The following are comments and hints from some of our users on how to import DWG files successfully.
Importing AutoCAD files has become much more difficult with AutoCAD 2000 files, particularly if the AutoCAD person is using Architectural Desktop — using this, walls, doors and windows do not translate well (at all). I’ve found that by having the AutoCAD file ‘exploded’ 3 times, these become translatable. Also, if you are having a blank page appear with ‘off page’ objects, first make your page size 96″x96″ so it will be as large as possible, and if you still cannot see anything do a ‘all layers on’, ‘select all’, ‘cut’, ‘paste through layers at mouse’ sequence-this will bring the off page drawing into your page.
First of all, I would recommend never checking “delete off page objects”. Since many Acad users draw at full scale, there is often no sense of a “page”, until they do their final layout.
My method is:
- Set to Limits, not extents.
- ALWAYS try and set a scale (hopefully the person you are receiving dwgs from has told you in advance), do not Fit To Page.
- I always uncheck Delete Off Page Objects, just in case.
- Usually, you don’t have to tell the people on the other side anything, just ask them what scale the drawing is.
- This is the way I have gotten successful results, others probably have other methods…
Jesse Thompson
One more thing you can try:
- First, don’t let PowerCADD delete the small objects.
- Then, select all. Sometimes when you’re zoomed all the way out, the drawing is too small to see. The bounding boxes, however, will be visible. You can scale it up and move it to the center of the drawing area gradually.
- I’ve had this problem before – especially with Microstation dwg’s. You bring the file in at 1/96 and then have to scale it up 96X plus another 12X. The drawing that comes in initially is way off the page, but it’s tiny! However, if you try to bring it in at 12/1 initially, it won’t be in PowerCADD’s drawing space at all.
Dee Calarco