Flatten Command or equivalent

[fdebolt]

A person at our office wanted to flatten the civil drawing that was sent to them, but per my recommendation the FLATTEN command was not there. It appears the old trusty command I have always used is not in our latest release of 2007. Does anybody know if this was an ACAD command or express tools? I would really like to know how to flatten a civil 3D site plan. When we x-ref these into our drawings the snaps are all over the place in space and they are difficult to deal with.

If anybody knows of a command or lisp routine that will aid us please let me know.

[Glenn Pope]

Flatten is an express tools command.

[fdebolt]

That raises another question. Should I have express tools with 2007? I did not find them anywhere.

[Glenn Pope]

That raises another question. Should I have express tools with 2007? I did not find them anywhere.

The express tools are on the install CD. By default it should install. There is an option that has to be checked. You can check to see if you have the express folder in the install folder for 2007. If its there, you can try typing EXPRESSTOOLS into the command line in AutoCAD. If the folder isn't there, you should be able to find the installer on the 2007 CD.

[Jeff.Thompson.SYN]

Better Then Flatten...Try this out. This is an old-old-old school way of doing things.

Flattening Z coordinates:

Command: M (Move)
Select: ALL
From point: 0,0,0
To point: 0,0,1e99

Command: M (Move)
Select P (Previous)
From point: 0,0,0
To point: 0,0,-1e99

Works great, won't flatten arcs drawn on skewed ucs or solids.

[rennichd]

After I type in flatten in 2007 on a 3d object it ask about hidden line, but after that the drawing totally disappears. Where does it go? Never used the FLATTEN command before, does it just flatten the view that you are in?

[philpiper]

Also another useful tip is the OSNAPZ system variable. It kind of depends on what it you want ot do here, but the variable is a 0 or 1 switch.
Basically what it does, depending on what value it is set to, is either to use of ignore the Z value of the object you are snapping to. If it is set to 0 it uses the objects Z value and if it is set to 1 it ignores it. This is a great tool if all you want to do is use a file with Z height in it for reference purposes and to snap new gemotry to. Where it has limitations is if you wish to manipulate the original geometry. This will still retain its Z values (unless you use flatten) and so will not allow you to say FILLET objects.

If it's any use, I've attached a lisp routine we used to use that performs the same task as the Express Tools Flatten command.

Spike

[BrenBren]

AutoCAD 2007 also has a command called FLATSHOT; which creates a 2D or “flattened” representation of all 3D objects in the current view.

[Wanderer]

I have had that happen to me on a couple of occasions. I quickly UNDO and try a different approach. There are a few different FLATTEN lisp routines around there (like the one posted in this thread), so I try different ones or use QSELECT or SELECTSIMILAR to grab like items and change their properties manually via the properties palette.

Check down at the bottom of this page under Similar Threads for different ideas and pointers to other routines.

good luck.

After I type in flatten in 2007 on a 3d object it ask about hidden line, but after that the drawing totally disappears. Where does it go? Never used the FLATTEN command before, does it just flatten the view that you are in?