Importing dwg file crashes my 2019

[Thermal K]

I received a site plan dwg file from an architect(they use AutoCad)to use as our base sheet for Landscape design. When I try to import it, it crashes the whole application.

In fact, it crashes right after I select the file. I cant even get to the import options to try to make changes. I had the architect save it down to version 2000 and same thing happens.

All other files open fine. Any thoughts before I call their firm again for the 3rd time and tell them their file still does not work? 

 

Thank you.

[michaelk]

Can you open it in a dwg reader?  (like MiniCad)

 

If you post the file here or PM it to me I'll try it on my machine.

[Art V]

There are several possible causes for Vectorworks to crash when importing the file. If it crashes right upon start of import it could be a read/write access issues with the folder that the DWG file is in, it is something I have seen in the past on Windows, so you may want to check the file permissions on your Mac and do a repair or something like that.

It could also be that there are some unsupported objects, but a DWG 2000 file should in theory not be a problem.

 

Another thing you may want to check is if it is actually a DWG file, I've had people change the file extension of files to turn it into something else instead of doing it the proper way (e.g. changing DWG to ZIP as if that would make it a ZIP archive, or ZIP to DWG as if that would make it a DWG file).

 

To find out open the file in a plain text editor and look for the first few lines where it should state the AutoCAD file format version (.e.g AC1015 for AutoCAD 2000 or some other code, you can find the codes on this Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.dwg ). If it doesn't show a valid ACxxxx code then it may not be a DWG file after all.

 

Did you try importing everything as 2D only or 3D only? Sometimes this helps as VW sometimes doesn't get it right and could crash. It is rare for VW to crash on this but when importing as 2D and 3D objects fails importing it as 2D or 3D only might make it work.

 

If you want you could post the DWG file if it is not confidential or send VW support or me the file in a PM to have a look to see if it imports in their/my copy of VW.

[Art V]

Another possibility is that their or your e-mail software is not properly handling/recognizing the attachment and "mangling" the file encoding. This is rare nowadays but it is something I have experienced in the past. Ask them if they can send the file in a ZIP archive or provide it as a download link (Dropbox etc. or a file transfer site like WeTransfer).