File size difference...?

[darawork]

Ok so I have a medium complexity drawing of a shop created with 3D solids.

The file size is 52,218kb.

I tried an experiment and converted all the solids to surfaces, then saved again.

The file size is now 6,651kb.

What gives? Do solids contain that much object mass properties and other hidden info?

My software version is AutoCad 2014.

[nestly2 · Accepted solution]

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@darawork wrote:

Do solids contain that much object mass properties and other hidden info?

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Not if they're primitives, like boxes and cylinders, but if they've been heavily modified, they can get pretty big fast, especially when SOLIDHISTory is recorded.  If you still have the original and don't need to modify the solids any longer, select the solids and  turn off "Record History" in the Properties Palette.... save and compare the new file size.

[darawork]

Ok, so that's crazy. Dramatic file size difference, thanks.

How did you get to learn that? And what exactly does recording a solids history enable? Would I ever need to use it modelling 3D building elements... such as walls, doors, frames, furniture, slabs etc... for file-linking into 3DSMax Design (Material assignment and rendering purposes only).

After turning off History Record I can still subtract, union etc... so I can't see why I'd need it.

[darawork]

Ah found it, http://www.cad-notes.com/2009/07/autocad-solid-history/

Thanks. I never knew that existed, ha.

[nestly2]

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darawork wrote:

Ok, so that's crazy. Dramatic file size difference, thanks.

How did you get to learn that?

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Pretty much the same way you did.... I was concerned about the size of my 3D files and found an answer in an AutoCAD community. 

I think you already found the answer to the editing question, which is that solids can still be edited, just not based upon the properties of the object/operation that was originally used to make the modificaton.

[maxim_k]

I can tell you about another file size related feature: if you are using Visual Style other than 2D Wireframe and will change it to 2D Wireframe just before last saving, you will notice a significant decrease in the size of the file.

Maxim

[darawork]

Seems like it shouldn't matter that much; saving with a viewstyle other than 2d wireframe. I'd imagine it is just another one or two lines of header code... if even. Things like this certainly compound a presumption of rats-nest coding. Especially with SP0 2014 editions of AD's software.

Thanks for the tip.