conversion to dwg from archicad

[Anonymous]

I have read in this forum long time ago about how to set a translator using a dwg file from consultants. I have 2 hours doing a search for this thread on this forum and on wiki without sucess. Can someone direct me to the thread or explain to me step by step process of making a translator file using a dwg from a consutltant.

Thank you very much

[TomWaltz]

Have you looked through the settings in the translator yet? Or have you not gotten that far?

[Anonymous]

Yes I did. I can set the translator manually but I think I read this process could be automated somewhat using a dwg file from a consultant. This way I can hace several translator files for each consultant.

[TomWaltz]

You will need to create a translator file for each consultant, most likely. The creation process is manual, meaning you will need to fill out all the settings (pen coversions, layer conversions, units, etc).

The benefit of having this is that once you set it up the first time, you will have the settings for use in the future.

[Eduardo Rolon]

Jose what I think you are looking for is the option to use a template dwg file. For this you need a consultant file without any drawings but which has all the layers specified. Then you select this file as a template in the translator under the Save Options section.

[Anonymous]

Thats what I was looking for....
Gracias EJrolon

[TomWaltz]

You will still need to map your layers and pens in Archicad to match those in the template file.

[Thomas Holm]

TomWaltz wrote:
You will still need to map your layers and pens in Archicad to match those in the template file.

Then what's the advantage of usng a template file?

[TomWaltz]

The template file would already have text and dimension styles defined. It just makes a little more of a complete file to send then.

I like to compare it to sending someone a .MOD file (with only the raw content) to sending a PLN (which would have all the content of your template, even if it's not used)

[Eduardo Rolon]

Actually what I have done is a little backwards. First I export the AC file to dwg then I open it in Autocad and fix anything that didn't translate ok. After getting the dwg as I want then I erase all the lines etc from it and then use this file as a template. This gives me more control of the exported file and I avoid having to map all those pesky layers.