Importing CAD file

[stager386]

When an architect wants to send me a CAD file, what format should I ask for? DWG?

 

I have already built the house in Chief but there are updates, and he wants to send me his whole file rather than list changes (such as created dormer, moved windows, added a foot to the bathroom etc....).  My job for the client is to create renderings for the project, as well as collaborate on some layout designs.

 

Thank you!

 

[Chopsaw]

Yes DWG is preferred but chief can import DXF from sources other than AutoCad.  This will give you the ability to measure things that are not dimensioned and some snap points to work with but not much else unfortunately.   I often ask for a reference PDF when I am being sent a DWG file that can come in handy when there are issues.

[stager386]

33 minutes ago, Chopsaw said:

Yes DWG is preferred but chief can import DXF from sources other than AutoCad.  This will give you the ability to measure things that are not dimensioned and some snap points to work with but not much else unfortunately.   I often ask for a reference PDF when I am being sent a DWG file that can come in handy when there are issues.

Thank you!

[stager386]

1 hour ago, Chopsaw said:

Yes DWG is preferred but chief can import DXF from sources other than AutoCad.  This will give you the ability to measure things that are not dimensioned and some snap points to work with but not much else unfortunately.   I often ask for a reference PDF when I am being sent a DWG file that can come in handy when there are issues.

 I haven't dealt with this before, so please tell me what I should be expecting. I've imported the DWG file and it appears in the floorplan as a drawing, not in the format where I can use camera views.  Does that sound right?  I thought I was getting a file that would look like a finished product that I could render.

[Joe_Carrick]

Kate,

I don't know of any file type that can be imported into Chief to do that.  Perhaps a 3D file like SKP or OBJ but from AutoCAD you can't get that.

You are unfortunately going to need to build the model in order to do a rendering.  Tracing over the DWG using walls, doors, windows, etc will get you close.

[stager386]

48 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Kate,

I don't know of any file type that can be imported into Chief to do that.  Perhaps a 3D file like SKP or OBJ but from AutoCAD you can't get that.

You are unfortunately going to need to build the model in order to do a rendering.  Tracing over the DWG using walls, doors, windows, etc will get you close.

Excellent. That makes perfect sense. Thanks again!

[KenL-sdd]

@stager386 The dwg or dxf files are almost like an etch a sketch.  Just lines that you can trace and measure. The first thing you need to do is to import it into it's own file not into your drawing. Then check to be sure it's at the correct scale. sometimes it may be correct but most of the times it needs to be resized times 48 or 96.

[stager386]

Thanks Ken!

[jtcapa1]

This is where Chief needs to step in and generate a more powerful parametric or AI tool that can do that work for us!

[basketballman]

How about just a plain, old .PDF 

probably as easy to trace over as a .DWG ?

[TeaTime]

3 hours ago, basketballman said:

How about just a plain, old .PDF 

probably as easy to trace over as a .DWG ?

Not at all. Tracing a PDF is a little more useful than just printing it and using that as reference. DWG/DXF is literal CAD data that you can snap onto.

 

On 7/24/2023 at 12:16 PM, Chopsaw said:

DWG is preferred but chief can import DXF from sources other than AutoCad.  This will give you the ability to measure things that are not dimensioned and some snap points to work with but not much else unfortunately.   I often ask for a reference PDF when I am being sent a DWG file that can come in handy when there are issues.

[onthespothome]

I have had pretty good luck importing the cad file. Once the cad file is imported for a floor, and the scale is confirmed, I use CAD to walls, you map which layers are wall layers, which are doors, windows etc.

 

Most times chief does a pretty good job of converting the CAD to chief objects, and now I have a floorplan with exterior walls, windows, doors, interior walls. Usually the measurements match up too. Sometimes it will change windows into doors. Then I just need to modify the windows and doors.

 

Then I create the next floor, import and repeat. I usually build a corner of an exterior walls and line it up with below, then I can move the imported cad file as a group with a point to point move so it matches with the floor below before I convert cad to walls. You can also convert first then move all the objects.