Exporting to AutoCAd

[ariasdelcid]

I am having problems with consultants because my exported files contain multiple lines on top of each other. I don't remember this being a problem in release 3 or prior releases. Any suggestions? Thank you!

[Phil Palmer]

I have had a similar thing with any 'Linework' I have done to the model

That may be the case for you also !

[gnl]

I am having problems with consultants because my exported files contain multiple lines on top of each other. I don't remember this being a problem in release 3 or prior releases. Any suggestions? Thank you!

may be a dumb question (excuse me if it is..), are you sure you weren't in wireframe display when you exported your files?

[ariasdelcid]

I wasn't. Thank you.

[Martin P]

Similar problem here..... I do seem to remember at some point in the past using a lisp routine that got rid of doubled up lines?? it must be out there somewhere.. from my faint memory of it, it ran for ages!

[bclarch]

We haven't exported any drawings to consultants yet so this is just a shot in the dark. Was the exported drawing created from a view with an underlay? Perhaps the undelay and the model overlap producing duplicate lines.

[beegee]

I think duplicate lines in exported Autocad drawings have been around a long time and are an accepted fact.
Its not just Revit either. Name a Cad programme and I'll bet it exports with duplicates.

Bottom line is, it shoild not be that big a problem for the consultants, and if it is, then as Martin P says, there are routines to fix it. ( and if they were my consultants, they would be the ones doing the fixing )

[Steve_Stafford]

The lisp routine "Overkill", which is either shareware or part of AutoCAD now, have to check that, will delete redundant lines.

Also, Flatten is a good idea (just in case the export didn't do it flawlessly). It will take all "Z" coordinates and change them to zero. This is fun to watch from a 3d perspective as it redraws the graphics at zero elevation.

If you work with consultants that use your work as an underlay or background...extra lines really shouldn't matter. If you are sharing work that you both have to contribute to the same design elements somehow then I guess it matters more.

This stuff will drive an AutoCAD operator batty but in the "normal" Revit scheme where the exported file is just a backdrop for MEP design it shouldn't be a problem. Since it's hard to imagine every reason for exporting it won't surprise me if/when the extra lines are problematic for someone.

[Simon.Whitbread]

just a backdrop for MEP design it shouldn't be a problem.

...What planet ?, or maybe MEP Design isn't quite so accurate in the US as it is in the UK!

I can live with duplicate lines if there is a GOOD reason, and they are on different layers... but anything else is just SLACK. Any why should an MEP consultant have to spend loads of time tidying up an Architectural drawing.

Enogh ranting and back on with my CAD Managers Hat....
Overkill is part over the Express tools Suite, flatten is great, another good lisp is ZLL for removing 0 length lines.

[Steve_Stafford]

No disrespect intended...if "you" reference my floor plan into "your" hvac drawing why do "you" need to do anything to it at all except force all layers to your grayscale color. You are only going to draft your work on top of the reference, true? (assuming I properly export a floor plan with the display you expect)

I would not expect nor encourage anyone to spend any time on a consultants drawing except to control it's plotting condition and if it is unmanageable I'd request one that was. I work with every trade here (in house) and this is how we operate.

I realize that there are other approaches and only comment from my perspective. From my perspective, the multiple line segments and occasional redundant lines in a Revit export do not adversely affect our trades documents or the process by which they are created. We are not providing exported files to other architects. I recognize whole heartedly that an export like we've been discussing would be distressing for another architectural cadd operator expected to produce tight drawings with the dumb 2d linework and I'd discourage that practice strongly. (worth noting I primarily export to Bentley's dgn format, so perhaps "mileage varies" for the dwg??)

[ariasdelcid]

Thank you everyone for your imput. My problem is basically with the structural engineer cad manager. He says he spends a lot of time cleaning my drawings of the extra lines. Should it matter to me? I think it should.Revit shoud just export the 2d lines of the view instead of all the lines that make up the 3D walls an such. Is that impossible? I don't think so. I am not a "cad guy" and that is why I work with Revit. These kind of problems are the reason why I don't work with AutoCad. So Anyways... I will try the lisp routines , Thank you all.

[Steve_Stafford]

I should stay silent I suppose but here's my $.02, If this were happening to me I'd want to understand why he feels compelled to "clean up" lines he doesn't technically need to touch? Do these lines annoy him personally or affect his work somehow?

As an example, the walls you export should need no interaction, right? Are you setting views up so he gets just the view he wants before exporting? No extra stuff to turn off etc.?

I certainly don't object to the idea that exported data should be "clean" and easy to manage. I'm just of the opinion that some of the "tidying up" that might be wanted isn't really necessary.

Obviously it isn't my problem and I'll butt out, just my thoughts. Best of luck with the issue.

[christopher.zoog51272]

I should stay silent I suppose but here's my $.02, If this were happening to me I'd want to understand why he feels compelled to "clean up" lines he's doesn't technically need to touch? Do these lines annoy him personally or affect his work somehow?

As an example, the walls you export should need no interaction, right? Are you setting views up so he gets just the view he wants before exporting? No extra stuff to turn off etc.?

I certainly don't object to the idea that exported data should be "clean" and easy to manage. I'm just of the opinion that some of the "tidying up" that might be wanted isn't really necessary.

Obviously it isn't my problem and I'll butt out, just my thoughts. Best of luck with the issue.

I agree steve,

We send our dwg underlays to our consultants with all layers set to color 9 and we ask (read require) them to use xrefs, and not use them directly. There will be changes and we (read I) don't want to hear any *****'n and moaning about having to redo work because they just drew right on top of our dwgs. Just reload the xref and be done with it.

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Is the problem duplication of linework or the number of lines generated because your walls are made up of numerous lines?
You shouldn't get any complaints from consultants if you set the view properties to 'coarse' so all you get are two line walls exported. Most of the people I work like the fact that there is a good degree of consistency to the exported files coming out of Revit. The same stuff is always on the same layer.
I can understand their gripe if they are using object snaps to 'pick' entities to lay out their work.

[nrenfro]

I have not had to do this yet, but I know it's coming. Our firm is very busy and we do not have enough Revit users to handle projects entirely in Revit. What we expect will happen is that all jobs will be in Revit for most of design development but will have to be dumped to a dwg so that enough people can be made available to finish out the project. Again I have not had to do this yet, but it's coming. Has anyone else been in this situation and have the multi line problems been a problem to deal with? As for working with consultants I can understand being particular about how things are drafted, some people are just like that (me). However I would venture to guess that it's more a mater of having to deal with something that's different than what had been provided in the past.
It could be worse, instead of data files you could have sent ink drawings on mylar.

[Steve_Stafford]

In our case we use Microstation primarily, but yes, due to workload and team schedules we have had to blend work between Revit and MS.

In our case I maintained plans and elevations, enlarged plans and related details in Revit. Fewer people can potentially do more with less using Revit.

However we did the unthinkable, did 2d sections and wall sections in Microstation, based upon exports of model. All in all we've done pretty well. This is not the long term plan obviously. :D

A wrinkle worth noting, as cool as Revit reflected ceiling plans can be, an exported one to dgn is useless because Revit will revert to the default grid position when it was placed. If you've spent time tweaking the grids etc, you'll lose all your work when you export. Because every trade coordinates their ceiling work with each other with active references, we had to do reflected ceiling plans in Microstation too. I sure hope that gets fixed!!

With all trades in one house we also make a distinct effort to put things in consistent places, like plumbing fixtures are "reused" by plumbing so they don't get grey scaled in backgrounds. Same is true for some others too.

As a project progresses, you reach a point where you may have modified the exported backgrounds enough to nullify the ease of exporting a newer version. At that point you have to decide if it's more effective to manage both plans simultaneously as opposed to outright replacement. Or focused exports that replace portions of a background only.

One last thing, exporting results in anonymous blocks, such as windows etc. If you attempt to replace portions of an existing background with a new export, you can have anonymous block inserts "replace" your previous anonymous blocks.

For example, a window gets the anonymous number XX254XX as an ID. Next export a door gets the same ID since it knows nothing of the previous round of exports who cares right? Well when your new anonymous block pops in it replaces the previous and windows become doors!! Cool huh? True for Microstation anyway.

So my workaround is to explode all blocks before merging new data. This makes for the messy drawings that this thread dissapproves of, but I've made my peace with it, since technically no one should need to interact with the file except to reference it into another sheet.

Sorry for the long post, but you asked right?

[funkman]

had my first problem with exporting to acad - and the consultants cant read the dwg files. resent as dxf and now they say they can work with those.

I sincerely hope this is rectified. Architects cannot design in a vacuum without consultants and if they cant read our drawings properly, our job is made that much harder.

I told the consultants they have to make do with the information provided, but I feel like a bully in the playground covering up something I feel I have done wrong. :?

[beegee]

Might be worth sending to support to get their view about whether it is a bug.

If it is, then the more support knows about it the better.

We havn't had this problem with any dwg exports to consultants yet.

[Steve_Stafford]

Funkman,

Is it possible that you inadvertently exported the file without first making sure it was AutoCAD 2000 instead of 2004? Revit's last update modified it for AutoCAD 2004 so that is the default export setting....I know this might be obvious but it happens....

[funkman]

I should probably clarify - I exported it as dwg in Autocad2000 since the consultant - a landscape architect has 2002. They could open the dwg's, but it had many blacked out areas and incomprehensible parts of the drawing. I cant view it since I only have revit and an old version of release 14 (yes a dinosaur). So am only going on what they say. I sent them a pdf version which turns out ok.

I wish it could export as r14 so I can view them, but anyhow. Looks like I have to buy friggin LT just to see my own trucking drawings!! Unless anyone has better ideas.

If I had more time, i would convert without patterns, filled regions, and any hatching, but to be sure, I cant be stuffed. Next time maybe - to the next lot of consultants anyway. Its just a pain in the proverbial when you purchase thousands of bucks of software and it doesnt work the way you want. :evil:

At least our stormwater engineer only needs hard copies. Even printing them off, stuffing them in an express post envelope and posting overnight is far less hassle and mess than this current conversion process!!!

oh well - back to the shadow diagrams...equinox, summer and winter solstices.......9am, 12 and.....snooooore

[beegee]

Hi Funkman,

The blacked out areas would be filled regions ? correct. They would be on their own layers, but regardless, try an export without them for your own piece of mind.

I think you can still get VoloView as a free down load from ADesk, so you can view what you're exporting. ( I'll check that )
You could also try to link or import the R2000 into a new revit file to check it.

Hang in there, I'm sure theres a solution.

[beegee]

Looks like you can still download Voloview from this link (usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=837403), although its no longer supported.


NOTE: Although Volo View Express 2.1 is still available for download, it will no longer be updated and does not support the new AutoCAD 2004 DWG file format. Find out which new Autodesk® viewer is right for you.

[funkman]

thanks beegee...the link worked great and now i can see the acad files.

oh yes, its friday and beach weather!! here is where I am going this afternoon with beer in hand, taken from the deck of a site of mine

[beegee]

Hmmm, not a bad block of dirt Funkman.

Probably worth more than I'd earn in a lifetime ! Friends of mine just purchased beachfront land ( came with a house , even ) at Collaroy.

I think they sold their souls to make up the deposit.

[funkman]

i have another site also in bronte but looking straight easterly over the ocean.

prices are ridiculous in sydney - my wife and i just sold our souls for a place in the eastern subs with ocean views not as good a view as the picture - and that job is in council - will look pretty good if ever we can afford to build it, and with a larger home office. designed pre-revit am afraid.