IMPORTING AUTOCAD DETAILS

[peter spellman]

Is there something written on importing autocad details into AC10?
I have extensive libraries of dwg details and would like to import into AC10. In some cases, I need to edit the details as well.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Should not be a problem.
There are several options.
You can Merge DXF/DWG files into Archicad onto the Floor Plan or into Section/Elevation Windows or Detail Windows of your Project File.
You can also attach them as XREFs.

You can also create a new file for Details and Merge/XREF into that one. The reason I would consider this latter is two-fold:
1. When DWG/DXF files are Merged/XREF-ed into an AC Project, they bring all their attributes (fills, line types, Layers etc.), so you may not want to clutter up your Project file with those.
2. Since in AC10, you can place Views from one Project into the Layout Book of another, having the Details in another file is not a problem from a publishing point of view.

Others may have other ideas, too.

[Andy Thomson]

If I might suggest a non-attribute-polluting third method, the 'place drawing' tool can bring in DWGs (details or otherwise) - with all elements landing on the AC layer, which you can then sort onto your detail(s) layer(s). These can then be exploded, modified and organized in any way you like (haven't done this myself yet, the rest of the workflow below is from 9, haven't done this in 10 yet either, but soon 😉 ).

We typically put details on a story below the model, and drag detail marker/bubbles around them to use (copies) in the S/E windows, in order to show the correct referncing in viewsets, etc.

The 'detail' story can subsequently be exported as a hotlink (just select all and save as 'hotlink' from selected elements - and save this as your new detail .MOD. Then you can bring this into new projects, and explode/break and modify as required.