Jump to content

"Lock" a DWG into 2-D?


Sbeth85

Recommended Posts

Hello-

 

I keep needing to Flatten everything in my 2-D drawing (actually, since ExpressTools isn't installed, I have to manually change the Elevation to 0),

 

but it seems there has to be a way to get AutoCAD to "lock" a DWG into 2-D, or Z=0? My lines keep accidentally getting Z-values and it's really annoying... Any ideas? o:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 23
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Sbeth85

    10

  • Tiger

    5

  • ReMark

    3

  • steven-g

    3

Top Posters In This Topic

Set the system variable ELEVATION = 0.

 

You might also want to be sure OSNAPZ is set to 0 too.

 

Your drawing technique must be in need of correction if your lines keep "accidentally" getting Z values other than 0.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's an important detail you failed to mention. For future reference. The more information you provide the better we will be able to help and guide you.

 

BTW...Why wasn't Express Tools installed and when are you going to get around to installing them? It doesn't take very long to do and anyone not installing them is doing themselves a disservice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just for these things I put together a list of things to do to a file from an outside source, to make sure that it wouldn't "contaminate" my own drawing. It's a pain to keep going into the source-files and edit them so that you can use them, especially if they keep updating them - but the 5-10 minutes it takes per file (some take longer ofc) to do it, I always had back in the end when working on them. And usually, they were much quicker to open after they had been cleaned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create a macro for a button. Z=0

 

Flatten All

^C^C_UCS;;_move _all;;0,0,1e99;;_move _all;;0,0,-1e99;;
_chprop;_all;;_thickness;0;;

 

Flatten Selected

^C^C_UCS;;_select \_move _p;;0,0,1e99;;_move _p;;0,0,-1e99;;

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create a macro for a button. Z=0

 

Flatten All

^C^C_UCS;;_move _all;;0,0,1e99;;_move _all;;0,0,-1e99;;
_chprop;_all;;_thickness;0;;

 

Flatten Selected

^C^C_UCS;;_select \_move _p;;0,0,1e99;;_move _p;;0,0,-1e99;;

 

 

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are so many variables and settings that may be different from a third party drawing to that which you use. My approach would be to open a new drawing based on my template/drawing then insert the third party drawing into it and save.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi All-

 

ReMark- I didn't mention the 3rd party because I didn't think THEIR work would interfere with my own later on... But apparently it does.

 

I don't have ExpressTools because the admin here didn't install it on my computer and he doesn't seem to know where the program disc is (I work for a development company, not an architecture firm) and he supports a lot of other services also and doesn't seem to have the time to install these.

 

Tiger- could you link me that handy-dandy list of how to clean up 3rd party files?

 

SLW210 and Rkmcswain- I've admired coding on other posts, but I have no idea how to implement it. Is there a basic how-to post for me to read first? I don't even know where to start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another question, y'all are smart, can I ask you a few more questions that've been bugging me about this file?

 

Once again, 3rd party file.

 

1. Sometimes when I'm measuring, a measurement that I know is 20 cm (let's say), comes out 345673.34, like the file is tapping into some other coordinate system. Anyone know why this is and how to fix it?

 

 

2. The Dims are all over the place. Sometimes they're on top of the line, sometimes on the bottom, sometimes upside down.

 

I've had to go in and manually adjust all their measurements in QuickProperties (for instance, even if it says "Above", I have to change it to "Below" to GET the dims above the line! How does that make sense? Or switch between right-to-left and left-to-right...) and add new ones, and even the new ones act funny sometimes... Any clue why this might be?

 

Thank you smart people! :notworthy:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Tiger- could you link me that handy-dandy list of how to clean up 3rd party files?

 

 

I created that list for my previous workplace and unfortunatly that was not one of the things I saved for future use.

The main points in the list was:

 

Audit

Purge

-Purge > Regapps (note the hyphen)

Check for stray Z-elevations (SLWs macro)

If the file asks for SHX-files and these cannot be obtained: change all linetypes to continous, change all text to ISO-font (or other generic font)

Check UNITS

Clear any stray objects far away (that messes with Zoom > Extents)

Remove Layouts that are not needed

 

That's all I can remember right now. Please be aware that this can be a pretty harsh cleanup, be careful so you don't remove objects that you later will need. Always, Always ALWAYS save an original of files you get from an outside source.

 

 

Update:

 

Question 1: is there a Z-elevation that is making the Distance look wonky?

 

Update 2:

 

About using code: take a look at this: http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?1390-How-to-use-the-LISP-routines-in-this-archive

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a button on the CUI and used it- and a bunch of stuff disappeared!

 

I think a bunch of the 3rd party Blocks have Zs that don't equal 0... (is that deliberate? Will that mean that they come out on top of the other layers in the drawing?)

 

What do I do, I can't lose all their info...

 

Thank you for your help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I assume the button was with SLWs macro, were you in World UCS before you started? Did you try the Selected-macro? What does it say on the commandline when you run it? Can you find the objects again, it is possible that they have ended up off screen.

 

Z-value not equal to 0 can be deliberate, but if you can't see a reason for it, then it's probably done unintentionally. It' won't affect the plotting much, but it will disturbe measurements first and foremost. And it can affect the size of the drawing (if there are enough of them).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a button on the CUI and used it- and a bunch of stuff disappeared!

 

I think a bunch of the 3rd party Blocks have Zs that don't equal 0... (is that deliberate? Will that mean that they come out on top of the other layers in the drawing?)

 

What do I do, I can't lose all their info...

 

Thank you for your help.

This is all to do with your other thread as well (not being able to stretch non coplainer dims). The drawing you have received has possibly been created by another program and the geometry and dims are all over the place - different elevations but also on different ucs planes, which is why that macro wont work. Can you post the dwg

 

EDIT - I believe that flatten should work, it works in a different way

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a new dwg and copy-pasted the main floorplan. It doesn't include the Layouts. I didn't try doing the Flatten Macro again, but I assume the same issues will arise...

 

Once again, here are the issues:

 

-flattening problems

- stretching dimensions ("can't stretch co-planar dimensions")

hardtoflatten.dwg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is my first job out of school as a draftsperson.

We got this file from an Italian design firm.

 

I don't know if this is the "normal" way to work... Basically they load one floorplan with tons of layers, then in the VPs they selectively VP-Freeze the nonapplicable layers. I probably should've made you a VP as a demonstration. For instance, the Ceiling Plan has a VP that has everything but the construction, dims, text, airconditions, and lights frozen.

 

So yes, when I'm dimensioning, I only see the relevant layers. That still doesn't explain why some things are on different Zs (despite me doing ELEVATION command to 0), and also why Stretching the Dims doesn't work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been going through the file for a while now and it ain't easy to get everything to Z=0. Let me just say that this is not good drafting practice. I would not consider you out of order if you went to someone (project manager, project leader, boss, mentor what-have-you) and explain the state of the file, say that this is going to take time if they want a functioning file.

 

What I have been doing to get this down to something workable - I haven't checked if small pieces of information have disappeard, but it doesn't look like it to me - is to flip the drawing to a view from the side and then selecting objects a group at a time, with a crossing window. Open Properties, change the selection at the top of the Properties window and change the Z-value for objects in small groups. Some I can change, some I have to select individually for it to change, some just refuses. There's a big block in the middle that is just all over the place, I just exploded that. If you have attributes in the block, the command BURST is a better option.

 

Then I keep going. Select objects in small groups, change the elevation through Properties and mmove on the next group. Use the command LAYISO to isolate layers that you want to check and select objects that way, use LAYUNISO to get back to the layer state that you have previous.

 

it's a tedious job, and it probably won't be perfect, but you should be able to get a functioning DWG.

 

Specifically the dimensions: You can isolate the layer they are on and then run FLATTEN on them, that works mostly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tiger-

 

Wow, I really appreciate the amount of time and energy you've put into this file!

 

This file is just one of tens... I don't think I'm going to get another firm to redo all their files. :Sigh: I'll take your advice and try to flatten the things that specifically bother me.

 

Thank you so much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...