How can we "model" with imported .dxf data?

[LoveLearn]

CoCreate's Personal Edition version is intended to introduce, seduce and addict potential new customers without replacing need to purchase fully-enabled versions for commercially valuable use. I'm pleased that their management team elected to make that offer and expect it will progressively attract more buyers.

To partially disable commercially important CAD functional utility, "OneSpace PE" doesn't support exporting data in standard neutral formats.

But the "Load" command lists the following import formats:
.bd2 = Bundle
.pk2 = Packages
.se2 = Sessions
.env = Environments
.igs = IGES
.iges = IGES
.stp = STEP
.step = STEP
.STP = STEP
.STEP = STEP
.mi = MI
.lyt = MI
(2D Import formats)
.mi
.bi
.dxf
.dwg
.igs
.iges
.rec = Recorder
.lsp = LISP Source
.lisp = LISP Source

I want to illustrate a machine which includes several spur-type gears. I don't want to attempt generating those gears from scratch and I don't own nor have access to any standard "library" of standard CAD format machine parts. So I looked for on-line sources. I found the on-line company site by KHK Gears which, besides displaying photos and specifications for gears they offer, allows freely downloading .dxf CAD format files of their products. So I downloaded their spur and helical gear .dxf files.

Next, I used OneSource PE's Load command to import a suitable gear. That brought up a message saying that this data had to "migrate" to Annotation standard, what ever that means. The gear is viewable in this Annotation mode but when I click into "Modeling" mode, I can't see nor use that gear data. What steps do I need to do to be able to access that information in modeling mode?
John

[Gary Brauch]

After opening the dxf in Annotation, save it as an MI file.

Once saved, you can go into Modeling and load it to a workplane by change the load type to "MI (*.mi, *.lyt)"

This will load the 2d geometry to the active workplane.

G.

[LoveLearn]

After clicking on "Load," Personal Edition's Load default only displays *.pk2 format saved files. I changed that *.pk2 default to allow displaying *.dxf format files. Then I selected a suitable gear in .dxf format file. After loading, Personal Editon displays:
"Data has to be migrated to Annotation structure. Please confirm to continue." I clicked choice "Continue" rather than "Cancel."
The result shows gear in side view and in front view as concentric circles without gear teeth. I hope the teeth are just hidden rather than replaced by concentric circles. But that's another issue.

Next, as per Gary's suggestion, I attempted to save as a "MI" format file by naming either as a *.mi or *.lyt file.
I clicked on "File" at screen top right, then clicked on "Save" from listed choices. But the "Save" function in OneSpace Personal Edition in Annotation mode does NOT list *.mi nor *.lyt as available saving format options. It defaults to .pk2 format but any of the following file suffixes can be selected:
.bd2 (Bundle)
.pk2 (Packages)
.se2 (Sessions)
.env (Environments)

I tried the top choice "*.bd2" first by adding that suffix to the manufacturer's gear name, creating MSGA1-45.bd2 Then tried to save it. That attempt was rejected because I had failed to "Select" elements I wanted to save. I assumed a normal default save selection would include all current file elements. That assumption was wrong. Returning to Annotation mode screen top, I clicked on "Edit," then from the Edit list clicked on "Select." This displays a box with 33 choices, 12 of which are "grayed out." By guessing based on seeing what is highlighted in the drawing window after various choices are clicked, I tried under "Methods" the button "In Drawing." Curiously, the only way I found to close that "Select" box was to click on the top right corner's "X" command which in Windows normally implies deleting the window and content. There is nothing within that Select box like "Apply and close this Window."

I've tried quite a few combinations over more than 1.5 hours attempting to learn how to import *.dwf file data, then re save it into one of OneSpace PE's Annotation-mode-listed save formats, then re-import that data so it can be used within "modeling" mode. So far I've had no success. Every time I've opened any of these saved files from Modeling mode, I see a blank modeling screen. Yet I can then switch to Annotation mode and find that the data appears to have been imported. But it still is not available for use in modeling mode.

Since this question is specific to OneSpace Personal Edition rather than the full version, "After opening the dxf in Annotation, save it as an MI file" doesn't appear to be possible.

Besides not working, various variant attempts have generated interesting error messages like
"Error - Input contains element of wrong type."

Please try again Gary and thanks for your first attempt even though I have not found a way to make it work yet by following your advice. If you have a copy of Personal Edition loaded and make sure your suggestion works on that version rather than only on the full version, those trying to learn how to make PE version work will benefit from more "context relevant" advice.
John

[waynef]

Thanks for sharing this website. I found the dxf files, but had trouble downloading them. But I found something better. I downloaded the 3D step 214 model and imported it into OneSpace PE. I have attached the pk2 file. I added half the teeth. It only comes with one example tooth. I could only add half to stay below the file size limit of this forum. You can just reflect (machine>reflect) the part about the center to get all the teeth, but use the both sides option.

Since you have the dxf, you can use the Edit>Copy command from Annotation, then go to Modeling, create a new workplane, then use Edit > Paste Special. Choose the 2D Geometry. I recommend Paste Special because sometimes your select includes text. You always want to choose 2D geometry because the text won't paste. Now as long as this is a valid profile, you can use it to extrude, mill, turn, etc.

[Mike Swartz]

When you load a dxf file into Modeling PE, it is loaded into Annotation. Here is what you need to do to move a profile from Annotation into a Modeling workplane. Since you are probably only going to use one view to generate a profile, do not select the entire drawing.
Select the Copy Icon from the toolbar. Use the left mouse button to select the copy area.
Text and dimensions will not be moved from an Annotation drawing to a workplane. Only geometry will copy and paste.
Next go from Annotation back to Modeling (Shortcut hint, you can use the little arrow icon at the bottom right hand corner of the application)

In Modeling, if you do not already have an active workplane, create one.
Select the Paste command from your toolbar.

If your DXF view is a valid closed profile, you should now be able to use it to create a 3D solid by using the extrude command. If it is not a valid closed profile, you may need to do some modifications first.

[LoveLearn]

You guys are great. Thanks for instructing me. Others will surely read and benefit from this exchange. And yes, the converted file Waynef provided imports into OneSpace PE modeling mode perfectly.

I'm struggling in trying to become able to control commonly used OneSpace functions. Externally sourced file importation may work intuitively for other OnceSpace version users. But those of us learning to use OneSpace PE Edition need all the help we can find. I didn't find this file import issue covered in the 2500+ help file pages. Perhaps this kind of user feedback is used to help decide what topics are covered and how they are connected to context-relevant help requests.

Thanks again for your help,
John

[Skinny Bob]

After opening the dxf in Annotation, save it as an MI file.

Once saved, you can go into Modeling and load it to a workplane by change the load type to "MI (*.mi, *.lyt)"

This will load the 2d geometry to the active workplane.

G.Why don't I have the save as .mi option.

[wathavy]

I found other web site where you can download STEP 214 which you can load into PE2 straight.
http://www.traceparts.com/
I think you need to register with whatever the free email you have.
(I am posting not to the dwg import issue, though):)