topic pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD in Collaboration with other software

pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:21:23 GMT

I setup a pen conversion table in the translator to change pens in imported AutoCAD files to specific ArchiCAD pens. This worked successfully in ArchiCAD 9. However now that i am using ArchiCAD 10 it will not work. Is anyone else having problems with this?

Thinking it might be because the translator i created in Arch9 when converted to 10 might not have worked i tried resetting up the translator from scratch, still no success.

Re: pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:55:51 GMT

I've had the same problem...... have you managed to correct the problem?

Re: pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD

Thomas Holm — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 12:47:48 GMT

Mark wrote:
I setup a pen conversion table in the translator to change pens in imported AutoCAD files to specific ArchiCAD pens. This worked successfully in ArchiCAD 9. However now that i am using ArchiCAD 10 it will not work. Is anyone else having problems with this?

Thinking it might be because the translator i created in Arch9 when converted to 10 might not have worked i tried resetting up the translator from scratch, still no success.

To force specific pens to translate consistently, you need to use pen index numbers.

AC10 is delivered with a transator that's called "Keep Pen Index Niumber" or something like it, which name may be translated to your language in a localized version. It maps Autocad color numbers 1-256 to Archicad pen numbers 1-256 and back.

This translator contains a translation table which is customizable. Just remember to work on a copy, and backup the original translator first.

The translator works both ways. If you want to use different translators for export vs. import, you can just duplicate and edit the translator you want. You will have to remember to switch yourself - give them names that help such as "Import pen numbers" vs. "Export pen numbers" or something similar.

The translators in AC10 are XML files. You may find it easier to open and edit them in a text editor if you want to make a series of similar changes. On the Mac I recommend Textwrangler (free).

The default translators can on the Mac be found in the /Applications/Graphisoft/ArchiCad 10/Defaults/DXF_DWG Translators/ folder. I have no idea where to find them in Windows. Maybe someone else can fill in.

Re: pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 08:33:44 GMT

Actually i have been informed that this feature is no longer available in ArchiCAD 10 for imported dwgs. Althought the pen translation table is still available in the translator it is turned OFF when importing.

I dont know the reason why? i use this all the time.

Re: pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD

Laszlo Nagy — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:43:35 GMT

Maybe you can place the DWG as an External Drawing and then assign to it a new Pen Set, thereby achieving the colors you wish for.

Re: pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 23:15:25 GMT

That is a nice idea laszlo, and one that i will use sometimes. But for dwgs that i import and then want to change elements further, like in collaborative jobs, this will not work. I hope this feature can be brought back, cant understand the reasoning behind it being removed, unless i am missing something.

Re: pen colours not changing from AutoCAD to ArchiCAD

Laszlo Nagy — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:50:47 GMT

Yes, I understand.
This is a good choice only if you want to change Pens of the imported (or placed) DWG file.