forum.datacad.com

I'm still having difficulty in getting an autocad dwg file to translate into a dcad file. I'm using v15.04.02.01 and part of the exterior walls and some toilet symbols are missing when I do the translation. I've zoom extents and have changed colors to make sure that I'm not missing anything but the walls still do not show up. They show up in acad but I can't seem to get them to show up in datacad.
Any thoughts.
Thanks
Robert Butch Berry
Architect
Eureka Springs, AR

They may show up in Autocad due to an enabler plug-in, but they are likely proxy objects from an overlay such as Architectural Desktop. If so, they will not show up in DataCAD or plain Autocad. They will have to be exploded by the originator of the file or you can have them save it as an R14 drawing file.

Dave

I'm still having trouble getting dcad to convert acad into a usable files.
It might be my consultant, I can see in acad paper space the 4 sheets that I want, but when he
sends me the file, I keep getting the model space drawings which are spread all over kingdom come.
I must be missing something.
Very frustrating. I've ask my consultant to send the file in acad 2000, but he is using acad 2013? or their newest version whatever that is.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
TIA
Butch Berry
Architect
Eureka Springs, AR

Butch -

The issue you're having is that with PaperSpace it's (to put it simply) a sheet of paper with a hole or multiple holes cut into it so that you can see beyond into ModelSpace. In MS it makes no difference WHERE the entities are located - just that you have to center your PS viewport over what you want it to show and give it an XP factor (ie. if you want an 1/8" plan you'd start out in PS, then double click into the viewport, zoom out/in (or pan around) so that you see the plan, then tell Acad to zoom at 1/96xp, then click back outside the viewport).

I don't think there is any way to have what you see in PS show up in MS, since what's really drawn in Acad IS in MS.

Clear as mud now? What you REALLY want to tell the consultant is that EVERYTHING must be drawn in MS - NOTHING allowed in PS. This way you'll have it show up in Dcad the way that you want it.

Still cannot get all the walls to show up in datacad. The consultant is using autocad 2014 which, when saved to an earlier version, saves it as autocad lt, which may be causing the problem with datacad not being able to translate everything. All the walls show up in autocad, but not in datacad. Can anyone offer another solution or possible look at the file and see what can be done?
Thanks
Butch Berry
Architect

If a dxf translation will let you work with everything, you might attempt that. It sounds as if you have access to ACAD where you are so if you do, then just do a simple "SaveAs" DXF. That will allow you to make a quick import to see if all comes through.
Good luck,
Woody

Tried the dxf and still no walls. I just drew some lines over the walls in autocad and then translated that drawing and those lines did show up. I haven't use acad for a long time, so I'm not proficient in it anymore, or I would just draw the walls in myself and then translate it. (The last time I use autocad was over 15 years ago).

Just a thought.... take your DataCAD file and in the area where you think that your missing linework might be, do a Change Color/Linetype. Use something like white/solid.
There is a chance that the color from ACAD resulted in a color in DCAD that is close to your screen background.
Of course, this is mostly a guess. I hope that it works.
Woody

In addition to Oran's comment, Do an area select with crossing on, and/or change the whole area to a solid line type. Dotted lines spaced large don't show up.
See if they can "flatten" there file, has helped me in the past.

I think the issue really is that whoever created the Acad file is using commands that are creating "proxy" objects, which can be seen (though not necessarily edited) in the later Acad versions. In some Acad clones (like BricsCAD) the proxies will come in but you can't edit them.

What you'll need to do is tell the Acad'r that they must save the drawing down to either a 2004 or 2007 version, and to make sure that they have exploded (or told Acad to explode) ALL proxy objects.

This is the one area that it appears AutoDesk has succeeded in making the DWG file next to useless in other programs. Of course, with this type of a proprietary object they could be shooting themselves in the foot/head because even older versions can't utilize them.

Finally I got the drawings all converted by going in and exploding everything, however, autocad still keeps some items as blocks and will not let me manipulate them in datacad. But I think I can work with most of it now. Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Boy do I dislike Autocad. Thanks Mark and everyone for making Datacad easy for this architect