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Importing Content

Bring Existing Content into Studio

Import workflows allow users to bring documentation created in other locations into the Studio environment. Support for universal DXF & PNG/JPEG image file formats allows content to be seamlessly passed between Studio & other software as needed to support efficient collaboration.

DXF Import

  • The visibility & styling of layers from imported DXFs can be edited in the Asset Catalog (see below). These layer settings are shared across all usages of the DXF

  • The maximum DXF import file size is 10 MB.

  • Imported DXFs exist as “blocks” that cannot be ‘exploded’

  • The following entity types are not currently supported & will not be rendered in imported DXFs

    • Hatch patterns & hatch scaling

    • Tables

    • Viewports

  • Use Cases for DXF Import:

    • Reference Plans: Import dimensionally accurate drawings & snap to them to expedite initial implementation of existing plans

    • Construction Details: Place details from your existing library in Drawing Templates for use in Live Plans documentation

    • Structural & Grading Plans: Bring accurately scaled structural or site information into Studio to augment model content in your documentation

Inline Uploads vs. the Asset Catalog

  • Inline Images: content that is uploaded directly to the location in which it is used

    • Usage: Inline images are only available in the location where they were uploaded. Overwriting an inline image’s source file will only update the single location in which it was placed

    • File Types: Images (JPEG & PNG)

    • Applications: Drawing Catalog, Option Images, Elevation Images, Underlays, Room Hosted Annotations, Live Plans Annotations

  • Asset Catalog: a central repository of uploaded content that is accessed via the Catalogs tab of the Project Browser.

    • Upload: Upload an asset to the catalog by clicking the + button & selecting the desired file for upload

      • Assets retain all information (size, name, layers, etc.) from the uploaded file

    • Usage: Multiple usages of a single asset can be used to create synchronized content in multiple locations within a Studio file. Assets can be Document Referenced for use across multiple Studio files. Overwriting an asset’s source file in the catalog will update all existing usages of that asset, including Document Reference usages

    • File Type: DXF

    • Applications: Underlays, Room Hosted Annotations, Live Plans Annotations

      Notion Image

Using Imported Content

1. Underlays

  • Creation:

    1. Navigate to the Explorer tab & click the + next to Underlays

    2. Select the desired underlay type: Inline Image or Asset Reference

    3. Select an image for upload or an asset from your Asset Catalog (see above for upload instructions)

    4. Adjust the opacity & host level of your underlay via the Inspector. Adjust the placement & scale via the Inspector or the Move (M) & Scale (S) commands.

      1. If no level is assigned, the underlay will appear on all levels.

      2. Underlays can be locked or hidden via the Explorer

    5. Note that underlays are used for reference in Plan views in Studio only & will not be included in PDF or DXF exports.

      Notion Image

2. Room Hosted or Live Plans Annotations

  • Creation:

    1. From the Layout tab of a Room Inspector, or any Live Plans Content Inspector click the + button next to Annotations

    2. Select the desired annotation type: Inline Image or Asset Reference

      Notion Image

    3. Asset Reference placement can also be initiated via the SHIFT + A keyboard shortcut

    4. Choose a position & select your desired content for the annotation

    5. Adjust the placement & scale via the Inspector or the Move (M) & Scale (S) commands

      1. Inline image size is set in world scale units

      2. Asset reference size is defined as a multiple of the size in the Asset Catalog. By default, asset references scale = 1

      3. Note that images & DXFs will appear in all Studio views, sheet previews & PDF exports. Images & DXFs will not be included in DXF exports

FBX Import

There may be some cases in which users need to import custom models from outside sources for use as props. Studio supports importing FBX formatted models created outside of Higharc.

To import and FBX model:

  1. Navigate to Catalogs section of the Project Browser and find 'Assets' and click the '+' button and choose 'FBX' from the list of available importable file types.

  2. Under the 'Props' section within the Catalogs tab, create a new prop by clicking the '+' button and then choosing the FBX file from you drive you want to import. Be sure to give this new prop a name after it's created. This example uses an imported Chair. Check to ensure the correct FBX asset is listed in the Inspector under the 'Prop Asset ID' dropdown setting.

  3. Finally, place the prop along an edge to see it visualized in both the 2D and 3D Canvases.

    Note: Props should be created within the CDM so that they can be managed centrally and accessed by any downstream Studio home plan.

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