Saturday, February 21, 2009

Converting Drawings Between Layering Standards in AutoCAD

DO NOT DUPLICATE DO NOT DISTRIBUTE

Introduction

In this project you learn how to convert a drawing from one layering standard to another. You will find this project useful if you need to be able to ensure that groups of drawings use the same layers.

In this project you learn how to:

  • Modify layers.
  • View layers from two drawings at once.
  • Map layers from one drawing into another.
  • Convert drawings between layering standards.

By the time you complete this project you should feel comfortable maintaining layer standards across drawings.

©1997-2005 OpenCAD International, Inc. www.opencad.com

Defining a Drawing with the Right Layers

Layers are important to drawings because they control the color of objects, the visibility of objects and the way objects plot. In this drawing you look at, and modify, the layers in a drawing.
  1. Open the 7018.dwg drawing file.

  2. Select the Layer Properties Manager icon.
  3. Select the Cyan square associated with the HTCH layer.
  4. Select the Magenta color from the standard color area.

  5. Choose OK.
  6. Choose OK to exit this window.

  7. From the File menu, choose Save As.
  8. Type 7018-new.dwg.
  9. Save this file in a folder you will be able to find later.
  10. From the File menu, choose Close.

Now that you have created a drawing with the layers configured the way you like.

©1997-2005 OpenCAD International, Inc. www.opencad.com

Converting Drawings Between Standards

Now that you have a drawing that has the right layers in it, you can force other drawings to use this standard.
  1. Open the 7018b.dwg drawing file.

  2. At the command prompt type LAYTRANS. The layers of the current drawing are displayed in the left viewport.

  3. Choose the Load button.
  4. Choose the 7018-new.dwg drawing.
  5. Choose Open.

  6. Select Cons in the left window.
  7. Select CONSTRUCTION in the right window.

  8. Select the Map button to move the objects from the Cons layer to the Construction Layer.
  9. Repeat this process to map the Crosshatching layer to the HTCH layer.
  10. Repeat this process to map the Rail-1 layer to the RAIL layer.
  11. Repeat this process to map the rail-2 layer to the RAIL layer.

  12. Note that you can use the Map Same option to quickly map all the layers that are the same in both drawings.
  13. Choose Save to save the layer translation mapping.
  14. Type 7018-Layer-Trans.dws This will let you convert any other drawing that uses the same layers.
  15. Choose Translate to translate the layers in 7018b.dwg to match the specified layers 7018-new.dwg.

You will find our version of the revised drawing in 7018c.dwg.

©1997-2005 OpenCAD International, Inc. www.opencad.com