2014 DWG files in 2011

[iankovtunovich]

Our structural firm is using 2011, and our office has received drawings that came out of 2014 twice in the past week (from separate arch clients). In both instances, we back-converted using DWG TrueView 2014, but upon opening in ACAD, none of the walls were showing up (although they do appear in the preview). One of my other drafters dealt with it the first time, and got it resolved, although I didn't get specifics on how. Naturally, the second time it happened, she was out, so I am seeing if the architect can back-save to 2010 on their end and send the file, and see if that helps.

While waiting on that, I tried QSelect in the offending file, and in the list of items that comes up, there was, amid the usual Text, Line, Pline, Block, etc., something called ACAD_PROXY_ENTITY. I selected all (nothing was visible, however--usually you see grips at least when you QSelect things), then exploded, and the walls showed up.

I have had somewhat similar odd behavior from drawings coming from I think ADT (do they still make ADT?), where things like walls, doors and windows come in as something block-like (I think AEC OBJECTS?), and we have to explode them in order to control color and visibility of their constituent parts. Perhaps this is something similar?

At any rate, this seems like something that either shouldn't be happening, or that has a more obvious fix than having to qselect and explode invisible things to get them to show up.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

- Ian

[Patchy]

If you had disabled the show proxy objects then when open their drawings you don't see the boxes where the aec obj. are.

You need OBJECT ENABLER for Arch. drawings.

or ask them to EXPORTTOAUTOCAD to become plain autocad drawings for you.

[Patchy]

If you had disabled the show proxy objects then when open their drawings you don't see the boxes where the aec obj. are.

You need OBJECT ENABLER for Arch. drawings.

or ask them to EXPORTTOAUTOCAD to become plain autocad drawings for you.

[dgorsman]

The vertical products (Architecture, Mechanical, Electrical, and so on) introduce a new level of compatibility in addition to DWG version.  The custom objects used by these programs have a version *in addition to* the DWG version which will affect the object enabler required as well as the version of software which can be used to modify that content.  This needs to be included in discussions with those providing the drawings, since you may request "2010 format" when you really mean DWG version; if they are working in ACA 2013 the custom objects will always be in "ACA 2013" version regardless of DWG version.  Unlike DWG version, custom objects from the verticals cannot be saved down to an earlier vertical version, although there has been some built in compatibility with the latest release of Civil3D.