Topic Title

OK, I am sure this question has been asked and asked, but I can't seem to find the best answer, so I will ask again.

I am starting some outside contract work for a firm that uses AutoCAD. I need to prove that my line types will match what they send me in DWG that I import, and when they get my converted drawings back to them in DWG form. Rather than try to find an acceptable substitute line types when importing, if I have the exact line types, I won't have to reinvent the wheel every time I do this process of import/export. Or having to recreate all the autocad line types myself. Seems like a worthwhile goal.

Unless there is something I am missing, please... would somebody send me a safe link to add those to my DataCAD line type files.

Thanks,
Patty

This won't be an easy translation - everything that I've found is that although the Dcad linetypes transfer they won't be an exact match, and when you import the DWG you have to assign which Dcad linetypes they go to.

Looks like you'll need to create new linetypes to approximate what the original DWG linetypes are - but the Acad firm will ALWAYS have to use your SHX file from the translation, or they will have to reassign the correct Acad linetypes when they open your files.

Thank you for the reply. What my idea was was to replace the datacad line types in a line type folder (while leaving the original linetypes and those that I have created for myself in another linetypes folder. (Old and ACAD) Are you saying that when I export my drawings and then when the AutoCAD drafter opens my files, they will still be in DataCAD linetypes shk format and have to be still be re-translated? Not sure how Autocad would read my shx files, unless I send them separately and they know where to put them so they are available for translation. I guess that is something I will have to work out.

I didn't want to have to redraw each line type as there are 38 of them that I have seen. Maybe more... Does anyone have those available pre-translated for DataCAD?

Also, when creating line types, how do I set the initial scale? Is it just how it is viewed when I draw it or what? I didn't notice a scale button for the line type creation. (Only when editing.) The first one I made came out larger than it's original when I went to actually create an entity with it. It was ______ ______ . _____ _____ (something like this) for the ACAD *BORDER line type.

Dcad and Acad don't use the same type of files for their linetypes, but Dcad creates an SHX file when you export a DWG file that allows the Acad user to actually see (and use) your Dcad linetypes - but the scale goes wacky. Where you would see (say) the PropLine linetype in your drawing like this:
______ _ _ ___________________ _ _ ______
what comes into Acad looks like this:
. _______________ __ __ ________________ . (or something similar)

The Acad user then needs to adjust the linetype scale (an Acad term) of each line to make them look correctly. The other option is for the Acad user to change each linetype to their standard Acad linetypes (and adjust the linetype scale) - but this would need to be done each time you sent the Acad firm an updated file.

I've never created a custom linetype in Dcad - I'll have to bow to someone else who could guide you in that nuance (Oran Woody perhaps?).

Thank you Alan. I really appreciate your feedback! I might just create a few of the linetypes and export a drawing that uses them and see what happens on the other end (as far as how much trouble my AutoCAD counterpart has to go through with rescaling and whatnot). At least the layers are not a problem. Entity colors and symbols may need to be tackled next.

Patty

If your Acad counterpart is pretty savvy they might be able to automate a certain amount of the conversion, but most AREN'T.

If you can keep the amount of linetypes used down to just a few the conversion will be fairly painless.

Make sure you set up your color pallets and color conversion tables - that will go a LONG way to helping in the translations.

Keep your fonts at a 1.0 aspect ratio (when we use 1.25 to make the font wider it translates to a narrower font in Acad, and vice versa).

When the Acad'r opens the DWG file they will need to do a Zoom Extents immediately to see your drawing.

If the Acad firm uses Paperspace extensively there will be a LOT of work for them to do to your file to start with. If you don't know what "Paperspace" or "Modelspace" is let me know.

I'll post more tips as I remember them!

Thank you for all the tips. I am unfamiliar with Acad in its present state, so paperspace or modelspace...I will need to investigate those.

For me, here's the best way to visualize what "Modelspace" and "Paperspace" represent in Acad:

First of all, Modelspace is where you'll actually draw ALL of your entities (though not necessarily add any notes or dimensions) at real-world sizes. If you want to add any text in a Modelspace area you will add it in actual size relative to what you want it to plot at (ie. if you want to add notes to a plan that you want to plot at 1/4"=1'-0", and you want them to plot so that they are 1/8" high, you'll add the notes with a height of 6"). Paperspace is what you use to PLOT/PRINT your sheet so that what you are always plotting/printing is always at 1:1 (in other words, when you plot/print your 24"x36" sheet you will not have any scaling factor for it - it will be 1:1).

The best way that I have been able to understand Modelspace and Paperspace (as it was explained to me) is that Modelspace is where you actually "build" the structure/details, and Paperspace is simply a 24"x36" (or 18"x24" or 30"x42" or ....) sheet that you will hold in your hand that has a hole cut into it that frames the part of your real-world model so that if you were to use a triangular scale on it it would scale at a certain scale (like 1/4"=1'-0", 1"=20'-0", etc.) once it is plotted/printed. These "holes" are called 'Viewports' in Acad, and (trying to put it simply) need to zoom around the area you want included within that viewport and give it the scaling factor that you need (represented as "XP48" for 1/4", "XP120" for 1"=10', etc.). If you use Acad a lot and play with this (or have someone show you) it will make sense - if you DON'T use Acad this is just gibberish (and don't feel bad - it takes a while to wrap your head around it!).

I hope this gives you a LITTLE more insight into the issues that must be dealt with when you're translating between Dcad and Acad!

Creating custom linetypes is fairly easy these days (DCAD 16, at least). Use the "Create line" option under the "Linetype" menu. Have your line pattern predrawn using lines, curves, text, etc. You can even include symbols. Tracing the ACAD linetypes is one way, but a more accurate recreation would be to use the exact dimensions given in the ACAD *.lin file.

The linetype creation function breaks everything down into line segments, even the text & syms, so there is no shx/shp file for the linetypes - at least I haven't seen one in a very long time. As for the other translation issues, scale & such, I defer to Alan's expertise.

Even though it isn't an exact comparison, our XRefClips are very close to what people think of as paper-space in ACAD. The hole cut in a sheet that is used to view a drawing is a good description. Just as it is in our clips, if the entities viewed are relocated from their original position, they can still exist, but not be visible through the "hole." They are used when creating sheet layouts and details and probably in a few special situations that I have never needed.
When thought of that way, the terms, model-space and paper-space become similar enough to our way of thinking that you don't need to consider them in any special way.
The line translation and color conversion seem to always be less than perfect for me, but because of "mask," you will have a pretty good handle on what is needed.
When going back and forth, the ACADer seems to believe that since you are using a "lesser" program, the translation is your responsibility.
Good luck,
Woody