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View Full Version : PLT TO DWG CONVERSION



jeff.garr
2004-10-11, 12:20 PM
Is there anyone out there that has a software that converts ".plt" files to ".dwg" files? If so, would it be possible to convert a couple of files for us? Within our original facility structural drawings on CAD (completed in 1999) it turns out an x-ref is missing for a couple of the drawings and the folks who did the work for us did not back up the files they are also not now willing to recreate these for us. They did back up the .plt files for these drawings, but of course we do not have the software or the budget to purchase the software for this conversion. I understand it most likely recreate the x-ref, but if it would make the drawing 'workable' that would be terrific. I would really hate to waste a lot of time regenerating the files myself and would love to receive some help for this. Another option would be to outsource this- Is anyone aware of a firm that does this type of thing? Again, any help would be appreciated.

Mike.Perry
2004-10-11, 12:28 PM
Hi

You're welcome to send them this way (via E-mail or why not attach the PLT files here so anyone that can offer help will have instant access to them)....

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A couple of threads worth a read (some of the third party software mentioned is pretty cheap to buy) -

Plt files (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=4281)

PLT Files- How do you open and plot them? (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=4850)
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Have a good one, Mike

jeff.garr
2004-10-11, 01:06 PM
Thanks Mike, I didn't think about about attaching the files to the drawing. I have done so and would greatly appreciate your help.
By the way what type of software allows you do this? Is it a pretty expensive? Thank you again.

jaberwok
2004-10-11, 06:30 PM
Your files are (presumably) in HPGL2 format, not HPGL so acad's Express Tools cannot open them. Sorry.

michael.12445
2004-10-11, 07:54 PM
I downloaded something called ABViewer (www.cadsofttools.com) that will save HPGL/2 files as DXF, which you can then open in AutoCAD. It costs $49.

Beware, however, that HPGL/2 is really just a vector-based "snapshot" of the DWG file from which it was generated. As such, all your text will show up as line or polyline entities, you lose all blocks, etc. Also, I think all the x-y coordinates are converted to integers, so the geometry itself will be subject to some degradation.

Michael Evans

Mike.Perry
2004-10-12, 07:14 AM
By the way what type of software allows you do this? Is it a pretty expensive? Thank you again.Hi

If you browse the links I gave in my original post you will find references to software that will perform the necessary conversion.

I tried the three options I have at my disposal -

1. Express Tools command PLT2DWG - Surprise, surprise that didn't work.

2. HPGL2DXF (http://www.output.tmfweb.nl/) - Created DXF files, but an error in each of them. As this is freeware can't really complain too much if it doesn't work (has worked for me in the past).

3. ViewCompanion (http://www.softwarecompanions.com/viewcomp.html) - Please refer to attached ZIP files (one for each PLT file; one ZIP file size was too large for upload).

The results aren't perfect, but I'm afraid you ain't going to get perfect results when converting PLT files back to DWG files (is just the nature of the beast).

Hopefully someone else will come along and convert with the software they use, so you can compare the results obtained from different methods.

Have a good one, Mike

jeff.garr
2004-10-12, 05:39 PM
Thanks for the effort Mike. I appreciate you trying and it is better than what we had! Thank you again.