After DWG Import cleaning up the 2D CAD lines

[mthd97]

Hi there, I am a bit rusty with CA. I wondering do we have another method of multi selecting 2D cad lines without the use of the click drag marquee tool ? Or even a KB shortcut command ? 
 

After a DWG import from another CAD application, I get lots of extra lines that I want to delete but they overlap with other lines that I want to keep. I am probably forced to turn certain layers off and on instead and work from there.

 

Also wondering if “find and select” will also work with 2D elements like CAD lines ?

[Kbird1]

17 hours ago, mthd97 said:

Also wondering if “find and select” will also work with 2D elements like CAD lines ?

 

This may work but choices maybe pretty limited for a CAD line eg, Layer, color of the line , line type?

 

M.

[JKEdmo]

18 hours ago, mthd97 said:

After a DWG import from another CAD application, I get lots of extra lines that I want to delete but they overlap with other lines that I want to keep.

 

Not sure if this is your scenario, but if the overlapped lines are duplicate lines on top of each other and if you have Autocad, you could do cleanup in Autocad before you export to Chief.  Use the "Overkill" command.  It's a handy command that deletes and consolidates duplicate linework.

 

 

Jim

 

[TeaTime]

I usually just work backwards: make a copy of your current layer set, hide the layers of lines you know you need until you're left with a pile of unwanted junk. Select All, Delete.

Then copy/paste the stuff I'm left with over to a new plan so I don't have to hunt down unused layers.

[mthd97]

5 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

 

This may work but choices maybe pretty limited for a CAD line eg, Layer, color of the line , line type?

 

M.

That was my first go to method.

 

Thanks.

[mthd97]

3 hours ago, JKEdmo said:

 

Not sure if this is your scenario, but if the overlapped lines are duplicate lines on top of each other and if you have Autocad, you could do cleanup in Autocad before you export to Chief.  Use the "Overkill" command.  It's a handy command that deletes and consolidates duplicate linework.

 

 

Jim

 

Good tip Jim, I am not using ACAD but I do have many lines overlapping and they are the dimensions line markers. If I select all those lines and delete them the dimensions will disappear and the same will happen if I turn that layer off. 
 

I will have a look at how I can limit those dimensions line markers to single lines in the other CAD application first before exporting a DWG.

 

Thanks.

[mthd97]

3 hours ago, TeaTime said:

I usually just work backwards: make a copy of your current layer set, hide the layers of lines you know you need until you're left with a pile of unwanted junk. Select All, Delete.

Then copy/paste the stuff I'm left with over to a new plan so I don't have to hunt down unused layers.

That’s a good way of doing it TT. I can protect my dimension layer by making a copy of it because the overlapping lines and dimensions are on the same layer. That way if I accidentally delete something I need I can get it back afterwards.

 

Thanks.

[NoumanSaeed]

I believe you can select by clicking ctrl+left click

[agyigod]

yes

[Chrisb222]

On 11/15/2023 at 12:13 AM, mthd97 said:

After a DWG import from another CAD application, I get lots of extra lines that I want to delete but they overlap with other lines that I want to keep. I am probably forced to turn certain layers off and on instead and work from there.

 

Caveat: Depending on the particulars, this may not be an efficient method. But I would select one of the lines I want to keep and place it on a special layer. Then using the layer eyedropper, click on this line to load that layer into the layer painter, then go around and paint the other lines I want to keep onto that layer. Then you can turn that layer off, Select All, and delete the remaining unwanted lines.

[Chrisb222]

14 hours ago, mthd97 said:

have many lines overlapping and they are the dimensions line markers. If I select all those lines and delete them the dimensions will disappear and the same will happen if I turn that layer off

 

If I understand you correctly and you're dealing with actual Chief Architect Marker objects, you should be able to marquee select the markers, open the specification dialog box and change the size to zero. They will still be there but virtually invisible. You could also change to an invisible line style.

 

If by "marker" you mean just the dimension line's anchor point, you may have to re-attach the anchor point to something else before deleting that line.

[TeaTime]

1 hour ago, Chrisb222 said:

If by "marker" you mean just the dimension line's anchor point, you may have to re-attach the anchor point to something else before deleting that line.

Tip: If you Cut/Paste dimensions they paste back in as Point to Point dimensions. So if you need to keep a dimension but delete something that it's erroneously marking, select it (use Marquee Select Similar if you need to do a group of them, or all dimensions), then use Edit> Cut, Edit> Paste> Paste Hold Position. Then you can delete the offending line/object without affecting the dimension. Just be warned about keeping Point dimensions around, as they run the risk of inaccuracy.

[mthd97]

7 hours ago, Chrisb222 said:

 

If I understand you correctly and you're dealing with actual Chief Architect Marker objects, you should be able to marquee select the markers, open the specification dialog box and change the size to zero. They will still be there but virtually invisible. You could also change to an invisible line style.

 

If by "marker" you mean just the dimension line's anchor point, you may have to re-attach the anchor point to something else before deleting that line.

Clarification for us all. My other CAD application has most likely created extra lines that extend from the dimension line to the location of an element that is being referenced.

 

I have figured out that I need to consolidate all my lines in my other CAD application before exporting it as a DWG to import into CA.

 

Thank you all for your help. 

[JKEdmo]

19 minutes ago, mthd97 said:

My other CAD application

So... what's the mystery program???  Curious!

[agyigod]

nice programs