Site too Large

[Martin Figlarz]

Anyone else have this error before?

I am trying to import a site plan for reference into a drafting view in R Arch. 2010 and it's just not happy today. I have done this in 2009 before without any problems(using the same site)... but it's just won't take it in 2010.


Here is what I have tried:
Changed the Custom Scale like 100 time :)
Change the Import units a few times as well
Scaled the AutoCAD dwg site plan down

Noting is working... the original site plan site 4015' x 4364' but I scaled it down to 500' x 510' and still nothing.

Any suggestions?

[Steve_Stafford]

Revit 2010 introduces the limitation that the imported file cannot be larger than 2 Miles in scope either across or up/down. In 2009 Revit just warned us of a problem. 2010 is more confrontational and refuse to comply.

If the geometry of the file is smaller but a large distance from the origin that is a different issue but it should import fine. Is the 2 miles exact? I don't actually know the precise size and I don't recall it being published exactly but 2 miles is the number we see often enough.

If the file is too big there are a couple solutions:

Break the file into separate smaller pieces until Revit will let you import it.
External Reference the large file into another container file and import the container. The size issue is trapped in the original and the container file doesn't reveal the size issue to Revit...yet.

The most compliant approach is to break the large file into separate smaller files and reassemble them in Revit.

If the file appears to be small enough then start hunting for hidden things, frozen or turned off layers with geometry, blocks that have rogue geometry far away and so on. To cut through all that you can select what you want to import and use WBLOCK to write a new file with just what is selected. This should eliminate any rogue stuff that is making Revit see a much larger file than you believe you are using.

Oh, you don't want to alter the units of the file or scale it...you want the correct size, true? :smile:

[patricks]

I have often found that the 2-mile error when the CAD file is obviously less than 2 miles across can be quickly fixed by just copying out all your visible elements in the CAD file and pasting them into a new CAD file. Of course this requires that you have AudoCAD installed on your computer.

Steve, I just noticed this week that I was able to link in a CAD site file that was within 100 feet of 2 miles (about 10,440 feet or so in the north/south direction) and it linked in with no complaints from Revit at all.

And yet I have had CAD files only 2,000 feet across generate the 2-mile error message. I copy/pasted to a new file to fix it, as I just described.

[ntnik]

thanks patrics....just hit same issue....surveyor had bogus stuff way off in a corner turned off ....found and deleted that and it still didn't work....cut and paste did

[patricks]

The only thing I don't like about copy/paste to a new CAD file is that it doesn't maintain the survey's original coordinates. Probably not a big deal unless you and the surveyor and/or civil engineer are sending info back and forth. For me it's not really an issue, just me being a perfectionist I guess. :lol:

[Steve_Stafford]

AutoCAD's Copy/Paste features has an option to paste at the same origin too. I suggested WBLOCK instead of copy/paste because it can write a new file based on just your selection set. This maintains the origin and leaves behind any rogue elements...unless you also select the rogue. :smile:

[Martin Figlarz]

It looks like something was wrong with the site... not really sure what but no matter what I did with that file it would not import into the drafting view.

I did notice that if I create a new file from scratch I could bring in a file 2 miles x 2 miles.

For now I will -wblock out my site plans to make sure nothing is out in space somewhere.

Thanks guys for the help!