Where to find objects like people, vehicles, landscaping, etc

RoatanBill

I have V19 Platinum and the Components / Standard Part offers a limited number of objects.

Where can I find royalty free dwg files of 3D people in various poses, vehicles, landscaping, kitchen equipment, home furnishings, etc that I can embed into a drawing?

Jason Bourhill

Try the Components Panel (COMPONENTSPANELOPEN). You may need to check the COMPONENTSPATH if you don't see the BIM components listed.

Regards,
Jason Bourhill
BricsCAD V19 Ultimate
Quickly create HELP links on your forum posts

CAD Concepts

RoatanBill

Jason: I've used Componentspanelopen via its GUI equivalent and the only thing I find are nuts, bolts, holes, and other industrial parts.

My path is /home/bill/Bricsys/BricsCAD/V19x64/en_US/Support/DesignLibrary and listing the tree contents also shows only industrial parts.

I'm looking for people, vehicles and other drawings I don't see on my system. There must be places that have downloadable drawings of things not included in BricsCAD. I'd like to know the URLs of the best places on the WEB to find additional dwg files.

Dan Wiseman

Try this blog post:
https://blog.bricsys.com/2d-free-3d-models/

RoatanBill

Thank You Dan.

I've spent all morning at that URL as its full of good information besides the listing of WEB sites that have downloadable drawing files.

Louis_Verdonck

@RoatanBill said:
Jason: I've used Componentspanelopen via its GUI equivalent and the only thing I find are nuts, bolts, holes, and other industrial parts.

My path is /home/bill/Bricsys/BricsCAD/V19x64/en_US/Support/DesignLibrary and listing the tree contents also shows only industrial parts.

I'm looking for people, vehicles and other drawings I don't see on my system. There must be places that have downloadable drawings of things not included in BricsCAD. I'd like to know the URLs of the best places on the WEB to find additional dwg files.

The content of the Components panel is controlled through the COMPONENTSPATH system variable. Apparently this variable contains only the path to the Design Library. Add the path to the BIM components to get access to the default Landscape, People and Furnishing components.
C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Bricsys\BricsCAD\V19x64\en_US\Support\Bim\Components

RoatanBill

Louis:

Thank You for making me check that path on my box. To my surprise, it's there. I added that path in 'Settings' for COMPONENTSPATH and now I see all sorts of interesting things.

I didn't purchase BIM, so I didn't bother looking for a BIM library or any additional libraries past what I saw as default.

I also just installed the latest Shape and snooped in its directory structure to discover more dwg files. I'll run a comparison between all BricsCAD and Shape same named dwg files to see which are duplicates and which are unique.

I'm going to augment COMPONENTSPATH with my own drawings as well.

Thanks for the wake up.

RoatanBill

Louis:

I tried using one of the BIM drawings via Components / Standard Parts / ... / ... and got an error message:

Unable to recognize command "-BIMINSERT". This error can occur when the command is not supported for the active license.

So, the drawings are there but the convenient mechanism to use them isn't because I don't own a BIM license - correct?

I then just opened up the particular BIM library dwg file (Kitchen Sink Single.dwg) and it looks great. If I try to Edit / Copy the whole thing and paste it into my working drawing, it comes in huge but completely accurately as it was probably done in mm and I'm using inches.

If I try to scale (.05) during the paste, parts of it scale as expected and other parts only scales in one axial direction (Y) and X&Z are not scaled. Also, the faucet is missing when the faucet is clearly selected as part of the copy.

Is there some trick to this?

Michael Mayer

I have here also often problems inserting Components.
I work in Meter INSUNITS.
Sometimes that works, often inserted Windows come in huge.
For some objects I simply got an unwanted 1000 scale factor in properties.
Sometimes they ignore INSUNITS, have scale 1:1, but are just gigantic.

I think the only way to have reliability is just to give up personal
preferences and work and think in Millimeters, like Bricscad does.

RoatanBill

Michael: There's more going on here than just weird scaling.

If you look carefully at my image, you'll note that at the very bottom left, you can see a properly scaled sink bottom, X, Y & Z. Above that bottom is the top rim and faucet in the original drawing. The rim is blown out of proportion and the faucet is gone altogether.

I played with the .dwg file in its native measurement units and tried scaling within the file and got different weirdness; parts missing, faces moved and no matter what scale factor I use , be it .05, .5, or 10, the drawing ALWAYS gets bigger. I did see something about constraints but I haven't researched that topic yet.

So, even in its native units, something is not working as expected. So much for working in metric instead of imp units.

Louis_Verdonck

@RoatanBill said:
Louis:

I tried using one of the BIM drawings via Components / Standard Parts / ... / ... and got an error message:

Unable to recognize command "-BIMINSERT". This error can occur when the command is not supported for the active license.

The insert procedure from the Components panel launches the BimInsert command, which is only available if a BIM license level is present. Use the INSERT command to insert a component: clck the Browse button on the Insert Block dialog to get access to the BIM/Components.

RoatanBill

Louis: Works as expected. Thank You.

You may want to consider putting the suggestion to use Insert as part of the error message I displayed, or better yet, without a BIM license, internally bring up Insert pre positioned at the BIM directory and avoid an error message altogether.

Joe Dunfee

ichael Mayer 
>I have here also often problems inserting Components
>I work in Meter INSUNITS

I will mention that both the Dwg that has the block and the Dwg receiving it must have their units set. Then the block will automatically scale itself as needed. But, if one or both does not, then the results will vary.

I think a later posting indicates that something else may be afoot. Then my comment may not applly.

-Joe

Jason Bourhill

@RoatanBill This previous Forum post may be useful
https://forum.bricsys.com/discussion/comment/40052

If you don't have BricsCAD BIM but have Mechanical, then I would use BMINSERT instead of BIMINSERT. This will retain access to the parametric features of BIM components that have them.

If you're using BricsCAD Pro & below, then you would use INSERT. In this case components would insert as simple blocks.

It's actually possible for Mechanical users to access BIM components directly from the components panel by redefining the BIMINSERT command to the appropriate insert command for your BricsCAD level. The following LISP will do this for you. Simply run the (SETINSERT) function after loading.

; SETINSERT
;
; Redefines BIMINSERT & BMINSERT where required to suit
; your BricsCAD level
;
; Intention is to allow any BricsCAD level to utilise
; components from the component library.
;

(defun SETINSERT ( / BCADLEVEL)
    ;("CLASSIC" "PROFESSIONAL" "PLATINUM" "COMMUNICATOR" "MECHANICAL" "BIM")
    (setq BCADLEVEL (vle-licenselevel)) ; Retrieve list of current BricsCAD levels
    (cond
        ; For BricsCAD Pro & Classic
        ; redefine BIMINSERT & BMINSERT to use INSERT instead
        ; This will insert components as simple blocks
        ; Parametric features won't be accessible.
        ((not (vle-member "PLATINUM" BCADLEVEL))
            (defun C:BIMINSERT () (command "._INSERT"))
            (defun C:-BIMINSERT () (command "._-INSERT"))
            (defun C:BMINSERT () (command "._INSERT"))
            (defun C:-BMINSERT () (command "._-INSERT"))
            (princ "\nBIMINSERT & BMINSERT have been redefined to use INSERT")
        )
        ; For BricsCAD Mechanical
        ; redefine BIMINSERT to use BMINSERT instead
        ; This will insert components and provide
        ; access to any parametric features
        ((not (vle-member "BIM" BCADLEVEL))
            (defun C:BIMINSERT () (command "._BMINSERT"))
            (defun C:-BIMINSERT () (command "._-BMINSERT"))
            (princ "\nBIMINSERT has been redefined to use BMINSERT")
        )
        (T (princ "\nNo change to BIMINSERT required"))
    )
    (prin1)
)

;(SETINSERT)

Regards,
Jason Bourhill
CAD Concepts

Michael Mayer

@Joe Dunfee said:
ichael Mayer 

I have here also often problems inserting Components
I work in Meter INSUNITS

I will mention that both the Dwg that has the block and the Dwg receiving it must have their units set. Then the block will automatically scale itself as needed. But, if one or both does not, then the results will vary.

I think a later posting indicates that something else may be afoot. Then my comment may not applly.

-Joe

Joe,
so far I have no custom Components yet,
I was just talking about Components offered by Bricscad.

As I said, most times, translation between INSUINITS Meter choice and
Bricscad standard, works well.
It is just that from time to time I still experience unexpected scale issues
like inserting Window Components lately.
(I think that worked in previous versions ?)

I doubt they forget setting INSUNITS in their Component Files.
I think it is more about one of many smaller routines, beside a real file Import,
like INSERT that bring such geometry in, that miss to check for scaling.
Could be completely forgotten, or there but not working because of a bug
or whatever.
And that such possible issues are hidden everywhere and it is very likely
that you will run unexpectedly into such issues again and again when
you work against it with your meter choice.
That is why I think it is better and easier to just go Millimeters as Bricscad
expects.
Just like it was with using special characters in Apps that were still not 100%
UTF8. Most times it works, but every now and then you may run into a problem.

Unfortunately I currently play and switch between all kind of Shape and
Bricscad versions - on Mac, Linux and Windows,
that I easily forget when and where it happened.

And for RoatanBill's example with different scaling,
I think it is a bit different.
I assume something like nested Blocks in the Block with different scaling
and or just geometries at different scales - where one of those scaling
wasn't proper translated at one place.

Had such client Block Imports too in the past. Some of the (nested) Blocks
were drawn off scale and therefore inserted as scaled Blocks.
It looked basically ok in VW , but there were still many peripheral issues
with functions like selection highlighting and rendering issues that were
not able to bear such scaling.
(I wasn't even able to successfully edit and repair them by manually scaling)

RoatanBill

Michael:

The file I brought into BricsCAD was Bricsys/BricsCAD/V19x64/en_US/Support/Bim/Components/Furnishing Elements/Kitchen Sink Single.dwg .

I'm no CAD guru, but all I see are standard 3D solids, no blocks. That's why I couldn't imagine how one part of the lower solid is scaled correctly when the top part of the same solid is mangled.

Look at that file yourself.

Michael Mayer

I see, just 2 Solids and a bunch of Dimensions ....

Comes in Bimserted fine in my Meter File.
Tried on v19 Mac.

Tried to play with scaling the Component - fine
I can also copy/paste that Component fine between
a Meter and a Millimeter File.

It is only when I explode that Sink (Solids+Dimensions)
and scale everything (0.5 or 0.3 here),
it will distort !

I would say that is a Bug.
But not related to anything Component-ish (?)
(just Solids !)
more like an ACIS problem with the Sink
(done by Boolean Operations + Fillets ?)

Attached a Screenshot.
White Sinks = (scaled) Blocks
Gray Sinks = exploded Blocks, scaled Solids.

Michael Mayer

The Millimeter File with exploded Components, scaled to 0.5 (?)
and inserted by Copy/Paste.

Michael Mayer

BTW
when I insert your Sink model in latest Mac v19 Shape
(INSUNITS cm here)
and explode it - it literally explodes similar to yours

Louis_Verdonck

@All
Please file a support request if you experience something wrong.

Also notice that when the INSUNITS of either the source or the target drawing or both are not specified, the INSUNITSDEFSOURCE and INSUNINTSDEFTARGET system variables let you control the scaling of the inserted block.

RoatanBill

Louis: As you're probably aware, I'm not competent enough with CAD to know a bug from a feature. That's why I post here, to slowly correct my ignorance.

So, I'm not going to initiate a bug report, but I'll add some observations here that you or others more capable than myself can examine.

Yesterday, I opened the 'Kitchen Sink Single.dwg' and made a copy to work on. I wanted to edit the drawing to create a square as opposed to a rectangular sink. I figured I could SLICE along the XZ plane, move the front of the sink forward, fill in the gap and UNION it back together.

The SLICE worked, but nothing I did via Manipulator could pull the front forward. It would always snap back. The Manipulator would also move the faucet that I didn't highlight.

I could use the MOVE command as expected and it didn't move the faucet. Once the front was moved, if I tried using the Manipulator on the already moved front, it would again include the faucet and wouldn't move anything; it would always snap back.

I couldn't figure it out, so I drew my own square sink. I wrote the episode off as me not knowing what the heck I'm doing.

Louis_Verdonck

@RoatanBill
The sink you are trying to edit is constrained using Rigid Sets. One of those sets contains the front edge of the sink and the faucet. That is the reason why they move together.
In attachment I add a reworked version of the sink. Its dimensions are controlled by three parameters: Length, Width and Height.

RoatanBill

Louis:

I never heard of 'Rigid Sets'. I'll have to educate myself on what that is and why someone would want to use it.

Apparently, the Move command ignores the constraints as it moves the front just fine and leaves the faucet alone. What confused me was one command (Manipulate) doing one thing completely unexpected and another command (Move) doing what I wanted.

Ghosts, I thought. I figured I'd leave that spooky drawing alone and proceed on my own.

Please don't go out of your way for me. I'm still hunting and pecking around BricsCAD Platinum and slooowwwlllyyy figuring things out. Although I appreciate the effort, there's so much I don't know that the only education that sticks is what I learn by trial and error.

Michael Mayer

@Louis Verdonck said:
@RoatanBill
The sink you are trying to edit is constrained using Rigid Sets. One of those sets contains the front edge of the sink and the faucet. That is the reason why they move together.
In attachment I add a reworked version of the sink. Its dimensions are controlled by three parameters: Length, Width and Height.

OK, thanks Louis.
After insertion I looked for any parametric inputs in properties
and did not find any. So I thought there wouldn't be any constraints.
(Because of being a Component ? Or just not made available for changes ?
or because I was in Shape at that time ? Still overwhelmed by Components)

So not any ACIS problem, probably some of the vertical constraints
don't like scaling or no Ridgid Set used for heights (?).

Have to look into the Component again.

Michael Mayer

@Louis Verdonck said:
The sink you are trying to edit is constrained using Rigid Sets. One of those sets contains the front edge of the sink and the faucet. That is the reason why they move together.

Looked at it again.
OK, the Sink needs a manual Selection after being placed.
Then I see the editable Length/Width in Properties !
(I really like Bricscad's Component Libraries !)

As I saw them even in your reworked (exploded) Sink Version when
looking into Mechanical Properties.

Maybe the way the Sink was constraint, isn't prepared for scale adaptions
caused by INSUNITS - after being exploded - in all situations.
I am fine with that.

CAD_Craig

@Louis Verdonck said:

@RoatanBill said:
Jason: I've used Componentspanelopen via its GUI equivalent and the only thing I find are nuts, bolts, holes, and other industrial parts.

My path is /home/bill/Bricsys/BricsCAD/V19x64/en_US/Support/DesignLibrary and listing the tree contents also shows only industrial parts.

I'm looking for people, vehicles and other drawings I don't see on my system. There must be places that have downloadable drawings of things not included in BricsCAD. I'd like to know the URLs of the best places on the WEB to find additional dwg files.

The content of the Components panel is controlled through the COMPONENTSPATH system variable. Apparently this variable contains only the path to the Design Library. Add the path to the BIM components to get access to the default Landscape, People and Furnishing components.
C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Bricsys\BricsCAD\V19x64\en_US\Support\Bim\Components

Is there a way to toggle between the standard design library and the BIM component library without manually typing or pasting the path in to the command line?

Michael Mayer

AFAIK you can add multiple Paths and Comp Panel will show all Sources
(?)

RoatanBill

@Michael Mayer

Yes, it will display the thumbnails, but if you don't have BIM it won't insert the BIM images.

I now use the Components popup to get the thumbnails preview and then use Insert Block to hunt for the file.

Michael Mayer

@RoatanBill said:

I now use the Components popup to get the thumbnails preview and then use Insert Block to hunt for the file.

I did that once for a test too.
(And I think for testing external Component editing too ?)
And was a bit frightened that it kept the new path and I had
to search for the original default content again ....

Maybe I did something wrong there ... and that's why my scaling issues (?)

Michael Mayer

@Louis Verdonck said:
@All
Please file a support request if you experience something wrong.

Also notice that when the INSUNITS of either the source or the target drawing or both are not specified, the INSUNITSDEFSOURCE and INSUNINTSDEFTARGET system variables let you control the scaling of the inserted block.

Sorry Louis,

looks like INSUNITSCALING was OFF,
(for whatever reason),
in cases I had problems with Component Insertion
Everything fine there now.

On Mac, Bricscad V19 is also able to explode an inserted
Kitchen-Sink-Simple, INSUNITS-wide, correctly.
It is just latest Shape v19 Mac that that inserts fine in scale
but has produces strange Geometry when exploding
inserted Components.

CAD_Craig

@Michael Mayer said:
AFAIK you can add multiple Paths and Comp Panel will show all Sources
(?)

Thank you, this seems to have worked.