Autosketch 9 to AutoCAD LT 2014

Where do we stand at this point? Some feedback appreciated. Thanks.

Sorry, for not responding sooner. First the Holiday, and then a few fires needed to be put out on Friday.

I was able to change the scale finally, but then the entire drawing wasn't shown. There was a huge "margin" around the page, over 1". The area that printed included my original scale bar, so I was able to determine that the drawing was to the correct scale:D just that the whole thing wasn't shown.

On the "page setup" tab, I have the paper set to 8.5 x 11 (the size of drawing in AS), and the plot area / what to plot set to "window", and "fit to page".

I've been checking with the local Tech Colleges to see if there are any quick "cliff notes" classes, but I'm not having any luck with that either. I've played with it enough this weekend, that if I start a drawing from scratch I'm OK, it's the drawings that are created in AS, and I have to convert that are causing me the headaches. Unfortunately, the resources I have on hand are focused on new drawings and there is very little about modifying imported drawings.

If you post one of these converted drawings (an actual DWG file not an image) someone here will take a look at it and most likely come back with a quick solution. Otherwise we're going to spend all day trying to sort this out via word descriptions.

Trial .DWG

Does this work??

Not exactly.

There are no dimensions to reference/check against and you failed to make use of a paper space layout and a viewport as previously suggested.

It usually isn't a good idea to assign the same color to all your layers then compound the error by overriding the layer color and linetype. That is just poor practice. It is highly recommended that you set both Color and Linetype to "ByLayer".

Not exactly.

 

There are no dimensions to reference/check against and you failed to make use of a paper space layout and a viewport as previously suggested.

 

It usually isn't a good idea to assign the same color to all your layers then compound the error by overriding the layer color and linetype. That is just poor practice. It is highly recommended that you set both Color and Linetype to "ByLayer".

OK, here's were I sit. My trial of AutoCAD LT 2014 has expired, but in the reference book I bought there was a trial of AC 2013. So I'm installing that right now.

This weekend I realized there was some confidential information on the drawing I was working with, and when I removed it I must have undone all the things you helped me with last week and not realized it. I will go back and fix those and then attach it again.

As for the dimensions to reference and layer color, the file is how it was in AS. I don't THINK I changed any of that.

I will get the file fixed according to your instructions last week and upload it again.

Well I sort of have it straightened out. I created a layout with a viewport and have the map scaled correctly. But your title block and border should also be over in your layout and not back in model space (old school style). BTW...it was a tight fit in the layout. Keep in mind that there is a limit to which AutoCAD will plot defined via a dashed line. Anything on or outside the dashed lines will NOT be printed.

Note: Viewports should be on their own layer and set to "no print" in the Layer Properties Manager.

OK, thanks. If I start from scratch, I can manage getting things set up the way the project manager wants. It's the drawings that I need to bring over from AS that are causing me the problems.

You don't have to start from scratch.

If I can create a layout and viewport in the existing file so can you. As for the remainder of what I said re: layers and their color/linetype that too can be corrected in the existing file. Heck, you can even bring the title block and border from model space into paper spcae via the CHSPACE command if you want to although you may have to resize it ever so slightly to fit within the dashed lines representing the extents of printing.

FYI - 1) You might want to increase VIEWRES from 100 to 5000 too. 2) When zoomed in closer some of your geometry looks a bit "off". 3) You seem to have an overabundance of geometry designated as ROADSPROPERTYLINE. Wouldn't some of those lines be the actual property lines and the remainder be the edge of pavement? 4) If you are going to put all the existing utilities on a single layer then why bother changing their color or having different linetypes? Assign one color, one linetype and call the layer EXISTINGUTIL. 5) Why would the street names be on the SITEOUTLINE layer?

Sorry, when I meant from scratch, I meant new projects that I have to create a new figure for anyway. As far as the layer names, the project manager wants certain things on certain layers in certain formats, etc. That was a big part of me wanting a different drafting program, if he didn't know how to use it, I had a better chance of making the figures the way I wanted:roll:

I sincerely thank you for all of your help, as frustrating as I was. But I got shot down on getting AutoCAD for now, so for the time being I'm still stuck with Autosketch.

I'm going to keep trying to learn it on my own time, so that hopefully some day I can try again.

Thanks again!!!

Did I mention the FREE 2D program called DraftSight by dessault systemes? It's FREE and it is an AutoCAD clone.

Why do you have a LAYER01 which according to your legend represents Approximate Property Line but only the single line in the legend itself appears on that layer?

I'd seriously recommend not using New Times Roman as your text style either. It's tough to read when small and the letters could fill in. I'd used one of the SHX fonts that ships with AutoCAD. RomanS would do.

I'll definitely try the DraftSight!!

The whole layer name / what is on each layer is a big headache of mine in AS. When I originally create a drawing Layer 01 is strictly supposed to be the boarder, the title block, the N arrow, and the scale. Buildings = well structures, roads = you get the picture.

But because I'm not the only one that works on the drawings (I'm the primary one, but the project mngr will go in and make changes), things get moved around and I don't always catch it. If I lock or group things so that they can't get changed, my boss gets upset = doesn't go over well at review time.

It frustrates me to no end, not to mention want he wants doesn't make sense to me most of the time, but he is the boss. Starting to see my sneaky plan to get things my way ? If he doesn't know how to mess around with the figure, I can draw it and layer it the way that makes sense to most people and me. Not saying I don't have my own quirks with drawings, that you pro's would bang your head against a desk with, but they work for me (i.e. it's the only way I could figure out how to do something).

I honestly have templates created that have everything all set up (paper size, scale, boarder, etc.). And I use them exclusively, but one the PM's get their hands on my figures it tends to all go out the window.

Maybe it is time to consider writing some "standards" for everyone to follow.

Instead of using group why aren't you using blocks? Even your monitoring well symbol isn't a block.

Maybe it is time to consider writing some "standards" for everyone to follow.

 

Instead of using group why aren't you using blocks? Even your monitoring well symbol isn't a block.

HA, you're funny:shock:, lol. Why do you think I made the templates? All the layers & names are already there, the fonts, the well shapes, etc. Certain people are VERY set in their ways. The new guy I can mold, haha. Not so much with the boss. Maybe I should've mentioned earlier there's only 4 of us who use the drafting, and there's only 12 total employees in the company. We don't have designated "drafters". I do the majority of it, but am normally out in the field 70% of my time. So when I'm not around, the others are left to their own devices and we are all basically self taught.

I'm not trying to be difficult, I understand where you are coming from. The last company I worked for had people that did strictly the drafting, and when new people come in, they have a hard time with not having that available.

Everything I've done in AS has been self taught with only a version 7 guide, and whatever I can find on the internet. And since I have a SLIGHTLY better grasp on AS than I do CAD, I'm open to suggestions on that as well. I've never heard of "blocks" before in AS. I was able to make a symbol and save it:D

The fact that your company does not having a designated drafter is precisely why standards should be discussed, written and adopted to prevent exactly what is happening (i.e.-everyone going his or her own way). All the drawings should look like they originated from the same company and not a group of pseudo-CAD monkeys pounding blindly away at a keyboard. I would think your boss would see the merit in this approach. It also sounds like someone who cares ( that's you ) should suggest a "lunch and learn" session once a month to cover some of the most glaring mistakes people are creating and ways to avoid them. Your drawings are part of the image the company puts forth to the public and should reflect the utmost in professionalism.

Preaching to the choir, lol. I've been trying (rather unsuccessfully, obviously) to standardize our figures without success. My boss admits that he wants the consistency and uniformity, but when rubber hits the road he is to set in his ways. Switching the drafting program is my last ditch effort to standardize the figures. If he doesn't know what to do = I have to do it, and it will always be the same. Because he's been using AS for a very long time, he has his way of doing things and can't change (if you knew him, you'd understand). We have new numbering guidelines for our figures from the regulating agencies we work with, and he is kicking and screaming about changing even that!!! I would say that 90% of our figures look the same, but I want 100%. It's on my list of things to bring up at review time.

On the positive side, we have been complimented numerous times on our figures, so we aren't THAT bad, lol