Mass Exporting to Autocad

[DanielleAnderson]

Hi there. I am about to move on to a new job and the last task I have been given at my current job is to export this whole project (that bid docs just went out the door on) to autocad. We're talking about 30 sheets. Now Revit is reasonably good at exporting floor plans, they do require minor modification and clean-up, but the thought of having to go through all these sections and elevations sends chills down my spine.
Can anyone offer any tips for making this not such a painful process? I have approximately 35-40 hours to get it done and it has to conform to rigid Public Works' standards for the eventual hand-off to the client when the project is done.
Any advice would be welcomed--and yes, I do feel like I am going backwards here.

Thanks,
Danielle

[cosmickingpin]

Oh I feel your pain, that sucks so bad. A search will show you some previous threads about this but... Revit has gotten a lot better in exporting to flat cad. As a general process:
1. overkill command will clean up some stuff.
2. Check your layers, and turn them off to find stray lines.
3. print you cad files and redraft them where they get messy and muddy.
4. line weights will need some work. especialy elevations and sections.
5. look for blocks that may need to get exploded, the layes adjusted.
6. work on fine tuning your export *.txt file to get a lot of headache out the way up front.
7. use about 3-4 export files, a different one for floor plans, one for elevations, one for sections, one for details and wall sections, to get them up to client standards from the go. A little time here can pay off.
Best of luck.

[Scott D Davis]

Determine if you want "single DWG" files or DWG files with Xrefs....it's much cleaner (IMO) to make the single sheeters with no xrefs. Make sure your Export Lineweights to DWG file is set up the way you would like it. Check the "Remove Hidden Lines" option on Export to clean up co-linear lines.
What is "Public Works Standards"? You may need to make some ajustments to the export layer and line settings to reach this standard.

Good luck!

[luigi]

it's much cleaner (IMO) to make the single sheeters with no xrefs. Make
It's a true statement if the exporting to a single file could be trusted more than multiple files.....but I have found that Revit exports mo' better when exported in multiple files.....you can always Bind and Loose on earth and it will be bound and..., oops, that is from another part of my brain...you can always Bind the xref as an "insert" and if you really, really want, explode....

Peace,

[DanielleAnderson]

7. use about 3-4 export files, a different one for floor plans, one for elevations, one for sections, one for details and wall sections, to get them up to client standards from the go. A little time here can pay off.

Cosmic--that is an AWESOME idea...one that I hadn't thought of. I have created one that meets the required CAD standards, and it works decently well for plans but you know that sections and elevations are a nightmare--I've probably already said that... I am going to get on this idea of making new txt files when I get in on Monday. Thanks--I think that will help a whole lot.
Thanks Scott also, I think in this case I am going to go the xref route and just create a carefully managed system for where they live.
Thanks again guys!
Danielle

[cosmickingpin]

Yeah that's is what I ended up doing, so when ever I have to export to cad, depending on the disicipline and consultant/ client I will have 3-4 export files, so all said I have like 20 in all for various standards. It saves a lot of time but keeping up with those files is touch and go.


Cosmic--that is an AWESOME idea...one that I hadn't thought of. I have created one that meets the required CAD standards, and it works decently well for plans but you know that sections and elevations are a nightmare--I've probably already said that... I am going to get on this idea of making new txt files when I get in on Monday. Thanks--I think that will help a whole lot.

[DanielleAnderson]

Okay, so I created my new export files and used them and for some reason they didn't work. Any ideas here? This is not my first time using the export txt files, so I am pretty sure I didn't mess them up. Here is what is happening:
Go to sheet, hit export
Make sure I am using the proper export txt file
Export to Autocad
Open up Autocad drawing and I see that Revit has exported using my original txt file, NOT the new one...
Help! The clock is ticking on me here. :confused:

EDIT: Hmm...okay, so I closed revit and opened it again and repeated the above process and it seems to work fine now. Strange.

[cosmickingpin]

Ms. Andersen, we're gonna need a urine sample before you leave today... no revit just be all like that sometimes. not sure why.