translator setup (import)

[schagemann]

we are currently setting up translators to facilitate the import of consultants drawings (mostly dxfs or dwgs) into ac9.
as we understand the standrad method is to assign a ac layer for every embeded layer. this however, seems somewhat limiting as it is based on the assumption that consultants always use exactly the same layers in their drawings.

so i wonder if anyone knows of a way to setup a translator which will import any data contained in dwg/dxfs in one of the following 2 ways:

a all layers (without naming them) to a designated ac layer;
b per drawing element (lines, fills, text, etc.) to defined ac layers;

i had a quick look at some translator xml files and wondered if it would be possible to assign wildcards - but as i do not know enough about xml coding a test of this was unsuccessful... ;0(

thanks in advance,

daniel.

[fuzzytnth3]

I could be wrong but I don't think you can do what you are asking.

I usually when starting work with a new consultant I go through some of there drawings and edit the xml file to suit. Sadly with the change from txt to xml files I have to redo a number of consultant files that we have been using for sometime now we've upgrade from AC7 to AC9.

If all you want to do is put everything from the consultant on one layer couldn't you just translate his drawing in a new file and use edit selection set to then put all the elements on one layer?

[Djordje]

fuzzytnth3 wrote:
If all you want to do is put everything from the consultant on one layer couldn't you just translate his drawing in a new file and use edit selection set to then put all the elements on one layer?

If you don't need to snap to Consultant's imported DWGs (yes, I know, very unlikely), pull it in as a GDL Object.

[schagemann]

thanks for your advice.

we have been using both methods you described already - however your replies also leave me wondering what most of the translator functions (apart from the obvious scale factor) might be useful for?

imho, it is one of these functions in ac which have never really been designed for and tested in an architectural practice... thus may i suggest the following changes which would improve the usability of the translator:

allow conversion of import-files along the following (as asked for initially):
a all layers (without naming them) to a single ac layer;
b per drawing element (lines, fills, text, etc.) to ac layers;

daniel.

[Djordje]

schagemann wrote:
imho, it is one of these functions in ac which have never really been designed for and tested in an architectural practice...

Well ... the problem is, the number of combinations that might come in is so huge, that there is realistically no way you could foresee everything.

The trick to the almost perfect translation is the usage of the template DWG. Then, again, your consultants have to stick to their standards, and not create layers haphazardly.

The more feedback Graphsoft has on this matter, the better it will be ... as ArchiCAD shows.

[schagemann]

i must admit that in general my sympathies are with any software developer trying to improve their product continuously and sure the possibilites of using a complex software are abundant - however, as pointed out before somewhere else i do have the feeling that graphisoft gets more and more caught up in providing highly customizable functions (e.g. the translator is nice but as demonstrated by our discussion above very unlikely to be useful in its current configuration; the latest work environment interface; wrong default settings in plotmakers output dialogue; etc.) which are of good intention and probably even of high programming excellence (?) but:

a. come with a complex and highly confusing user interface;
b. do not improve the basic daily workflow of an architectural office in their current configuration;
c. sometimes simply lack common sense;

naturally this is my personal view and obviously driven by the experiences in our specific office environment, but as you indicate discussions like the above will hopefully provide graphisoft with the impetus to improve the core elements of ac apart from all the nice new features such as the powerful lightwave render engine and the plotmaker grid function (the latter of which i still wonder about...).

daniel.