topic Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation in Collaboration with other software

Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:47:00 GMT

Howdy

our clients have asked us to submit plans/ elevations (in DWG format) in both "hardline" CAD lines as well as a more "sketchy" look

i have used the "SKETCH" line type... as well as creating a similar one of my own

however... when exported to DWG for their use on autoCAD... the resultant file has lines all over the place... and does not resemble how it looks in archiCAD (a problem with the way i have the translator setup?.... is there a similar line type on autoCAD that they can apply to the file that i shoot thru?)

what we need is the following:
- draft in archiCAD using standard lines, walls etc
- convert that file (one button click ideally) into a sketch look (is archiSketchy an option... what format is the file that it generates... and how does it translate to DWG)
- convert to DWG and have it look correct on the client side

any help would be greatly appreciated

thanks

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Erika Epstein — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:54:26 GMT

Yukio,
There has been discussion about this over the years hear, do a search.
Slightly off-topic, in your Location you list ö . Where is ö?

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:31:39 GMT

erika

thanks for the reply

i did do a search prior to posting... but either my searching skills are lacking... or the specifics answers that i needed did not show up

ö is österreich (Austria)

anyone else with hints/tips/solutions/links they would breatly appreciated

thanks in advance

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

rocorona — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:16:28 GMT

Have a look to Cigraph's ArchiSketchy:
http://www.cigraph.it/cigraph/pagetrans.do?lang=en&action=current_product_esempi&prodotti_id=7

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:19:37 GMT

Sketchy dwg! No way!

If you want sketchy, stick to AC! Or Photoshop! Or tracing paper!

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:06:55 GMT

thanks for the replies

are you saying then... that either with sketch lines in AC... or by using archiSketchy... that there is NO WAY for what i see in archiCAD to translate over to autoCAD?

are there any autoCAD line types that they can load that i can map to the archiCAD sketch line type (using a translator)... or is it just not possible

thanks

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:49:19 GMT

AC can translate all lines except symbol lines, because dwg just doesn't support such lines.

Why do you want to spoil a good drawing with sketchy make-up?

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:28:28 GMT

kliment

thanks for the reply

is there any similar "sketchy" line in autocad that i can just translate to from archiCAD to autoCAD using a translator

also

what is with archiSketchy.... will that help with the process

unfortunately this is a client driven decision.... and they provide us with alot of work... so i really need to find some sort of solution

thanks again

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:50:44 GMT

Is it necessary to convert the drawings as dwg?
If you have to send them to the client, why don't you send him pdfs?

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:29:29 GMT

kliment

thanks again for another response

unfortunately... it is necessary to send to the client... they want dwg's so that they can use/manipulate as required

does archiSketchy deal with this issue... or does it not translate well to autoCAD either?

thanks again

anyone else have any insights?

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:41:50 GMT

anyone have any intimate experience with the inner working of archiSketchy

export format

ease of use

integration with autoCAD (so that the sketchy drawings in archiCAd are exactly the same in autoCAD)

thanks in advance

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

rocorona — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:53:45 GMT

ArchiSketchy makes an exploded copy of your selected elements, applying some transformation to them (based on preset styles or customized).

This copy can be exported like any other ArchiCad 2D element (lines, arcs, texts and fills). This means that if a symbol-type line is used (there are some jiggled) , that is not passed to DWG.
In Autocad you can have a corresponding line-type, and maybe you can map it in the translator.

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:10:34 GMT

roberto

thanks for the reply

how does one know if you are using a symbol line in archiSketchy or a regular line?

also

what is the line type called in autoCAD so that i can map to it

as we are hoping to translate the entire drawing to "sketchy" in autoCAD... is it not simple possible to draw everything up using solid lines etc... and just use the translator to convert everything to the equiv. autoCAD sketch line? (not much control in how it all looks using this emthod i would assume)

one way or another.... we really need some sor of solution

thanks again one and all

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:56:53 GMT

There are no sketchy lines in Autocad! At least until R2007!

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:49:28 GMT

kliment

thanks again for the reply

so

if i were to use archiSketchy and then translate to DWG... and open it in autoCAD... what would i see?... would everything go back to straight lines etc

or would it look like a big mess... like it does when translating over a drawing using "symbol" type linework

thanks again

yukioMishima

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:18:18 GMT

Probably a big mess.

Or you could call it "Deconstructivism"! 😉

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Djordje — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:43:57 GMT

Make sure to also send the ltypeshp.shx that ios generated with the DWG to the client. Just the DWG will not work, as the linetype definitions are not in the file. The same goes if you have bitmap or PDF drawings or logos placed - if you don't send them too, they will not show.

Alternatively, define the sketchy lines in the DWG Translator, and map them from ArchiCAD.

The prerequisite, of course, is to have the same setup on both ends, otherwise something will always be missing.

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Erich — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:26:02 GMT

Having used Autocad for over a decade before switching to AC, I generally agree with Kliment, there are no sketch lines in Autocad that you can map to.

HOWEVER, there is this http://www.autodsys.com/indexh.html should your client wants to purchase an Autocad Add-on. You will notice about halfway down there is a BAD sketch line type. My bet based is that this will make the Autocad file next to useless but who know, perhaps that will work for them.

As I have never used the product I can't really say how well it works or how you would map to it.

HTH

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:03:05 GMT

I don't know if this would work for you, but have you looked at Squiggle?

http://www.aay.com/squiggle.htm

Re: Sketch line type & dwg translation

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:45:38 GMT

Many people still live in the old days! Sketchy lines in the 21 century!

When I was a student we were forbidden to present our project "on computer", because they "looked ugly"! Some of the old architects wanted lines at the corners to criss-cross! Some others wanted the thick line to be on the inside of the wall, not in the center! We even had a teacher who had even forbidden us to draw in tracing paper but on cardboard!

I remember there even was a CAD program, called DataCAD, whict drew criss-crosed lines at corners corners! Long deseased!

I am glad these people have retired now! They can teach their grandchildren in the kindergarden how to draw by hand with sketchy lines in a criss-cross pattern! I am just sad they didn't retire 15 years ago, when they had to!