DWG -> PLN -> DWG

[Anonymous]

One of our clients requests we use their own border and label/stamp (DWG file) which is linked to their archiving system in AutoCAD. The border and label is made up of blocks which are links to this system.

My problem is how do I export drawings created in ArchiCAD, together with the border and label as a DWG file without the border or label losing its block feature?

We currently save drawings as DWG files, open them one by one in AutoCAD and import the border and label and edit the label in AutoCAD. It’s a timewaster and rather annoying, but I haven’t been able to find a solution.

Any suggestions?

Sujey

[Anonymous]

Matthew wrote:

dirty wrote:
...And technically, it's not a block anymore, it's an Xref. And the title block is showing up in model space with the rest of the plans. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Since the problem is the embedded fonts you will have a problem retaining the original block (as you've discovered) but you might be able to fake it by creating a 2D library part. Use the block (exploded) or the xREF as the source for the lines and text and then copy/paste into the symbol window of the part. While this is breaking the strict instructions it should allow you to export the title block as an AutoCAD block so the recipient should be none the wiser as long as you are careful to check the result against the source.

Thanks for the reply. I was kind of hoping there would be a more seamless built-in solution that wouldn't depend on my visual guesswork to make the appearances match. The unfortunate part of font substitutions during translation is that the relationship of the text lettering to the text box handles or grips varies from font to font. I may be able to switch up the 'Replace Missing Fonts with:' font on import to tell me in reverse how the location of a specific AutoCAD font relates to its given ArchiCAD replacement on a one-to-one basis. I'll play around some more with this today.

A separate issue is that the client requests all blocks to be stored on the 0 layer with their sub-components being stored on their respective individual layers. I don't know how to fake that kind of layer structuring by using ArchiCAD Library Parts alone.

[Anonymous]

Well, I sort of gave up after I realized the polylines in the border had individual line thicknesses assigned to them and there was no way I was going to be able to fake this in a convincing way. I took a tip from another thread here and downloaded a free DWG editing program: Dassault Draft Sight (Mac friendly!). I was able to open my ArchiCAD output and attach the title block block without hurting it! It's got all the correct layering, line thicknesses, fonts, and even attribute editing so I can manually change the attributed text fields. I think I still might try to make a GDL-object/block out of these because I don't really feel like manually typing in a title for each layout sheet. That's what autotext is for.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I think you've been given an impossible spec which makes some sense within the context of AutoCAD but creates more problems than it solves outside that walled garden. FWIW I don't think Revit can do any better with this. I think your best solution is just to make sure that your title blocks match theirs exactly but using ArchiCAD native methods.

The only alternative would be to export the layouts as DWG from ArchiCAD and xRef them into AutoCAD paperspace with their precious block in place and charge extra for the trouble.