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Properties and other hidden information in a dwg file


wally

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Hello,

 

I am beginner in Autocad (I have Autocad 2005). I would like to know how can I detect all the information including in a dwg file (like author, signature, copyright, company name). I need to make sure the document is completely neutral before working on it. Please help find the places where to look to make sure my document is neutral.

Thanks in advance.

Wally

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How can I know if there is a digital signature? Where do I check this information?

The purpose of this drawing is to use it as neutral draft for discussion

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I think you aren't being vague enough.

 

So you think all this information (like author, signature, copyright, company name) is embedded somehow in the drawing? You're not refering to just what one can see with one's own eyes like in the title block?

 

Is the drawing password protected?

 

I would think you would know if there was a digital signature attached to the drawing. Anyway you can try the command sigvalidate.

 

SIGVALIDATE

"Displays information about the digital signature attached to a file."

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What everyone is thinking, ReMark is alluding to and I'm gonna ask 'cause I have no manners is - Why should we tell you how to remove information about who spent time and effort creating this drawing? "So it can be used for discussion." Sounds like a synonym (to me) for "So I can turn it in for a grade and not get caught."

 

If you need to discuss a poorly done drawing and don't want to incriminate the guilty draftsman, remove the visible identifying information, PDF it and discuss the PDF version.

 

If I'm wrong, convince me, I'll happily apologize for my suspicion, and make a few suggestions for what you want to do.

 

Glen

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Glen, Remark,

 

I am sorry if I am being unclear or vague. I am total new beginner at Autocad and that's probably why I do not manage to explain myself clearly. I am the middle man between two persons. The first person made the drawing and would like to get a quotation based on the drawing from the second person (so using a pdf won't help as the second person need to have all the dimensions and scale to make the quotation). The first person wants to remain completely confidential. My job is to make sure that there is no trace or connection with the author in the drawing and when I say "trace" I am talking about obvious visible trace. As I am a beginner, I am not sure I know where to look. If it is a Microsoft word file for example, I know I can look in file/properties or in the text itself. But for an Autocad drawing I don't know where to begin. I only see a drawing with no comments.

 

I am really sorry for causing all this suspicion

Wally

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If the person who did the drawing included all the dimensions necessary a PDF file will suffice just fine for preparing an estimate. A copy of the drawing file itself is not required.

 

Obvious visible information will be included in the titleblock. Have the originator delete the info before making the PDF file.

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Title blocks can normally be found down in the lower right-hand corner of a drawing. Some companies place their title block along the bottom of the sheet while others may locate them on the right side of the sheet. I've seen all three although the first one I mentioned is the most common.

 

I don't know how the originator set up his drawing. Dimensions should be placed on their own layer and the layer should be normally "on" (not "off" or "frozen"). Instruct the originator to keep the dimensions visible when creating the PDF file.

 

I get the feeling that not only are you new to AutoCAD you also have no drafting experience. Is that the case?

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Sorry for the suspicion, I've only been here a year or so, and even I have noticed that there are plenty of first time posters who ask strange questions that just scream "do my homework for me".

 

How is it that you have a copy of AutoCAD, no exp. using it, but are in the position of being a middleman or reseller?

 

There is no magical way to dimension a drawing that has not been already dimensioned. If the dimensions have been added to the drawing, they can be turned on and off.

 

If your client has drawn the object in question "properly" and included all dimensions necessary for the mfr of it, there should be no problem. If you make changes to the drawing, by adding dimensions that are not there, or by removing information from the drawing - I would think that you open yourself up for some level of liability if the parts come back and don't work.

 

It's your business, but I would be very reluctant to use software that I knew next to nothing about to modify someone elses plans for the mfr of parts.

 

I would think that for the purposes of getting a quote, PDF or paper copies would be sufficient. (Given a quality original drawing.) When it comes to actually building the parts, if the supplier really must have the source files (for instance for CNC machining) and your client really insists on anonimity, I would put it to your client to supply anonimized source files. Again, that limits your liability - if they miss some arcane identifying data, it's their fault. If you miss removing it, you are.

 

If the drawing is not dimensioned properly, it may take some back and forth (with you in the middle) to get the information properly presented.

 

Good luck.

 

Glen

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Glen, Remark,

 

Thank you so much for your patience and for your help. I have no experience with the software and no drafting experience. You both right the pdf should be enough for now. Thank you again for your help :-)

Wally

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Wally might be thinking of the information that M$ Word saves; i.e.: author, company name, date, comments and more.

 

No such property attachment exists in AutoCAD that I know of.

Of course you can right click on the file name in its' folder, PROPERTIES.

Write protect, add information in the "Summary".

 

Of course the Write Protect and Summary can be easily deleted, changed, by the holder of the *.dwg file.

 

Naturally, as mentioned above by ReMark, most of the information we need is included in the titleblock.

 

The BIG question is, "Who gave you the *.dwg file? Do you have the authors permission to modify, use and/or distribute the file?"

Title_Block.JPG

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With the drawing open, use the File, Drawing Properties, look at each tab to see if there is any information in there you don't want to pass on.

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Thank you everybody, this forum is great!

 

An additional question: if I want all the dimensions of the forms to appear, do I have to use the tool Aligned dimension and to select them one by one or is there an option to make them appear all at once?

Wally

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I'm not sure I understand your question. Aligned creates an aligned linear dimension. In other words it creates a linear dimension that is aligned with the origin points of the extension lines. Press F1 for AutoCAD Help. Look under the word Dimensions.

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