Changing out Template

[drennich]

Using ACad 2011.

We're changing all existing drawing to a new templates at work. What is the best way to accomplish this task? Open up existing drawing and somehow replace template or somehow copy/paste drawing into new template?

 

Thanks

[Dana W]

Do you already have your templates set up? What do you mean by New Template? Are you referring to an actual dwt file, or just a border/title block xref/block?

 

If you simply copy and paste the existing drawing into a new dwt file, it will bring in all the old layers and styles with it. Nothing will assume the "new template" properties all by themselves.

 

Most offices do not move the "legacy" drawings to a new template. There just isn't enough money in most company's pockets to pay for the man hours it takes to change all them over.

 

I would avoid doing this anyway. If one of the old projects had to go to court, how would you prove the "new" drawing was the same as the "OLD" drawing?

[BlackBox]

If you simply copy and paste the existing drawing into a new dwt file, it will bring in all the old layers and styles with it. Nothing will assume the "new template" properties all by themselves.

 

Correct; however, if the new template has same layers with different properties the inserted geometry will inherit the new ByLayer properties... and if not, that's what LAYTRANS Command is for.

 

Most offices do not move the "legacy" drawings to a new template. There just isn't enough money in most company's pockets to pay for the man hours it takes to change all them over.

 

I would avoid doing this anyway. If one of the old projects had to go to court, how would you prove the "new" drawing was the same as the "OLD" drawing?

 

Agreed.

 

The only time we migrate projects from legacy standard to a new standard, is if it is a version upgrade (i.e., going from Land Desktop 2009 to Civil 3D 2011), or if we'd just started a new project, and/or the completion of a given project is scheduled to be after the effective date for all new projects to be created using the new standard (typically the project manager's call).

 

Cheers

[rkent]

If you are talking about the title block then a script could be made to do that. This is why I xref in the title block, when a new one is needed it is very easy to change it in one place and be done.

[drennich]

Thanks guys...this comes about because of a site move. We are in the process of moving 150 equipment racks from one building into 3 different locations. Every drawing (site plans, building layouts, rack elevations, cable drawing, vendor drawing) will be touched in one way or another, so might as well update the template. Our template is our border and title block info(address, cage code, contract no., and size already filled out), distro statement, handling instructions, and warning (all in the layout) that is already as a .dwt. We are making a complete new set of legacy (or baseline) drawings by obsoleting the old and starting fresh. That being the case I, and my team, can still use parts of the old drawings; that is where the above question comes into play. Would it be easier to some how replace this layout template thing and just redo the viewports or copy the model space into the new model space of the template?

[Dana W]

Correct; however, if the new template has same layers with different properties the inserted geometry will inherit the new ByLayer properties... and if not, that's what LAYTRANS Command is for.

 

 

 

Agreed.

 

The only time we migrate projects from legacy standard to a new standard, is if it is a version upgrade (i.e., going from Land Desktop 2009 to Civil 3D 2011), or if we'd just started a new project, and/or the completion of a given project is scheduled to be after the effective date for all new projects to be created using the new standard (typically the project manager's call).

 

Cheers

Laytrans? How come I can't just post the .... I forgot about laytrans. Prolly cuz I ain't done no Old to New transfers.

 

The layer names matching is the BEST way, but who enforced layer use 3 or 4 years ago?

[BIGAL]

It sounds much easier to update the title blocks than recreate a complete new dwg by inserting existing detail, if using layouts it would be a massive job to recreate them all again.

 

A script will churn through the dwgs extremely fast.

 

A couple of questions is the title block same name in new and old with same attributes but just some new company details? If so then its a simple insert and if I remember correct a Attsync, we did this to about 100 dwgs had lunch all done, a couple of years ago, watch for correct Attsync advice.

 

Your script would look something like below, the lisp would do the insert warning into correct layout sheet at a location say sheet 1.

open dwg1 insert k:\project templates \master2013 0,0 1 1 0 Y attsync
(load "insprojectwarn") 
close y
open dwg2 insert k:\project templates \master2013 0,0 1 1 0 Y attsync 
(load "insprojectwarn") 
close y
open dwg3 insert k:\project templates \master2013 0,0 1 1 0 Y attsync 
(load "insprojectwarn") 
close y

[drennich]

Thanks BIGAL, but unfortunately it's not that simple. We have to check-out our drawings from a program call PTC Windchill (which was designed more for manufacturing) which is a long and tedious process, write up an Engineering Change Order to obsolete the drawing, insert Obsolete Block in drawing and then we can start making the new drawing by writing up an ECO, then checking the new revised drawing in Windchill. It's pretty crazy, but that is how the process was set up before I even came along. And we're looking at roughly 850 drawings, each one getting touched up by "hand" with new template, drawing names and numbers at a minimum. Good thing cost and time isn't an issue. I'll ask the boss about running a script to change out the template, but I'm guessing I know the answer. Any other ideas? Please throw them my way!

[BIGAL]

Be carefull but you can have "startup" lisps that start once you open a dwg, so if you can write a lisp/s to do the steps you want it will at least do them to every drawing you open, last line is "close" "Y" once happy remove the startup. There was a post yesterday about using Acad.lsp & acaddoc.lsp this is where you would put your startup.

 

Quoting my bible R12 lisp manual if S::Startup is included in acad.lsp it is called automatically, you include a defun s::startup, perform any setup operations you want.