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Exporting to DWG w/ referenced files


Gloria

Question

I am trying to export a DWG from a VW2015 master file that includes design layer viewport references to several files. There are several of us working on the project, so we can each work on a different element at the same time and then have the master file reference them all.

Things worth noting:

***Both the referenced element files and the master files have viewports, but it is only important to share the master files's viewports and design layers in the dwg export.

***Also potentially confusing, the individual element files each reference a main venue file, so there is some cross referencing.

***Sometimes there are multiple layers with the same design layer viewport, each set with a different layer/class visibility.

Apparently, when I export, each instance of referenced file shows up as an additional layer (or whatever AutoCad calls them), resulting in many duplicates of the same thing, and extremely large file sizes.

***What is the best way to handle exporting vwx files with referenced files?

***Is there a simple way to imbed all the references prior to export?

***Are there any preferences the person opening the dwg should select?

Then there is the issue of exporting 2d/3d symbols... but that's another issue.

This sharing system is working very well with all of the vectorworks users, but our autocad user is extremely frustrated and upset with the amount of work it takes him to clean up the files he receives from us.

any insight?

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Also worth noting..

the references are set to "path relative to current document."

"save referenced cache to disk" and "update class definitions for referenced symbols" are both unchecked.

This keeps our file sizes down and classes manageable

Edited by Gloria
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I've recently wrestled with exporting multiple references.

My solution is to bring the master DWG into Acad (or freebee compatible) and change the Xrefs to all point to the same file. It's a case of VW can do something Acad can't so they try to keep it in the export.

I also export separate 2D & 3D files. If an Acad user wants to combine them they can Xref them together quite easily.

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In our office we set up separate files for Plans, Sections, Elevations and Details, and use Design Layer Viewport (DLVP) referencing between them.

In some cases it is useful for us to use a DLVP layer as an element in a drawing created on a Sheet Layer (for example, when the base topographic survey information is used in the site plan).

In these cases, the sheet layer will reference some regular Design Layers and also a Design Layer that contains a DLVP.

We are having issues when we export these Sheets to DWG for our consultants during coordination. The files export ok, and can be re-opened via Vectorworks DWG import, but our consultants say that upon opening the file in AutoCAD it freezes or crashes.

It is also observed that the files become big, and therefore slow to work with, and that a set of additional and entirely empty classes (AutoCAD Layers) are created.

We have had the same problems with large and complex files and also small and simple files. It seems to be directly related to including a DLVP when exporting.

Has anybody had similar issues, and if so, are there any fixes?

Is it considered acceptable practice to export Sheets that have viewports to DLVPs? It seems like quite a simple and powerful thing to be able to do.

Many thanks,

Mike H

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