The behavior of imported Cad geometry has been a problem for quite some time. Once the model is in max , certain objects will behave erratically. For example, geometry will remain linked somehow, so when one thing is moved other things will also move , often on a differnt axis. I tried unlinking these objects, and then others dissappear. I think this is relatedted to nested blocks in Cad, bit I’m not sure any more.

I’ve heard that to prevent this one should:

Link to dwg, then bind the geometry to make it Max meshes, then merge the model into a fresh max file. This has not worked. Can any one help with this?

Have you tried Reset XFrom in the Utilities panel, then Converting to Editable Spline or Mesh, whichever applies.

I’ve seen that happen once, but I can’t remember if the above was the cure.

Do you have a small problem DWG you could zip and post which exhibits the “Move one way and parts go the other way.”

Tim Wilbers [FA]

College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Visual Arts
University of Dayton
http://www.udayton.edu/
3ds Max: 7.5, 8, 9, 2008, 2009, 2010

Tom, I know exactly what you are talking about.  It IS nested blocks from CAD, and once imported to Max certain geometries are linked to a “block” object.  Moving one object changes the relation to this block, and consequently changes all instances accordingly.  This makes objects fly around in all kinds of directions.  Breaking this link, or deleting these “blocks” doesn’t make the objects disappear, but they do all jump out into some remote spot because their location is relative to that block.

What I’ve started doing is exploding the drawing, or at least the blocks, in CAD before bringing into Max.

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