John A

I've seen the script for doing it with AutoCad, but is there some simple way to take airfoil plots and import them into TurboCad. Something automated, rather than tracing over bitmaps.

Tall Paul

TurboCad will accept .dxf files.

John A

Darn, I did use the word plots, didn't I. I meant the coordinates from an ASCII text file.

Johng

My Feedback: (4)

No, but you may be able to get Profili (free download) and import a dat file, which is an ascii file in a specific format, I believe. Then output a dxf that can be used in TurboCAD. I'm not sure all that functionality is in the free version of profili though.

Johng

My Feedback: (4)

But then, unless this is an own-design airfoil, Profili probably already has it in it's airfoil database, and could give you a dxf file relatively easy.

BMatthews

If you pay the paltry $15US to activate the advanced features of Profili it let's you import a number of file formats for coordinates. From there it's easy to "print" to a DXF file for import. If it's an airfoil that's already in the library then you can DXF it with the free features.

With the number in there it's hard to believe that there isn't something there already that would work for you. Or that could be modified to suit from one of the stock airfoils.

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

There used to be a secondary program. like a LISP for Autocad, available at CADALOG for airfoils. You open up a bare drawing page, activate the secondary software, then it asks for the coordinate file.

As I remember though, the routine that it asks for is different than what we currently use. This makes it prot out upside down or something. Thus you need to revese the order of the coordinate files. After the points and lines come in, it is up to you to manhandle the drawing. I think it only comes in at a 100 unit chord.


Wm.

Tall Paul

Many a year ago before PROFILI I did up a Quick Basic program which generated NACA 4-digit airfoils, and exported the coordinates to a Generic CADD batch file or an AutoCad script file, which the CAD programs would then take directly.
The header for the AutoCad file were simple.. it only required making sure the commas and spaces between each coordinate pair was correct.
But PROFILI is so much more versatile in every respect, doing the way I did is a waste of time.

John A

Thanks for all the help everybody. I figured out how to do it, but after looking at Profili I'm going to get the full version from him.

Incidentally, for those that want to import the coordinates directly, there is a script in Turbocad LE called IMpoint that will let you do it. It imports from 4 columns of data, so you can either modify the Basic script to look for 2 columns, or modify the file in Excel. I did it the second way to see if it works, and the airfoil comes out with the leading edge at 0,0 and the chord equal to 1 inch. Easy to scale. For those that want to do it, import your airfoil to excel (or any spreadsheet), add a column before the first, and just fill it with zeros, same length as the data columns, then copy that to a fourth column. I hope that's clear. Reading across, the 4 columns would read 0, x, y, 0, where x is the old column 1 data and y is the old column 2 data. Save as tab delimited text (say, to c:/airfoils/mh43.txt). Done

To call from Turbocad, open the script called IMpoint (You can add scripts to a toolbar, or go to Tools, Run Scripts up top). Select Impoint, Type in c:/airfoils/mh43.txt (or wherever you saved it) into the box, and your done. It doesn't care how many points are in the file, as my mh43 file has 113 points, so you can get your data anywhere.

BTW, I added a post to the modelling software thread up top with a link to a program that lets you cut your templates for foam cores quickly and accurately, called Profile V2.2. Check it out if you work with foam wings. Lots of 3 views on the site, too.

I know later editions of TurboCad can run Macros and that would be the way to go for you guys if this feature is different or non-existant in later versions. There's a link on how to do it at:
http://throsn.tripod.com/csvimport.html
It's a tripod site so popups, but nothing harmful. I found this from the Tcad forums and that's what got me looking into the scripts. If his solution wont work I can cut and paste the script from the Learning edition is someone needs it. If someone wants to do this a lot I can modify the VB to read the 2 column data directly but I don't see myself doing this much once I get my password for Profili.

John A

I guess a screen shot is in order. Leading edge ends up at 0,0, chord is one inch. Just put the same numbers in the x and y scale box and you have perfect rib.