Proxy Graphics

[stelthorst]

Hey all,

I just came back from spending 4 hours trying to help the mechanical contractor manipulate my ABS2007 files. I can see why he has been frustrated.

He is using ADT2006 so I've been saving my drawings in 2004 format with proxy graphics (PROXYGRAPHICS=1). I did this because they were unable to see my conduit and cable tray otherwise.

The problem is when you save with proxy objects it creates blocks out of the objects that will not change color without exploding the proxy objects 3 times. Therefore, instead of just being able to xref my electrical drawings into their drawing and change the color of my stuff to their coordination standard they had to explode the proxy objects and change the color before they xreffed them in.

I have tried to avoid saving drawings to AutoCAD because I liked the idea of keeping the conduits together as one entity but maybe that's the easy solution.

Has anyone else had similar problems/issues with saving with proxy objects?

ABS2007 SP1
Windows XP SP2

[kyle.bernhardt]

With the File Format change as well as the AEC Object Format change, you're going to run into nothing but trouble with the Proxy Graphics workflow. Using the Export to AutoCAD command is really the only "official" option available. Once you've done that you should be able to manipulate the layers to control the colors.

Does that work for you?

Kyle B

[stelthorst]

Thanks Kyle,

I was afraid that was my only option.

I'm still frustrated that object enablers are not available to allow users with previous versions of AutoCAD to read ABS2007 objects.

I'm real close to reloading ABS2006 and using it until the file sharing issues between ABS2007 and previous releases is resolved.

[kyle.bernhardt]

You are among many who are frustrated with some of the available workflows, but this is unfortunately the only real options. Object Enablers won't work through a file format change, they never have. If we are to keep adding functionality and features to our products, we need to update the file format eventually. We realize the impact that has on workflows, but it's a necessary evil.

As for reloading 2006, I know of many customers who've got 2006 and 2007 running side-by-side. It's not a bad solution depending on what workflows you'll need for a project, and what software everybody involved will be using.

It's always interesting to me how important an file format change is a larger deal in the AutoCAD community, but in the Revit world it happens all the time and is never backwards compatible...I guess they are just used to it by now.

Cheers,
Kyle B

[Mamma Jamma]

I'm having an opposite problem.
Drawings created in ABS2004, then opened with proxy objects enabled in ACAD 2007, where the objects (cabletray in this instance) are visible in 2007, no problem. Proxy entities are not manipulated in any way, just looked at.
Drawing is exited and saved as v.2004, then reopened by ABS 2004 and those objects are invisible - disappeared.
What's up? (This is NOT a good thing!)

[kyle.bernhardt]

Drawing is exited and saved as v.2004

That's your problem. When you open the drawing on 2007, the AEC objects are updated to be viewed in that environment, "saving as" 2004 does not convert those AEC objects back to the previous format. This is the same problem with drawings started in 2007.

I'm not sure what i can offer up to solve this problem for you other than doing an Export to AutoCAD command on the upgraded drawing (AecExportToAutoCAD2004 at the command line). This obviously will strip out the object information, so if you have a backup of your drawing before you opened and saved it in the 2007 environment, use that.

I hope that helps you get out of the mess you got into.

Cheers,
Kyle B

[Mamma Jamma]

But the v2007 is vanilla ACAD, not ABS. ACAD2007 is only viewing the ABS stuff as proxy objects, which can only be deleted or exploded, not manipulated, so realistically, there shouldn't be a problem, though, obviously there is - a BIG one.
I am NOT happy with ABS, since it seems to not play well with others. (H3LL, it barely plays well with itself!) We've had this type of problem in the past (scrolling ARX error, anyone?).

[kyle.bernhardt]

Aha, my fault, I thought that your AutoCAD 2007 installation had the OE installed, which would be a different situation. I'm not sure what would happen with Proxy Objects. Obviously, it seems that bad things happen.

I feel your pain about the interoperability issues. Object Enablers/Proxy Objects/File Format/AEC Object Format things can get quite confusing. I spend a lot of time handling customer cases that involve this stuff.

Unfortunately, from every explanation I've gotten, it's a necessary evil. It certainly would be nice to have everything work on each platform, but that would be a massive undertaking for the AutoCAD platform and ALL of it's verticals.

Cheers,
Kyle B