Exporting VectorWorks 12 to DWG - very messy

[Jason Jacobs]

Hi all. I've searched this forum to no avail so I thought I post my question. Let me start with a quick background.

I'm working with a client who designs custom home plans and has been for 20+ years. He's got several hundred plans in the old BluePrint 5.0 format. He just recently purchased VectorWorks 12 and also has MiniCAD 7 or 8 (not sure). We figured out how to convert from BluePrint to MiniCAD to VectorWorks without a hitch. Everything comes across cleanly - very cleanly. As a matter of fact, I was pleasantly surprised to see how perfect the translation was.

I run a 3D Visualization company and we use 3D Studio MAX and AutoCAD. I have been commissioned to create 3D models and renderings using my clients CAD files. In order for this job to be successful, I need to convert from VectorWorks to DWG format. Here is where I run into a problem. I'm exporting to DWG from VectorWorks but when I open the DWG file in AutoCAD, I'm getting a garbled mess. In some cases, most of the information isn't even coming across. (See the images below.)

I'm not sure where the loss of translation is occurring. I'm inclined to believe that it's happening at the DWG export stage, since the conversion from BluePrint to MiniCAD to VectorWorks is flawless - at least it seems flawless. Are there any guidelines that I should be following to "prep" the VectorWorks file before exporting to DWG? I?m using all the export defaults. I can provide more information if it helps. Just let me know what else you need. I would appreciate any ideas and suggestions since I?m out of ideas and didn?t have all the many ideas to begin with.

Many thanks!

Jason Jacobs

3D Plans

Elevation Zoom 1

Elevation Zoom 2

Elevation Extents

Floor Plan Zoom

Floor Plan Extents

[Andrew Bell@NV]

If you import the DWG back into VectorWorks (into a blank, new file), how does it look? Often, you can use that to gauge the quality of an export and track down problem items.

[Nina Ivanova]

Jason,

Would you, please, send the VectorWorks document, which you export to DWG, to me: nivanova@nemetschek.bg

Confidentiality is guaranteed.

Thank you,

Nina Ivanova

Software Development

Nemetschek

[Jason Jacobs]

Thanks Andrew and Nina.

Nina - I just emailed you.

Thanks again!

[Nina Ivanova]

Jason,

I just emailed you the corrected VW12 file - there was a problem with layers view setting, which is probably due to the previous transitions - BP to MC or MC to VW12. All the exported objects are on their right places after the correction.

Thanks for the files,

Nina

[holsteinson]

Nina can you expand more what was wrong?

I have tried also exporting many DWG files with VW12 in Autocad 2004, 2005 and 2006 and this command is definetly NOT working properly the resulting files are all mess up

I also tried exporting the same files in DWG 2000, 2002 and it is better BUT not working 100% the fonts and texts are not properly handled but at least the drawings are ok

in VW11 this bug was not present

PLEASE FIX these DWG file export commands asap!