errors importing DWG files

[P Bartoli 1]

I have imported a DWG file into VW 11 and get a strange result: the drawings is full of "hairy lines" that don't belong to the original drawing for sure.

I double checked the DWG, that imported fine in another CAD application.

BTW, I wish to show you what I see on my monitor, but don't know how to attach images to this message: is it possible?

[Nina Ivanova 31]

You could send the DWG to NNA Tech support.

Nina Ivanova

Nemetschek BG

[P Bartoli 1]

can you provide me with an email address?

thanks

[Guest]

If you go to our web site and click on the Support link, it will give you a list of support options. One of those is Bug Submit. You can fill out a bug report there, and it has an email address (bugsubmit@nemetschek.net) for sending files to. (It would be best to include both the image and the DWG.)

You can also use UBB code to insert images, but they have to be hosted on the web somewhere.

[mike m oz 287]

John - when a problem like this occurs the user usually needs a quick answer to their problem.

Hence the posts in the forums in the hope that another user will have an answer to their problem.

[Guest]

I'm not saying that it shouldn't be posted here, but the description is vague enough that I have no idea what the problem could be, and the only likely way to figure it out is to get a copy of the file. Submitting a bug report is the best way to make sure it gets tracked and addressed.

[P Bartoli 1]

Here are the files:

- this is how the imported DWG shows in VW

- ...and how it should be!

- this is the resulting VW imported DWG file

- this is the original DWG file to be imported

Wish VW imported better.

[mike m oz 287]

Paolo - i tried the import and ended up with the same result.

During the import process I noted that:

- there were just under 5200 objects to be converted.

- the first 4500 or so converted quickly.

- the next 600 were converted more slowly.

- the last 100 were converted very slowly.

The objects which have converted weirdly are polylines and there are 818 of these.

Interogating this drawing with Custom Selection 2 was very slow. Definately something weird going on!

[ 09-15-2005, 04:20 AM: Message edited by: mike m oz ]

[Guest]

I've reproduced the problem, and don't have a workaround at this time. You can try saving it from the other CAD application, or saving to earlier or later versions of DXF or DWG. I'll forward the problem to the person who works on that area.

[oldguy 0]

Have forwarded (via e-mail) to Paolo a DWG with splines converted to polylines (would have attached here if I could have figured out how )

Perhaps he will lets us know how it works

JimL

[P Bartoli 1]

Thanks Jim,

your revised DWG import without problems into VW: see attached link:

Jim's revised DWG with polylines imports fine into VW! .

Jim, I'd like to understand better the process involved in the translation you did for me (thanks again!): you did it in Autocad, I guess... and would like to understand if it'd be possible to make the same operation - as a workaround to the current VW import problem - in other CAD apps other than VW.

[oldguy 0]

Yes in AutoCAD 2004. I used a LISP program to convert all splines to polylines, and for good measure I saved as a AutoCAD 2000 format drawing.

Now, I could try to tell you what the LISP program did, but I had simply 'Googled' for "convert spline to polyline" and found and download the LISP file (from code archives at http://www.cadonline.com/ if one is interested)

JimL

[bonus 0]

I believe I've experienced this too.

I solved it by unchecking "snap to loci" in the VW preferences.

[P Bartoli 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by bonus:

I solved it by unchecking "snap to loci" in the VW preferences.

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What do you mean Bonus, can explain it better? Do you mean you could control how imported files are being converted? I don't remember such a "snap to loci" box in the import options, maybe I just missed it?

[mike m oz 287]

jan15 - I like your sense of humour. A very apt description.

I have noticed that occassionally the preference of snap to loci seems to switch on by itself during a DWG import - I have fielded a query tonight on this very subject by a VW10 user.

Why it should do this intermittently who knows. There must be something in some DWG files which triggers this.

PS techs - if you want the DWG file in question send me an email and I will arrange for it to be sent to you.

[jan15 2]

The "Snap to Loci" option is not in the Import Options, but rather in File > Preferences > VectorWorks Preferences.

And it has nothing to do with snapping. It should be called "Draw Big Hairy Lines All Across and Up and Down the Screen at Loci". But that would take up too much room, and might make people wonder why there would be such a preference.

[bonus 0]

well Paolo, I think jan15 got the answer for you - did it work? Va bene?

[P Bartoli 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by bonus:

well Paolo, I think jan15 got the answer for you - did it work? Va bene?

---

I have to retrieve the "airy" dwg and try to import it again with the mentioned option switched off.

[P Bartoli 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by jan15:

The "Snap to Loci" option is not in the Import Options, but rather in File > Preferences > VectorWorks Preferences.

And it has nothing to do with snapping. It should be called "Draw Big Hairy Lines All Across and Up and Down the Screen at Loci". But that would take up too much room, and might make people wonder why there would be such a preference.

---

sorry to report that I got a new file from the same source and had the very same problem, Even unchecking "snap to loci" doesn't work! I think NNA should work on this kind of problems.

[Guest]

This problem is reported as being fixed in VectorWorks 12.

[P Bartoli 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by jodawi:

This problem is reported as being fixed in VectorWorks 12.

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Will it be a free update, as it's a bug in VW ?

[P Bartoli 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by jodawi:

This problem is reported as being fixed in VectorWorks 12.

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This means that I have to pay (to upgrade to vw12) to import correctly a dxf file that is supposed to be part of the standard package??

What would you do if your car wouldn't accept Exxon gasoline? You'd take back the car to the manufacturer for a free repair!

This DXF import problems drive me crazy: it should work. As a matter of fact I'm working with a broken application, and I have to pay myself for problems not resolved by Nemetshek??!!

Makes me think NNA is not a serious company. The competitors are used to release "patch upgrades" for free.

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by P Bartoli:

Makes me think NNA is not a serious company. The competitors are used to release "patch upgrades" for free.

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Four free patch upgrades were released for 11 - 11.0.1, 11.5.0, 11.5.0 Service Pack for Windows, 11.5.1.

I don't make the policies, so I can't comment on whether or not there should be more patches available. Most software companies only offer free patches for a certain period of time, and all further bug fixes go into new releases. NNA is no different.

[mike m oz 287]

Paolo - you could overcome your loci problem by using VectorBit's Optimise Drawing plug-in to delete all of the loci from your imported drawings. (30 Euros - well worth it!)

http://www.vectorbits.com/

[ 12-14-2005, 11:57 AM: Message edited by: mike m oz ]

[P Bartoli 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by mike m oz:

Paolo - you could overcome your loci problem by using VectorBit's Optimise Drawing plug-in to delete all of the loci from your imported drawings. (30 Euros - well worth it!)

http://www.vectorbits.com/

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Mike, thanks for the interesting link.

Still I don't understand the conncetion between my dwg import problems and "loci problems". I see no connection.

I realized than the problem seems to be due to ACAD 2000 vs. ACAD 12. I mean that the same file saved as ACAD 2000 comes with splines instead of polylines (that comes in the ACAD 12 dwg).

For what I understand, splines causes the "airy lines" during the import process into VW 11.

As a matter of fact, JimL (oldguy) succeded in translating my dwg with splines into a dwg with polylines. The last one imported fine. Thanks again to JimL for the help!

[P Bartoli 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by jodawi:

quote:

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Originally posted by P Bartoli:

Makes me think NNA is not a serious company. The competitors are used to release "patch upgrades" for free.

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Four free patch upgrades were released for 11 -

11.0.1, 11.5.0, 11.5.0 Service Pack for Windows, 11.5.1

.

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jodawi,

that's all true. Unfortunately seems like my problem is solved with an upgrade to release 12, which is not free...