P Retondo Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Anyone else experiencing this problem? When I export a file, with multiple layers visible, to .dwg and select "Export as dwg layers: layers," the resulting .dwg has only one layer with all objects crammed into it. Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 I don't understand the nature of your issue. It sounds like you are exporting vectorworks design layers to AutoCAD Layers. AutoCAD "layers" = Vectorworks "classes" perhaps this is your issue? Quote Link to comment
P Retondo Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) See attached screenshot Export options.pdf Edited March 31, 2021 by P Retondo Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) @P Retondo You're telling Vectorworks to export Vwx Design Layers as AutoCAD Layers. You need to switch it to Classes. Edited March 31, 2021 by jeff prince Quote Link to comment
P Retondo Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 Just now, jeff prince said: @P Retondo You're telling Vectorworks to export Vwx Design Layers as AutoCAD Layers. You need to switch it to Classes. Jeff, I don't want to export classes as separate layers in .dwg, I want to export layers as separate layers in .dwg. Used to work in the past, but now it doesn't seem to. Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 @P Retondo If I take a vectorworks file with multiple design layers and export it to DWG using Vectorworks layers to AutoCAD layers, the result is each design layer in vectorworks is translated into individual AutoCAD layers with all Vectorworks class information stripped. That's how it has worked for as long as I remember. What are you trying to achieve? Quote Link to comment
P Retondo Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) Jeff, thanks. I have layers with different stories of a building in separate layers. I want the same layer structure in the exported .dwg, exactly as you describe. I was wondering if anyone else has noticed that this doesn't work any more. The way I know this is that my structural consultant complained that everything was in the same ACAD layer. I imported my .dwg back into VW, and everything came in as one layer - I don't maintain a license of ACAD anymore, but I trust that what the engineer told me is true. I had to export separate files for each story. Edited March 31, 2021 by P Retondo Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 @P Retondo You do realized that AutoCAD does not have the capability to receive both Vectorworks Class and Layer information in the same file right? When I send .dwg to architects, I export each design layer as a separate file and activate the Class/Layer Conversions as indicated the image I posted earlier. The AutoCAD recipient then receives separate files for each design layer with Classes preserved. The recipient can then xref in the separate files as they need for their purposes. AutoCAD doesn't have Design Layers, so most folks use xrefs to simulate the behavior we enjoy in VWX. Quote Link to comment
P Retondo Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 @jeff prince Jeff, thanks for your input. I worked with ACAD for 4 years, so I am well aware of the layer/class issue. My purpose in bringing this up here is to find out if this might be a bug so I could report it. Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 @P Retondo No problem. The behavior you are describing is not a bug, it's actually a useful feature. I have plenty of AutoCAD clients that like my design layers to come into their system as a single autocad layer. They prefer the simplicity of it, though it wouldn't be my personal preference. I'm struggling to understand what it is that you think is actually a bug here. Quote Link to comment
P Retondo Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 (edited) @jeff prince When you select "Export DWG layers as : layers", your layers should become separate layers in ACAD. That's the way it has worked in the past, and since it isn't working that way now, that would be a bug - correct? The behavior in v2020 is not consistent with behavior in previous versions, or at least that's what I'm trying to confirm with other users. Having all your layers come into ACAD jumbled into one layer is distinctly unhelpful to most of my collaborators. Edited April 1, 2021 by P Retondo Quote Link to comment
P Retondo Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 2 hours ago, jeff prince said: The behavior you are describing is not a bug @jeff prince Are you stating this as a NNA engineer? Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 1 hour ago, P Retondo said: @jeff prince When you select "Export DWG layers as : layers", your layers should become separate layers in ACAD. That's the way it has worked in the past, and since it isn't working that way now, that would be a bug - correct? The behavior in v2020 is not consistent with behavior in previous versions, or at least that's what I'm trying to confirm with other users. Having all your layers come into ACAD jumbled into one layer is distinctly unhelpful to most of my collaborators. All I can say is that I'm on 2020 and it works correctly. When I export DWG layers as layers, each Vectorworks design layer appears in AutoCAD as a unique AutoCAD Layer. That's the desired behavior. Maybe you are doing something wrong. And no, I'm not a NNA engineer 🙂 good luck to you. Quote Link to comment
P Retondo Posted April 2, 2021 Author Share Posted April 2, 2021 Thanks, Jeff. I wonder if it has something to do with which version of ACAD I'm exporting to. I'll check that out. Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Here's how it should be behaving. layers to layers.mov Quote Link to comment
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