Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: digitizer probe and software

Alan Marconett KM6VV wrote:

> Hi Gordon,
>
> Just got a look at an STL file. lottta triangles defined. Fred says
> that Vector CAD/CAM 9.3 will export XYZ files. I can now too!
>
> How is it that you can use JUST the "lines" in the DXF files? I thought
> you were going for 3D in Rhino.

I've got pretty good info on .dxf and IGES(STEP), but not .stl and .plc.
Are there samples and descriptions of the .stl and .plc file formats on
the web?

Do most of these programs (Vector, Rhino, etc) ignore the header and
tables sections of a .dxf and just use the blocks and entities? If there
are blocks in the .dxf, are they still blocks in Vector, Rhino, etc.?

Any other geometry file formats used? VRML? .3ds?

I'm thinking of writing some programs that automatically create
geometric entities and would like some guidance on output formats.

Matt