Clean up outside drawings for internal use as Xrefs etc

[joe.n]

I am sure this subject has been addressed before as I am sure everyone has run across it at one time or another . . .

When receiving furniture & equipment drawings from vendors that we would like to x-ref into our floor plans and these drawings have blocks nested within blocks and objects are not always drawn color by layer. We would like to see these objects as a light-weight line so the only way to get the color to something our plotter recognizes it is to explode, and explode, and explode. sometimes these files can be 5-10MB so you imagine the pain

Is there a quicker and simpler way to do this?

[Avatart]

I am sure this subject has been addressed before as I am sure everyone has run across it at one time or another . . .

When receiving furniture & equipment drawings from vendors that we would like to x-ref into our floor plans and these drawings have blocks nested within blocks and objects are not always drawn color by layer. We would like to see these objects as a light-weight line so the only way to get the color to something our plotter recognizes it is to explode, and explode, and explode. sometimes these files can be 5-10MB so you imagine the pain

Is there a quicker and simpler way to do this?

What I have always done is to download vendor drawings, hack and bash the into shape, then make them available to my users. Keeps your drawings consistent and looking good and the file size down.

[andy.manninen]

I am sure this subject has been addressed before as I am sure everyone has run across it at one time or another . . .

When receiving furniture & equipment drawings from vendors that we would like to x-ref into our floor plans and these drawings have blocks nested within blocks and objects are not always drawn color by layer. We would like to see these objects as a light-weight line so the only way to get the color to something our plotter recognizes it is to explode, and explode, and explode. sometimes these files can be 5-10MB so you imagine the pain

Is there a quicker and simpler way to do this?

What i have always done is either SHRINKWRAP (avail. through the right click menu) the objects to get clean polylines, or explode, purge and OVERKILL the drawing. Changing everything to a generic layer and so forth.
Be careful or regapps (Registered Applications) as they can add to a file size dramatically. To purge regapps run a command line purge by typing "-purge" on the command line, selecting R for regapps, * for all, and N for confirm name. I couldn't find my post on regapps in a previous thread so i can't link to that, but the synopsis was: Regapps are virulent in nature, any drawing that even XREFs a DWG that has regapps in it will be "infected" and from then on contain the regapps unless purged. The only way to purge regapps is with third party software or by running the command line purge and selecting R for regapps. I use ACAD 2005, i don't know if you can do this with LT or not. Hope it helps!
:Cheers:

[BrenBren]

I don't think SHRINKWRAP is a vanilla AutoCAD command

[Avatart]

I don't think SHRINKWRAP is a vanilla AutoCAD command

It's not, that's an ADT command.

[jaberwok]

The only way to purge regapps is with third party software or by running the command line purge and selecting R for regapps. I use ACAD 2005, i don't know if you can do this with LT or not. Hope it helps!
:Cheers:

-purge / regapps does work in LT2007, I don't know about earlier LTs.

[Mike.Perry]

I am sure this subject has been addressed before as I am sure everyone has run across it at one time or another . . .

<SNIP>

Is there a quicker and simpler way to do this?

Hi

If you have not tried the forum search facility, give it a try... as you will find numerous threads that have already dealt with this very topic eg

Take a look at the links found in the following post...

RE: Change colours of everything in a drawing, including Blocks, Xrefs etc

Have a good one, Mike

[Avatart]

-purge / regapps does work in LT2007, I don't know about earlier LTs.

Purging Regapps is new to 2007, use the long hand technique pre-2007.

[Mike.Perry]

Purging Regapps is new to 2007, use the long hand technique pre-2007.

Hi

Sorry that is not true...

AutoCAD 2005 introduced the ability to Purge RegApps from the command line version of _.-Purge

Have a good one, Mike

[Avatart]

Hi

Sorry that is not true...

AutoCAD 2005 introduced the ability to Purge RegApps from the command line version of _.-Purge

Have a good one, Mike

I didn't know that! Obviously....