Revit DWG Export Function and Acad .dwt source?

[Dan_Levesque]

Greetings,

Current Events:

We currently are processing DWG sheet data from Revit for client deliverables. In my experience with 3D CAD applications Revit does a fairly good job in creating a Flat 2D dwg drawing with general layering.

Yet there are some areas that require further modification afterwards for our none BIM autocad 2D clients who still insist on the CAD standards they have inhouse. The Items (*) we have solved through in-house programming, but other issues still exist.

1. Exported text is true type and has to be converted to .shx (*)
2. Revit map files do not append “NEWW” to new phased items. It will however map all other phasing “-TEMP”, “-DEMO”, and “-EXST”.
3. Regions (hatches) can only be mapped to one layer. This could be resolved if we could Phase the object. Our boundary lines are drawn with a Line Style named the same as CAD, but these are unassociative when exported.
4. 2D components can only be mapped to one layer no Phase distinction. Phase parameter development could sove this. This is a killer.
5. Dimensions contain overrides and once selected in CAD with revert to a standard style unlike what was present in Revit. Curve out arc dimensions are a real problem. No way to control AutoCAD converted output.
6. Hatching within cut sections as well can not be mapped.
7. Layouts are not initialized therefore AutoCAD Publishing can not be performed. (*)
8. Removal of extra Layout tab. (*)
9. Layers do not always export correctly. A manual force of CAD standard layers though will override and correct. (*)
10. Some client requests are an attributed titleblock which at this point all exported sheet notation is text.
11. Text styles need to be redefined with proper naming.(*)
12. Revit text for us - New is bolded and Existing is not for a clear distinction. When exported the bolding must be removed for CAD purposes. (*)

If there are any work arounds or I am misunderstanding a Revit API function please inform me. I also understand that there is no perfect program nor will any program meet all the needs in this moving target technology. But any feedback would be great.



Question at Hand:

In regards to this whole conversion effort can anyone tell me what Autocad dwt Revit uses when converting to Dwg. Would it be possible to alter that template to achieve more predictable export results? Like presetting Dimension Styles or Text Styles..etc.. Or is the whole affair solely driven by the Export function itself and can not be altered.


Regards,

DLevesque
207 883 3355 Ext278

[truevis]

I think you'll need post-processing in AutoCAD with LISP or whatever.

[Dan_Levesque]

Yes,

I agree with the post processing and we are currently doing that. After my summary of current Export observations, my question was trying to determine if there was a specified Autocad template that Revit uses when exporting. If so, where? and is it possible to modify this template to control exporting results.

Thanks,
Dan Levesque

[Nurlan]

Hello Dan, did you find this template?

[vance.cogdell]

Greetings,

Does anyone know if there is a setting for exporting Autocad files from Revit 2010 that will
maintain the dimension attributes once opened in AutoCAD? My problem is that dimension
attributes change to autocad base dimstyle.

Thanks

Vance

[Steve_Stafford]

I'm not an authority on this but I don't believe a .dwt file is used for the export at all. I believe it is all handled internally through code during export. There is a reference to a Microstation seed file but it has never worked as far as I can recall.

Post processing using the Standards manager in AutoCAD might alleviate some of the requirements. Changing from ttf to shx is bound to reduce the output fidelity since no font properly transfers from one to another. That alone will likely cause a chain reaction of further editing/cleanup.