20 Identical AC11 Windows = 20 AutoCAD Blocks

[Anonymous]

If I export a floor plan that has 20 identical windows, the resulting DWG file has 20 different blocks -- one for each window. Is there any way to get identical objects to output as identical blocks -- outside of an AutoCAD-based conversion program?

[Karl Ottenstein]

Jay wrote:
Is there any way to get identical objects to output as identical blocks

Not that I know of. It would technically be feasible to generate a single block for identical windows, e.g. - but it could slow down the export tremendously, which is why I imagine GS did not do it.

(Consider what AC would have to do to determine that the windows [eg] are identical: compare every parameter of one window against every parameter of every other window of the same type in the project. A bit of comparison there - but what about when there are differences? Then, the next such window is compared against all other windows. Etc. Export now is proportional in time to the size of the model. Export with common blocks generated could at worst take time proportional to the square of the size.)

Karl

[TomWaltz]

I could live with it if it's not for every translation, but it would be really nice to have the option. We get killed on DWG deliverables where clients want DWGs created with very detailed requirement standards. We end up having to swap out hundreds of identical, differently-named blocks.

[Shivang Rajvir]

I think the issue is with the objects we need to change after export to *.dwg

The solution is there for change in layer, colour and line type into dwg.
When you are sure you want to export the file you can check off the Auto ID Increase check box from Miscellaneous settings from project preferences.

This would allow you to change one block and get effect in all similer/identicle blocks.

Path : - Options -> Project Preferences -> Miscellaneous -> Check Box Named Auto ID Increase (off it)

[Srinivas]

Shivang wrote:
This would allow you to change one block and get effect in all similer/identicle blocks.

Path : - Options -> Project Preferences -> Miscellaneous -> Check Box Named Auto ID Increase (off it)

Even if you switch off the auto Id increase and then place doors and windows with the same ID number, archicad will export them as a block with unique name.

[Anonymous]

It looks like I'll have to write an AutoLisp program to clean things up on the AutoCAD side. I'll post it if I can ever find time to write it.

[Srinivas]

Jay wrote:
It looks like I'll have to write an AutoLisp program to clean things up on the AutoCAD side. I'll post it if I can ever find time to write it.

Jay,

I don't have autocad at home to check but I feel that there is an option in the Express tools menu with "Replace Block Name" that should be of some help. Let me know if it is working.

-srinivas.

[Anonymous]

Vizag,

That's not bad, but it only does one block at a time. However, I can easily steal the code and modify it to work on a selection set. Thanks for the tip!

[Srinivas]

Jay wrote:
Vizag,

Vizag is the place where I live, a beautiful coastal city

[Anonymous]

Oops! I just glanced up and saw "Vizag". I looked for the BLOCKREPLACE program in the Express Tools folder and it looks like they compiled it into one of the ARX files -- so I can't steal the code. But that's okay, I need to mental exercise anyway.