DWG XRef - Simple layer conversion

[Anonymous]

I am attaching consultants' DWG's to my ArchiCAD file as XRefs, but do not want to import all of their layers. I experimented with the translator, but this is tedious in that I have to manually insert the DWG layer and its destined ArchiCAD layer. Is there a one time setting that will simply convert all the DWG layers into one ArchiCAD layer without the need to type in all DWG layers?

[schagemann]

We typically prefer to place DWGs as external drawings (just drag and drop into your file) instead - benefit being that you do not get the DWGs attributes into your file and you can still control layer display via the DWGs settings dialogue. The only downside with this approach as far as we are concerned is that you can not use layer combinations to control layer visibility of the placed DWGs layers.

[Eduardo Rolon]

• Place the DWG using "File->External Content-> Place External Drawing…
• The DWG will be one item - Edit the settings so that it is in the layer you want
• Explode the DWG and you will have the choice of Importing all the layers or placing the elements in one layer

[schagemann]

Exploding DWGs is really only necessary if you want to reuse linework from the DWG. If you need to update the DWG with new revisions, e.g. reissued Consultants drawings then we would normally do not explode the DWG.

Agree, just covering all the bases.