topic Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem in Collaboration with other software

AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

MSotero — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:56:03 GMT

The attached image illustrates the result of converting AC11 files to Autocad 2007 DWG files.
The situation stems from using the ArchiCAD "Label" tool and converting to Autocad "Leaders" in the DWG xml conversion setup.

The font used is Arial for both softwares (not an autocad shx font).
The top image being ArchiCAD and the lower image the result in Autocad.

The text "Plywood SSD" generates an undesired text "wrap." Yet the text block itself is the same length as in archicad. So it as if the letter spacing is extended or something.

The text "Wood siding over 2 layers of bldg paper" also creates an undesired text wrap but also stacks the text on top of itself in the process. This text does have a "return" within the archicad text between the words "layers" and "Bldg" (it is not an automatic return created by the text block length itself).

We've tried numerous things to overcome this type of thing but can't find a way. We've even created a direct text to text conversion to ensure that Arial becomes Arial.

Any help appreciated!
Even knowing if this is simply a bug of some sort?

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:57:12 GMT

Can't help you, but I'm experiencing a similar problem. I'm also informed that the AutoCAD leader type that results from the translation process behaves like an AutoCAD leader from an older version of AutoCAD, specifically 2004. The behavior differs when the leader text is moved in AutoCAD. An additional point is added to the leader string as opposed to relocating the direction or angle the leader points. Also off in the process, multi-line text labels are translated to AutoCAD with a line spacing somewhere close to .5, the lines of text actually overlap each other in the resulting file - I am, however, substituting an AutoCAD font for the original.

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:31:07 GMT

We had the same problem here but short of manually resizing AutoCAD leaders we didnt find any other way of correcting the problem.

Good luck

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

GOBA — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 17:56:01 GMT

Hello, this is a very old post. I am not sure if I should write here, or I should write a new one, but I am also having trouble with DWG leaders an ArchiCAD labels.

I have this label in ArchiCAD:

I can export it into leader in DWG, or into text and lines, using this:

If it’s exported as a leader, there is a new style generated in DWG, but the underline is missing, so I should modify it:

Is there anything I am doing wrong? Furthermore, there is a font-style conversion in the DWG translator, but I have not seen any conversion for labels and dimensioning. Is there any?

In the other way around, I have a similar problem. If I place a external drawing in ArchiCAD, the DWG leader doesn’t have the underline:

Is this normal?

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Minh Nguyen — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 22:30:40 GMT

GOBA wrote:
Hello, this is a very old post. I am not sure if I should write here, or I should write a new one, but I am also having trouble with DWG leaders an ArchiCAD labels.

I have this label in ArchiCAD:

I can export it into leader in DWG, or into text and lines, using this:

If it’s exported as a leader, there is a new style generated in DWG, but the underline is missing, so I should modify it:

Is there anything I am doing wrong? Furthermore, there is a font-style conversion in the DWG translator, but I have not seen any conversion for labels and dimensioning. Is there any?

In the other way around, I have a similar problem. If I place a external drawing in ArchiCAD, the DWG leader doesn’t have the underline:

Is this normal?

Hi,

Thank you for posting this issue here, and I'm sorry about this experience!

I will have our Technical Support team take a look at this.
It seems to be a defect with the software though, but nevertheless, I will reach out to you again here once we conclude the investigation.

Best regards,
Minh

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

GOBA — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 07:41:55 GMT

Hi,

Thank you very much.

I have found another issue, that can be solved from Autocad, but I am sharing it here, because maybe it can be useful for other users. I don’t know if there is a way to solve it in Archicad.

In the next image, there is a multiple line text in Autocad. In the one of the left, the box is bigger than the text. And in the one of the right, the box is adjusted to the text:

And this is how it is seen in Archicad:

So, in order to see it correctly in Archicad, the box of the text in Autocad must be adjusted to the text. If it's bigger, the text expands.

And, Archicad doesn’t keep the width defined in Autocad:

Regards,

GOBA

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Minh Nguyen — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 13:28:55 GMT

Hi GOBA,

We have found out what is causing the issue. It turned out to be a known issue in ARCHICAD. If the Convert Labels to Leaders option is turned on among the Translator settings, the horizontal part of the Pointer lines can be mirrored, and based on the Drawing Unit setting, the other parts of the line can be mirrored too. This has caused the underline to be missing during export.

Therefore, in order to avoid this, the workaround is to turn it off. Although the labels will not be converted to leaders in AutoCAD, it will keep the same look of the label in the result DWG!

And thank you very much for your suggestion on the second issue about text box, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to replicate it. Is it possible for you to send me a sample DWG file so that I can see which setting is causing this issue? Thank you very much!

Best regards,
Minh

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

GOBA — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 14:51:14 GMT

mnguyen wrote:
Therefore, in order to avoid this, the workaround is to turn it off. Although the labels will not be converted to leaders in AutoCAD, it will keep the same look of the label in the result DWG!

Hi Minh!

That "solves" the ArchiCAD into DWG exportation. I'm sorry, but I don't think it's the best solution, but ok

And, is it possible to place an external drawing and see it correctly? Because the way DWG into ArchiCAD, I haven't been able to do it.

mnguyen wrote:
And thank you very much for your suggestion on the second issue about text box, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to replicate it. Is it possible for you to send me a sample DWG file so that I can see which setting is causing this issue? Thank you very much!

You can download a sample here:
https://we.tl/t-YEKRLttECR

If there is anything else you need, or any explanation, please, don’t hesitate to ask.

Regards,

GOBA

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

GOBA — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:25:19 GMT

Hi @mnguyen!

Did you manage to see the issue in the sample?

Regards,

GOBA

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Minh Nguyen — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:44:15 GMT

Hi GOBA,

I’m very sorry that somehow I forgot to “Subscribe” to this thread, and it slipped my mind! Since the link is expired already, would you mind sharing the file once again (via PM or with a transfer site, or if you need I can send you a link to drop the file to)? I’m very sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you very much for your understanding!

Best regards,
Minh

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

GOBA — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:59:08 GMT

Hi Minh!

No problem! In this forum the subscription to topics you participate is not automatic, as in other forums, it’s easy to forget

You can download it from this link:
https://we.tl/t-Au4GSFYTXD

Thanks!

GOBA

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Minh Nguyen — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 17:04:16 GMT

Hi GOBA,

Thanks for the file! I got it now! I'll dive into it as soon as I can!

Best regards,
Minh

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Minh Nguyen — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 22:28:40 GMT

Hi GOBA,

Thank you for the file! Now I have understood what is causing the issue!

After a consultation with our expert in DWG-DXF export/import, I found out that this is the issue of how text is handled differently in AutoCAD and ARCHICAD. In AutoCAD, you can have a text box that is higher than the total height of the whole paragraph/sentence, while in ARCHICAD, you cannot set the text box wider, but not higher than the paragraph/sentence.

In short, I would say this is the limitation of ARCHICAD's Text tool, unfortunately

Thank you for your understanding, and thank you for raising the issue! I myself have learned a lot from this!

Best regards,
Minh

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

GOBA — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 07:36:44 GMT

Hi Minh!

I was expecting that answer, don’t worry!

And the other issue regarding the width, that it seems ArhchiCAD is not taking from DWG?

Regards,

GOBA

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Minh Nguyen — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 15:55:19 GMT

Hi GOBA,

I forgot to include the part about Width factor in my previous reply, did I? I’m very sorry for that!

In short, I would say this is, once again, a difference in how AutoCAD and ARCHICAD handle text (unfortunately!).

In AutoCAD, the highlight option is called Tracking. From my understanding, this modification will make the text stay closer to each other, therefore, you can only decrease this value down to a limit, depending on the font type and the spacing between each character of the font.

In ARCHICAD, there is no such option in the Text tool settings. We have the Width factor, but by changing this value, the look of the font’s characters is also modified, either narrower or wider (as if you squeeze/stretch the text). The ratio of the spacing between each character remains unchanged, but the font does not look exactly the same as original.

In the end, it all comes down to how each software handles each element differently. We always aim for WYSIWYG, but due to certain limitations, it may not be achievable without the loss of information.

I hope I have answered all your questions! Feel free to ask me again if you have any further issues. I’m always happy to help (and learn new things along the way!)

Have a great Monday!

Best regards,
Minh

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

GOBA — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:50:58 GMT

Hi Minh!

It seems important to me to know this kind of things, in order to know how to work. Thank you very much.

Regards,

GOBA

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 23:13:17 GMT

On the subject of leaders in AC23- In Autocad you can create a leader and add text or not, BUT you can add multiple leaders onto one!
Is there a way to make leader (In archicad "text Label") with out text AND how do you add multiple leader heads?

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Minh Nguyen — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 09:50:52 GMT

Dyana wrote:
On the subject of leaders in AC23- In Autocad you can create a leader and add text or not, BUT you can add multiple leaders onto one!
Is there a way to make leader (In archicad "text Label") with out text AND how do you add multiple leader heads?

Hi Dyana,

Thank you for your question! I'll answer each question one by one:

1. Although all Label in ARCHICAD must come with texts, we can "workaround" this issue by entering a " " (space character) into the label's text. The label will appear as if it does not contain any text.

2. With the default Label tool, it is not possible to create a multileader label. There is an object in ARCHICAD, called Multileader Label that can help you with this issue:

The downside is that this is not an associative label, therefore it will not follow the object that is being annotated. We have an existing wish in our Database to implement this into the Label tool already.

I hope this will help you with the issue. Let me know if there is anything you would like to ask!

Have a nice day, and take care!
Best regards.
Minh

Re: AC Label to Autocad Leader DWG Conversion Problem

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 19:09:24 GMT

Thank you so much ! This worked perfect once I figured it all out