Export to .dwg

[VVondersaar]

My engineer can't get the detail he needs from my .dwg file. This is the first CA plan I'm sending to an engineer - I exported from plan view to .dwg keeping the default export settings changing only the version the CE needed. He couldn't use.

 

I tried again changing what layers exported and only exporting one floor at a time - he still can't use. Does anyone have step-by-step instructions or tips that can help? 

 

TIA

[DavidJPotter]

When working with AutoCAD users I send views from the layout page (First floor, Second floor, elevations) and none of them have complained to me about  the files. I do NOT use export "All Floors" as that is too complicated for the AutoCAD user to sort out.

 

DJP

[Doug_N]

37 minutes ago, VVondersaar said:

My engineer can't get the detail he needs from my .dwg file. This is the first CA plan I'm sending to an engineer - I exported from plan view to .dwg keeping the default export settings changing only the version the CE needed. He couldn't use.

 

I tried again changing what layers exported and only exporting one floor at a time - he still can't use. Does anyone have step-by-step instructions or tips that can help? 

 

TIA

Try posting the plan file, and what specifically your engineer is looking for. What is the objection that the engineer has, just posting that he couldn't use the dwg file is not really explaining the problem.  Someone could come up with a useful answer to your question with enough information.

  

[VVondersaar]

28 minutes ago, Doug_N said:

Try posting the plan file, and what specifically your engineer is looking for. What is the objection that the engineer has, just posting that he couldn't use the dwg file is not really explaining the problem.  Someone could come up with a useful answer to your question with enough information.

  

The plan file is too large to upload - any advice on that?

 

As far as I understood from the CE he can't see the wall detail that he needs. He's getting CAD lines, but he isn't getting sufficient detail to engineer the structural members 

[VVondersaar]

30 minutes ago, DavidJPotter said:

When working with AutoCAD users I send views from the layout page (First floor, Second floor, elevations) and none of them have complained to me about  the files. I do NOT use export "All Floors" as that is too complicated for the AutoCAD user to sort out.

 

DJP

Yes the first round I exported all floors and he said that was too much. I then exported floor by floor and now he is saying he isn't getting enough detail for the walls. etc.

 

I'm not at all familiar with AutoCAD so I am a bit at a loss as to what he is getting vs what he needs. 

[MarkMc]

I do what David suggest, from layout is cleaner.

Get a copy of a free CAD program that imports DWG so you can see what they see. I use TurboCad Deluxe which is cheap not free but has some other uses.

[Doug_N]

The advantage of exporting from a plan file is that everything is a 1:1 scale.  Also the border, title block etc are not exported.  It is just a cleaner export for doing CAD work in AutoCAD.  Just my 2 cents.

[Doug_N]

2 hours ago, VVondersaar said:

The plan file is too large to upload - any advice on that?

 

As far as I understood from the CE he can't see the wall detail that he needs. He's getting CAD lines, but he isn't getting sufficient detail to engineer the structural members 

Send the file through a link to OneDrive, Google Drive or Drop Box, among many methods for sending files too large to upload or send by email 

As far as the wall detail, is he looking for a plan view of the assembly or a vertical section?  Perhaps just making a cad section manually and sending him that would suffice.

[MarkMc]

2 hours ago, Doug_N said:

The advantage of exporting from a plan file is that everything is a 1:1 scale.  Also the border, title block etc are not exported.  It is just a cleaner export for doing CAD work in AutoCAD.  Just my 2 cents.

That is true for plan views, where it gets nasty is elevations get multiple lines layered over each other. At least I've never found a way to get that not to happen, have you? Since I always open dwg files prior to sending the scale is two clicks to solve and border etc a few more so long as layers were exported.

 

To the OP worth checking if they are working on solid black backgrounds, which is very common, and adjust accordingly. Unless your line stiles are all set to Acad colors.Early on I was told a few times that there was nothing there because the lines were all black on black and they didn't select all

[Doug_N]

 

3 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

That is true for plan views, where it gets nasty is elevations get multiple lines layered over each other. At least I've never found a way to get that not to happen, have you? Since I always open dwg files prior to sending the scale is two clicks to solve and border etc a few more so long as layers were exported.

Lines over lines really don't matter if they are using the dwg file to pick measurements.  

 

3 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

 

To the OP worth checking if they are working on solid black backgrounds, which is very common, and adjust accordingly. Unless your line stiles are all set to Acad colors.Early on I was told a few times that there was nothing there because the lines were all black on black and they didn't select all

AutoCAD has a really easy way to change the background colour.  Also a pretty good layer management system for changing layer colours.

If the AutCAD user can't manage this, I would be questioning the qualifications of the engineer.  

[Alaskan_Son]

On 4/13/2022 at 7:14 AM, VVondersaar said:

Yes the first round I exported all floors and he said that was too much. I then exported floor by floor and now he is saying he isn't getting enough detail for the walls. etc.

 

I'm not at all familiar with AutoCAD so I am a bit at a loss as to what he is getting vs what he needs. 

 

I think you need to get more specific details from your engineer as to what exactly he needs to see.  Without knowing exactly what information is needed, you can't possibly know what to export and what not to export.  Also, bear in mind that in most cases, you're only going to be exporting what can be seen in your view.  If you want to export actual Wall Details then you'll need to open those details and export those individually. 

 

As an aside, you can also potentially open a 3D view and export a 3D DWG/DXF file which can be useful to some guys so they can get a better idea of what's going on. 

[VVondersaar]

On 4/13/2022 at 3:09 PM, MarkMc said:

That is true for plan views, where it gets nasty is elevations get multiple lines layered over each other. At least I've never found a way to get that not to happen, have you? Since I always open dwg files prior to sending the scale is two clicks to solve and border etc a few more so long as layers were exported.

 

To the OP worth checking if they are working on solid black backgrounds, which is very common, and adjust accordingly. Unless your line stiles are all set to Acad colors.Early on I was told a few times that there was nothing there because the lines were all black on black and they didn't select all

I did have the black/black issue once as well. Had me thinking for sure. 

 

[VVondersaar]

On 4/14/2022 at 1:32 PM, Alaskan_Son said:

 

I think you need to get more specific details from your engineer as to what exactly he needs to see.  Without knowing exactly what information is needed, you can't possibly know what to export and what not to export.  Also, bear in mind that in most cases, you're only going to be exporting what can be seen in your view.  If you want to export actual Wall Details then you'll need to open those details and export those individually. 

 

As an aside, you can also potentially open a 3D view and export a 3D DWG/DXF file which can be useful to some guys so they can get a better idea of what's going on. 

Thanks