Importing DWG walls and floor issue

[davekello]

Can someone steer me in the right direction?

 

I am a builder who is trying to convert current construction floor plans from my architect who writes his files in AutoCad. I am trying to import the DWG files and have them show up with all walls and windows etc. 

 

Can anyone give me any advice or guidance on the parameters required to have the import successfully show all of the main structure items? Even if it just gives me the walls, doors and windows. All I get when I import is basically a file that I can trace, which is fine if thats my only option. I just feel like there has to be a better system.

 

Thank you in advance!

[MarkMc]

There is a CAD to walls option but it's tricky-I never use it. OTOH I do bring in lots of dgw files.

With Grid Snaps OFF!!

Import into a CAD detail not floor plan. Have an input point at 0.0 Bring all the layers with it.

Take a look and see, if you don't like it try NOT importing hatches, all depends on how things were drawn.

then

select the complete imported drawing and move one corner that would be on every floor using point to point to 0, 0

now turn off layers you don't need (most of them) keeping walls, windows and doors.

Select all, copy and the paste hold position into a cad detail in a separate plan. (grid snaps off)

Select all and place on a single layer like Import 1st, while select open object and set lines color and style to be by layer-something easy to see compared to wall-orange, purple, bright green...

Set that layer as your current CAD layer, select all, Block, make the insertion point your 0 0 marker.

Copy, paste into the floor plan at the correct floor level. Unblock, make sure it is all on that layer, then lock the layer. By unblocking it you can snap to it, by locking it you won't mess it up.

All that is under 15 minutes once you get the hang of it.

 

Go to defaults, plan, check use grid snaps, change the snap unit to be the thickness of your sheet rock, then UNCHECK grid snaps. This way if your walls snap to a a framing layer while drawing you can move them with the arrow keys that distance each tap.

Trace exterior walls, trace interior walls. AFTER they are all drawn go back and move with arrow key or drag if needed and/or change wall definitions for varied thickness walls.

add windows and  doors, resize windows/doors as needed.

Move on to next floor.

Once all floors are in then adjust window heights where needed and proceed with  details.

While it's not automatic it's pretty fast and certainly beats tracing a PDF and or sorting deciphering dimensions from a print or worse scribbled on manually. It's my preferred method of any.