Import CAD drawings

[greensc96]

I am attempting to import a DWG file sent to me by another individual from a CAD program. I watched the one video on it and followed steps but my drawing turned out very small and distorted.

Any suggestions or guidance.

Thank you.

[Ken Boyer]

It may be related to the imported cad having been offset a large distance from the 0,0 origin. See if you can locate to zero, zero pt on the import and move the drawing closer to your origin.

[WendyWelton]

Quite frequently dwg files from surveyors are in feet, where we are in inches. Select all - Transform/Replicate - Scale up by a factor of 12.

Also - as Ken mentioned, they are often very very very far from the center of Chief's universe. After your import, select all, Ctrl-C to put on your windows clipboard. Open a new file, Ctlr-C to paste and click. A new file will be centered pretty close to X=0 & Y=0, so pasting via a simple click (as opposed to Paste/Hold) will put what need where it needs to be.

[fairbanks]

thats a good trick wendy i do a lot of importing of dwgs and will use that one in the future

[Doug Park]

You can also select the underlying unit when you import. Unfortunately, AutoCAD doesn't store the unit in their files so it is impossible for us to figure out what it is automatically.

[JL DRAFTING]

ACAD surveys are drawn as feet represented by inches with the decimal specified. Just scale the drawing times 12 to get the full size.

[marty]

I always import survey files into a cad detail first. This isolates the survey layers completely from the main plan and allows fill screen to be used regardless of scale. I then check line lengths and scale accordingly. Once the scale is correct and any other tiying up has been done I copy all the data into the main plan.

[yusuf]

first make sure of the scale of dimentioning unit in autocad file. for examplein the .dwg if 1m=1000 u should then make the unit in the ca import wizard mm,if 1m=100 it is in cm that u sellect during import process. let me add one tip for only those in need and dont know it so far. you can import your auto cad plan in to ca and automatically convert to walls,windows,doors and rails by defining differnt layer for each in the dwg file.Then import it go to the comand "cad to wall" and select layers in the dbx and no redrawing the plans just automatically you get it there. This is usefull when you r team working with architects that do not use ca and the building has huge sqr feet builtable floor area with too many walls,windows,doors.........

[lbuttery]

Yusef:

this thread was from 2009

Lew

[yusuf]

It may be related to the imported cad having been offset a large distance from the 0,0 origin. See if you can locate to zero, zero pt on the import and move the drawing closer to your origin.

ah yes. lew honestly speeking i didnt c the time.right you r. It was guests viewing thread then i was about to help some one in need but too late. But its ok may be at least helpfull for the guests l saw looking at it and still unregistered may be 2008 relative to the thread.and finally it is renewed man u did join it

[yusuf]

lew surprisingly 2day i have replied an other old thread. I rwinded the time more than a decade. I just got crazy tracking back i am sorry i will press forward button of my brain and i wil get back to current time! Wait 5minutes thanks for ur reset to defoulting me lew i was stacked.what else shall i have to say lew. Oh my frnds scott and perry were unlucky to watch this old comeddy movie.

[Tommy Blair]

I always import survey files into a cad detail first. This isolates the survey layers completely from the main plan and allows fill screen to be used regardless of scale. I then check line lengths and scale accordingly. Once the scale is correct and any other tiying up has been done I copy all the data into the main plan.

This what I generally do now. A very safe method. I've had a couple of dwgs over the years that when imported to a plan view that you couldn't find it because it's so far off 0",0" in Chief. As a general rule of thumb for me, all surveys should be imported as decimal feet and all Architectural plans imported as inches.

[yusuf]

Tommy u r right,in general it may depend on the units some one uses, but what type of survey data? contour lines or cordinate points x,y,z,i usually use points xyz# arranged in note pad and during import there is an option to fit 0,0,0 of chief with that of the survey data