PowerCADD Forum

I sometimes have issues importing autoCAD files and I'm wondering what the workaround may be. I am aware that the file must be saved to version 2010 or before, however, sometimes that just seems to not be enough. Are there instructions one might provide to the one providing the file as to anything else that might be done for the PowerCADD DWG translator to do its thing. Most recently, I was trying to download and open DWG detail files from Kawneer and they repeatedly caused PowerCADD to freeze. We have a version of AutoCAD light in the office where the file could be opened and saved to an early version and again AutoCAD froze requiring a restart. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks

I have had a lot of luck with ODAfileconverter. https://www.opendesign.com/guestfiles/o ... _converter

I remember asking autodesk about this some years ago and their advice was to always use dxf for translation into another cad program not dwg. I have used dxf, when available, with no problems for years. Maybe this helps.

Hi,

I wonder if any of you have come across this? It may be obvious but I am very inexperienced with Powercadd as I just do the basic stuff. I like it tho.

I have just imported a DWG file (of a piece of land). When I convert to Metres I get a scale of 1:28776151. This does not make any sense! Is it possible to convert to scale for example of say, 1:500?

Many thanks for any advice.

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

I suspect your 'piece of land' DWG is using 'real world' coordinates rather than using a temporary origin reference. I've come across this problem when a DWG uses northings and eastings and when you import into PowerCADD there is an origin point or "off-page" item miles away from the drawing and PowerCADD is trying to encompass the whole caboodle. Try opening the DWG in the free eDrawings app and see if it can display the plan. https://www.edrawingsviewer.com/download-edrawings
If it can, I suspect this is what is happening with PowerCADD import.
Try using the Reduce to Fit button on the PowerCADD DWG import pane and if that doesn't work try zooming into the area of the drawing where the plan should be (it initially might just look like a black dot but keep zooming in until you see the plan). Remember the import pane should show a graphic of your plan you want to bring in to PowerCADD.Then use the selection rectangle for the part of the drawing you want to import. Remember too, that PowerCADD tries to work out what scale to use according to the sheet size you used (I usually open an A1 template) and the units of the DWG. This for me is usually metres or millimetres. If it won't accept the scale you want, then play around with other (conventional) scales, say 1:1000 by typing in the scale box and then you can just later rescale the PowerCADD drawing between drawings by using the Paste Special… command.

Hope this helps.

David

By the way, there's a lot more DWG import stuff in Chapter 4 of the PowerCADD manual - select Help/PowerCADD Manual and go to page 429 (PDF p 432).

David

I had forgotten that I had asked this question earlier this year. The file translator that Matt suggested seems to do the trick when I translated the file to a binary DXF... Whatever was holding up in PowerCADD was cleared. Thankyou!