Export to Autocad, Lineweights

[jaroguy]

Is there a way I can export a view to AutoCAD and keep all the lineweights set to 'by layer'?

Jay

[DanielleAnderson]

Add that one to the wishlist...it drives me crazy how Revit forces linetypes instead of allowing layers to be other than continuous as a whole. It's currently not built into the programming file.
When I export to autocad, I usually go through the process of selecting all lines and choosing "by layer" for lineweights as well as color and linetype. Then I go through and "overkill", then purge and audit. Then I go through and change layers to other linetypes as necessary. This doesn't take too long and seems to correct most of the translation problems.

[phyllisr]

Add that one to the wishlist...it drives me crazy how Revit forces linetypes instead of allowing layers to be other than continuous as a whole.
Add the complications of working in an STB environment... I feel your pain. However, since my ultimate goal is to continue decreasing our reliance on AutoCAD generally, exporting to AutoCAD is something we do mostly for consultants and clients anyway so I usually do not bother with your clean-up method. We are more willing to do this for clients with AutoCAD standards in place but in this case, I usually create a DWS file with client standards and add that to the clean-up routine. Just a step extra to what you do already. This works pretty well and helps with our STB issue.

I have found that the easier it is internally to import and export to AutoCAD, the less motivated our users are to use Revit as a total solution.

[jaroguy]

I was afraid of that, thanks for the response.

[cblackford]

I feel your pain. Our AutoCAD environment is STB and we have to do a tremendous amount of post-processing on the files in order to get Revit exports to be compatible with existing AutoCAD files or Client's AutoCAD environments. The only option we have for making it seamless back and forth to Revit internally would be to revert back to the dark ages of a CTB environment. Autodesk routinely recommends STB plotting over CTB plotting, so it's a little mind-boggling to me that their most progressive product, Revit still doesn't play nicely with STB environments.

[DanielleAnderson]

I have found that the easier it is internally to import and export to AutoCAD, the less motivated our users are to use Revit as a total solution.

You make an excellent and valid point. However, here we are still going through the rather painful process of a very slow implementation and people seem to not want to jump unless they have that safety-autocad-blanket underneath them.
I've also found in past jobs where we did a lot of public-works projects that clients are absolutely inflexible about their cad standards, meaning that no matter how much one wants to rely on Revit, the end product still has to be autocad...

I do wonder if somehow the linetype could be written into that editable text code that users have the capability to modify. Surely it couldn't be that hard to add another bit of information? I am not a programmer though, so maybe it is...

[David Conant]

If you are using Revit 9.0, go to Options on the Export dialog. There you will find options for the BYLAYERness of exports. See attached image.

[DanielleAnderson]

If you are using Revit 9.0, go to Options on the Export dialog. There you will find options for the BYLAYERness of exports. See attached image.

Ooh...that's cool. Thanks David!

[Scott D Davis]

If you are using Revit 9.0, go to Options on the Export dialog. There you will find options for the BYLAYERness of exports. See attached image.
BYLAYERness.....hmmm, new word....I like it!

[jaroguy]

If you are using Revit 9.0, go to Options on the Export dialog. There you will find options for the BYLAYERness of exports.

I am still on 8.1, I need to upgrade.