Export Layer Issues with Linked Models

[Devin_82]

Here's the short question, has anyone experienced layer issues of linked elements when exporting to CAD?

Now the specifics. We have one model inked into another model. We are exporting the floor plans from Revit 2014 to ACAD (2007 .dwg version) and the elements in the linked file are not following the export layer definitions of either the host file or the linked file. All the furniture, the plumbing, the specialty equipment, the windows and the doors are coming in on Layer 0 inside the block that it creates for the linked file. Basically it looks almost like all component family elements are being put on Layer 0 while the system families are working correctly.

I don't even really no where to start so I am hoping that someone has experienced this in the past and has figured out the solution. I know I can export the linked file separately, and that's what I am going to suggest to the team, but it should probably not have to be done.

Any help would be appreciated, even blind guesses that I could test out...

thanks,
Devin

[Steve_Stafford]

Using 2012 you should find that the linked file is a "block" reference in the cad file. In a quick test walls and doors in the link ended up on layers A-Wall 1 and A-Door 1 where the walls and doors of the host ended up on layers A-Wall and A-Door. The block reference is parked on layer 0-1. The best fidelity is going to be exporting the links from the file natively and then xref'd together in CAD but then even AutoCAD is going to prefix the xref layers with the xref name.

That was assuming that you don't select: "Export views on sheets and links as external references". That option will create xrefs and you see should layer naming like I imply AutoCAD would do.

I also used this option in the Modify DWG/DXF Export Setup which allows Revit to generate new layers when it encounters element differences: "Export all properties BYLAYER, and create new layers for overrides"

[Devin_82]

Thanks for the tips and checking it out for me. I think it has a lot to do with the block it creates instead of the xref approach. I will have the team try that out and hope it will work. In the mean time I have asked them to export the linked files separately. They have the same origin so consultants should just be able to bring them in and have them land in the right spot.