Import from Chief Architect

[Alaskan Son]

I'm hoping someone here may be able to help me.

 

I currently use Chief Architect for my design work and have another guy draw up my construction docs and take care of the engineering for permitting.

 

To date he usually draws everything up from scratch. Not too big a deal. I'm the builder, so most details don't need to be perfect, mostly just the structural stuff.

 

I would like to save him from having to draw things from scratch though if I've already done most of the work. My questions is this...

 

Have any of you found a good method of successfully importing plans drawn up in Chief Architect in a usable form?

 

I've experimented with sending the 3D model a couple of times but it seems its not really usable. Too much information, or in a bad format, I don't know.

 

Chief Architect can export both dwg and dxf in 3D or 2D, but there are quite a few options, layer settings, line weight settings, etc that come into play.

 

Have any of you found anything that works well?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated:)

 

Michael

[Alaskan Son]

I just realized I may not have been completely clear. I assume most of you understood, but just in case...

 

I want to export from Chief Architect to a usable form for AutoCAD (2008 in particular).

[SLW210]

What happens when you save as .dwg?

[tzframpton]

As long as you can export as a DWG then your other guy with AutoCAD will be just fine. If you want more detail of the export options, we can help you there too, but that will only make your other guy have less "drawing cleanup" if he wants all the layers and colors set to his own standard.

 

Just understand one thing, even two people swapping DWG CAD files that were both designed in AutoCAD, they still usually have to do "drawing cleanup" so it's not something to really worry about. Export to DWG as a 2D file and send it on over.

 

To test DWG files, you can download a freebie AutoCAD knock-off that is almost identical to AutoCAD, called Draftsight. Download it here: http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/download-draftsight/

 

Hope this helps.

[Alaskan Son]

Thanks Tannar. I greatly appreciate the input:)

[Alaskan Son]

Here are a couple samples of dwg exports. I have options regarding which layers to export, whether or not to use AutoCad index colors, whether or not to use fills, etc. I was going to attach a 3D dwg export, but the file size is too large to attach.

Sample 2DA.dwg

Sample 2DB.dwg

[SLW210]

I would prefer the second drawing (Sample 2DA.dwg).

 

You can download DWG TrueView from Autodesk to view drawings.

[Alaskan Son]

Thanks for the input SLW:)

[tzframpton]

I would prefer the 1st one (Sample 2DB.dwg) because I don't like solid hatching (aka: Fills) under all the cabinets and appliances. Too messy and unless people know to how to screen that out, they'll just delete it anyways. Solid Fills can be a pain in AutoCAD.

 

Just my $0.02 is all. Other than that, they are very detailed as far as extensive layer control, so manipulating them to fit one's own standards can be quite easy. Good job on the exports.

[Alaskan Son]

Thanks:) It has become clear that evreyone likes things a little differently, some people feel more comfortable with cleaning up plans, and others find all the layers a hassle to deal with. Good thing is that I can manipulate all the line weights (pen widths?) layers, and layersets, colors, fills, hatches etc. as necessary so that my AutoCAD friends can make use of them. Thanks again...you guys have been helpful.

[Organic]

I would prefer 2DB also (due to the no solid hatching). Other than that though they look fairly easy to work with.

[m e beck]

I hope someone can help me with this.

 

My plan designer uses Chief Architect and has converted his drawing into a DWG for me to use in AutoCAD 2013. When I open the drawing however, it is not to scale. I've tried importing it using the copyclip command to a blank drawing but it doesn't convert to scale. When I've tried using the scale command it doesn't scale properly. Please help!!!

 

Thanks!