CTB -> STB conversion

[stu1037]

After recently attending CAD Camp, and knowing that my company is upgrading to 2006 soon (LDD, Civil 3D, Survey...), my cohorts and I have decided to switch from .ctb files to .stb. We are also implementing new layering standards and have overhauled our detail library. I assume we will need to change all these drawings over to .stb based drawings so we can insert them into whatever current drawing we are in to prevent those objects being assigned a 'normal' plot style.
Is there an automated way that would avoid the "Open a file, convert it, save it, lather rinse repeat" process using the CONVERTPSTYLES command? We have 300+ files.

Thanks a bunch in advance!
PLUR,
sTu

[Glenn Pope]

You could write a scrip file that would open each drawing, do it's magic, save the drawing, close it and move on to the next one.

Do a search in the forums for "script" and you should find a lot of information on how to write one.

[mikepartenheimer]

My firm switched from using ctbs to stbs in October 2001. Our system works very well for us.

Here are a couple of tips:
1) Before you convert your files to stb, make sure all objects are colored bylayer! THIS INCLUDES OBJECTS IMBEDDED WITHIN BLOCKS. Keep in mind: If an object has a color hard-coded to it, when converted to stb it will have a plot style hard-coded to it. Colors can be seen, plotstyles cannot. Tip: Use the LAYTRANS command to insure all objects are colored bylayer.

2) Converting from stb to ctb is an easy one-step process. Converting from ctb to stb can be more complex, depending upon your style configuration. It is impossible to script a conversion with our company standard stb as we have to use a special "conversion stb" as an intermediate step when converting to our system. Only after the conversion has been completed can we then assign the correct stb file and then the correct Plot Style to each layer.(The only time we ever convert is when we receive files from outside.)

3) An alternative to using the CONVERTPSTYLES command is to open a blank style-based drawing and inserting your existing ctb-based files. Obviously, importing Paper space is a problem with this method.

Mike Partenheimer
CAD Manager
Hall & Foreman, Inc

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Have a browse of the following thread -

stb to ctb (ACAD 2005)

Have a good one, Mike

[Phil Ferguson]

3) An alternative to using the CONVERTPSTYLES command is to open a blank style-based drawing and inserting your existing ctb-based files. Obviously, importing Paper space is a problem with this method.

Have you tried 'Design Center'? Makes it really easy to import layouts from another drawing.

[mikepartenheimer]

Thanks so much for the tip!
I have our in-house customization set up to use Design Center for standard dimension styles & blocks which we use all the time. Using it to import all Paper Space objects from a drawing just never clicked.

This is great. (It's just too bad we can't import both Paper & Model at the same time.)

Thanks again.

Mike Partenheimer
CAD Manager
Hall & Foreman, Inc.