Tag: dwg

Linked DWG Error – file doesn't exist? Forum links and fix here …

Luke Johnson

Basically, the issue goes something like this:
Revit 2012 can’t find a linked dwg anymore. When I try to reload it, Revit says the file doesn’t exist. There is an other linked dwg in the same folder, which still loads fine.

Here are some relevant forum threads:
http://www.revitforum.org/architecture-general-revit-questions/3432-problem-revit-cant-find-linked-dwg.html

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=111157

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=73434

http://www.revitcity.com/forums.php?action=viewthread&thread_id=23907

Here is one solution.  Well, its not really a solution, more of a method that can be used to fix this problem:

1) make view templates for the graphical overrides of the imported dwg (Overrides import)
2) remove the file from the project
3) save under new name
4) reopen the project and Link CAD the same dwg file
5) apply the view template for graphical overrides
6) check all views, if you imported to all views
7) redo dimensions, if there were any connecting the linked dwg with the model

via this post

Exhaustive Review of DWG Export options (Russian)

Luke Johnson

In this article I will introduce the main features available to users when exporting Revit project in AutoCAD.

via

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Favisotskiy.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F11%2Frevit-autocad.html&hl=en&langpair=auto|en&tbb=1&ie=UTF-8

Original page:
http://avisotskiy.blogspot.com/2011/11/revit-autocad.html

From http://avisotskiy.blogspot.com

Convert PDF to Autocad DWG with Free Online Service

Luke Johnson

Just go to this link, then click Browse, select your PDF file then enter your email address.

You may have to dodge a few ads in the resulting email, but the actual DWG output is fast and the quality is not too bad.

I have posted about extracting useful data from PDFs before:
Obtain Vector Information from PDFs using Free Tools

Or if you want to convert an image to a DWG file:
Converting a raster image to a DWG file

Graphic Aberration when rotating view containing linked DWG

Luke Johnson

I printed a PDF from Revit today, and was presented with this output:

The text was not printed from a linked DWG.

This problem resulted because:

  1. I linked a DWG into a Detail (Section) View

  2. I then rotated the Detail View in Plan.

  3. I moved the linked DWG back into position.

  4. But obviously Revit was not impressed with this course of events!

It was a relatively simple fix – I used Ctrl-X to ‘cut’ the DWG into nowhere, then pasted it back into the view, and also ‘reloaded’ the DWG from the Manage Links dialog.

Converting a raster image to a DWG file

Luke Johnson

I wanted to convert a PDF file into content I could use in a Planting family in Revit.  Part of that process involved converting the image into DWG hatches that Revit could understand, either as an import or as a Filled Region.

Here is the process (scroll down for video):

  1. Download Adobe Illustrator
  2. Open the image in Illustrator.
  3. Select the image
  4. Click the ‘Live Trace’ button in the bar at the top.  There are a number of different methods to choose from.  The most accurate seems to be ‘Photo High Fidelity’, but this will likely result in the largest DWG.
  5. Save the file in Illustrator.
  6. Click File – Export and save as a DWG!

 Here is the video:

Use View Templates to Adjust Import Visibility / Graphics

Luke Johnson

You have two views, and you want a DWG Import or Link to be displayed the same in both views.  What is the quickest way to accomplish this?

  1. Copy DWG from first view.
  2. Paste Aligned into second view.
  3. On second view, right-click in Project Browser.
  4. Apply View Template – then ‘Show Views’
  5. Select the first view.
  6. Uncheck everything except the item related to ‘Import’ visibility.
  7. OK!

Here is a quick video:

DWG Import and Link Methods

Luke Johnson

A big tip for new players:

Never import a DWG file.  

And never, ever explode an Imported DWG file.

Nothing good will come of it.  Trust me.  Instead, do this (in order of preference):

  1. Use Revit natively, without adding messy DWG or CAD import data.
  2. Link DWG files, rather than import.
  3. Import DWG files into a Detail Component family, and then load that family in.
  4. Eat a very sour lemon.
  5. Import DWG file.
  6. Import DWG file and explode it.
  7. Cry

If you have any thoughts, or any other methods that you use (like Importing a DWG file into a RVT link and then using ‘Linked Views’, feel free to comment).

Reduce Precision of AutoCAD file for insertion into Revit (too many decimals!)

Luke Johnson

Let’s say you have AutoCAD file of unknown origin, and it has some wacky or imprecise units (like the distance between two walls is 8250.092234897). What you need to do is reduce the precision, such that all the decimal points get ‘chopped off’.

To do this:

  • Open the offending DWG in AutoCAD.
  • ‘Save As’ and choose a DXF format.
  • Go to Tools menu – Options (see below)

  • Choose DXF Options, ASCII Format and set the ‘Decimal Places of Accuracy’ to the desired value (choosing 0 will remove all decimal places):

  • Hit Save.

I recommend that you now open the DXF file you saved, and then resave it as a DWG file.Now you can insert your file into Revit, and you won’t have to deal with imprecise units.Please note that this process may result in some ’rounding off’ of values – you may want to double check the resulting file.

I found this process at the following link:
Forum Link