Below is one of the many paths you could take to export your 3D model from Vectorworks. It includes the essential action steps to prep your file for import into Cinema 4D. You will undoubtably develop personal preferences as you continue your Cinema 4D journey.
Make All Objects Visible
Make all objects of your 3D model visible; turn off or delete any unwanted objects.
1:1 Scale
Put your design layer(s) in 1:1 scale.
Internal Origin
Center your entire 3D model at the internal origin: Tools> Origin> Center Drawing on Internal Origin.
Export Cinema 4D
File>Export>Export Cinema 4D. Change ‘Render Mode’ to Custom Renderworks & ‘Scene Organization’ to Sort by Class.
Uncheck inclusion of Cameras, Lights & Backgrounds (assuming you will be creating them in Cinema 4D)
Options button> Check the ‘Anti-Aliasing’ box; Quality Levels= All Medium
Save .c4d
Save your exported .c4d file in a permanent location. After Effects and Cinema 4D link the file location when importing. If you move any linked files out of the permanent location, the links will be broken.
Hints: If you are using Spotlight Objects like truss or lights, convert to 3D polylines in vectorworks if not exporting properly. And turn any duplicate objects into symbols in Vectorworks. Symbols become ‘instances’ in Cinema 4D, allowing for global edits and faster file navigation.
Import into Cinema 4D
Follow the next tutorial in the series for Importing Vectorworks into Cinema 4D. Enjoy!
