon, but I think it will be worth it.

Nice discussion here, Alex

[jacksc02]

NIK- who would have thought you could give up your autocad addiction! next you will be giving up beer?!

[rfellers]

I'd like to second the request on how best to go about learning to model in Max. I've been modeling mainly in ACAD for probably 8-10 years now, but I know there are vast benefits to modeling in Max. I've been trying to teach myself to build primitives then convert to editable poly and add details. I know it will take time, but are there any good tuts out there to expedite the process? Also, do people use the standard max poly tools or do you use 'add-on' scripts?

Thanks,
Ryan