How to set translation setup for fills?

[Achille Pavlidis]

When creating a conversion table for fills there is no other option than "Solid" for the autocad hatch.

Why?

[davor_r]

I'm also very interested in this problem. Any help?

[David Maudlin]

According to the Help Files (User Interface Reference > Dialog Boxes > DXF/DWG Translation Setup > Fills):

Fill-Hatch Conversion Table
Click New to define each new correspondence in the Edit Fill-Hatch Conversion dialog box.

This requires that you have selected an AutoCAD template file in the Save Options page of the DXF-DWG Translation Dialog Box, and the template file includes at least one placed instance of the desired hatch.

Worked on a quick test here.

David

[davor_r]

David wrote:
According to the Help Files (User Interface Reference > Dialog Boxes > DXF/DWG Translation Setup > Fills):

Fill-Hatch Conversion Table
Click New to define each new correspondence in the Edit Fill-Hatch Conversion dialog box.

This requires that you have selected an AutoCAD template file in the Save Options page of the DXF-DWG Translation Dialog Box, and the template file includes at least one placed instance of the desired hatch.

Worked on a quick test here.

David

Is that AutoCAD template file the same as dwg file in the Save Options page? Because when I select save as dwg in the translator settings it is locked option under SOLID field.

I need to translate gradient and semitransparent fill to look same in AutoCAD as I make it in ArchiCAD. If I convert those fills as solid, i have done nothing, they will lose their transparency.

[David Maudlin]

davor_r wrote:
Is that AutoCAD template file the same as dwg file in the Save Options page? Because when I select save as dwg in the translator settings it is locked option under SOLID field.

It is the file selected under DXF-DWG Translation Setup > Settings in Selected Translator > Save Options > Template File.

You should add a Signature to your Profile (click the Profile button near the top of this page) with your ArchiCAD version and operating system (see mine for an example) for more accurate help in this forum.

David

[davor_r]

David, thank you for trying to help.

I just noticed that DXF-DWG Translation Setup > Settings in Selected Translator > Save Options > Template File. But it means that i need to have other dwg file. Is that empty dwg file, or file in dwg which I previously saved from the same project? I saw now that it is unlocked option which earlier was locked. But again I don't see any hatch pattern which will be similar to my transparent or gradient fills. It gives me just few hatches to chose, for example (carpet, solid, brick etc.)

Is it even possible to translate transparent and gradient fills from pln to dwg?

[David Maudlin]

davor_r:

Thanks for adding the signature.

I am not very familiar with the DWG file format, so will be speculating, hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

The translator settings associate a Fill in ArchiCAD with a Hatch in DWG, so the associated Hatches need to be in the template file for that to work.

DWG may not support transparent and gradient fills, at least they would need to be in the template file for the translator.

Try the DXF-DWG Translation Setup > Settings in Selected Translator > Attributes > Fills > Methods > Explode gradient fills.

David

[davor_r]

David you fully explained me this translation. I got it. Everything works fine except those problematic semitransparent and gradient fils. I have already tried this step Translation Setup > Settings in Selected Translator > Attributes > Fills > Methods > Explode gradient fills, but it explodes me gradient fills in several solid fills but it doesn't look pretty.

I use AutoCAD 2014 and it have both transparent and gradient fills. I tried to put those two fills in model plan in AutoCAD and save that dwg. Then in ArchiCAD I used that dwg as template file in translation setup, hoping it would match my fills from ArchiCAD but nothing happened. Fills again turned to solid.

[David Maudlin]

davor_r wrote:
I use AutoCAD 2014 and it have both transparent and gradient fills. I tried to put those two fills in model plan in AutoCAD and save that dwg. Then in ArchiCAD I used that dwg as template file in translation setup, hoping it would match my fills from ArchiCAD but nothing happened. Fills again turned to solid.

I don't have AutoCAD, so can't look at the issue. Maybe some with AutoCAD will have some insight.

David

[Anonymous]

Hi Thdere,
I've had great success in managing both line styles and fills using the conversion tables in the translation setup. Just tick the last box in the translation methods. For fills you need to have the exact name of the Autocad fill type, right down to the capitalisation and spaces, in a list along with a corresponding archicad file. The dialogue doesn't intuitively pick up the Autocad syntax.

You'll then need to create one line per fill translation, picking the archicad fill in the top box and typing the autocad fill name that matches in the lower box. It will ask you for a scale and if you import more than one scale you may need to have the same arichcad fill linked to multiple scale versions ( if named differently in Autocad.)

I had a V15 translator I used all the time in which I'd mapped all the standard fills and line styles in Autocad as well as lots from our typical design partners. Doesn't seem to come through with all it's settings in V16 or 17 so I guess I'll be rebuilding it again for my latest project. This method makes graphically correct fill translation easy and also gives you the option of chnaging the autocad fill to one that matches your in house graphical standards. Can also set solid files to empty at translation, making drawing with someone elses information much easier.
Cheers.