Best Way to Xref Arch Drawing

[Pointdump]

New territory for me. What's the best way to bring in an Architectural drawing into a C3D drawing? It looks like there are two places to scale:

Architectural drawings are usually pretty cluttered. If I wanted to just bring in just grid lines from an architectural drawing, what would be the best work flow?

Dave

[Murph_Map · Accepted solution]

Look at INSUNITSDEFTARGET and INSUNITSDEFSOURCE along with the INSUNITS var. Then just insert/xref as normal. If you just want the grid I may open the arch dwg and wbock just those out to a new dwg then xref that dwg to keep your civil dwg cleaner and free of all the junk that may be in the orginal dwg. 

Now why are you working on Father's day, you should be out fishing or playing golf. 🙂 

[Pointdump]

Murph,

Lemme get this straight. If I have an architectural drawing that I want to Xref into a C3D drawing, all I have to do is set:

INSUNITS = 0
INSUNITSDEFSOURCE = 1
INSUNITSDEFTARGET = 2

And that will automatically scale the Feet&Inch Arch Drawing into my Decimal Foot C3D Drawing? Or am I missing something?

I'll wait until you get back from Golfing. 

Dave

[Joe-Bouza · Accepted solution]

For me: Uniform scale xyz= 1/12

[Pointdump]

Thanks Joe. Things would certainly be easier if architects would just learn how to use real dimensions. 

I did some playing with INSUNITS, INSUNITSDEFTARGET, and INSUNITSDEFSOURCE, and sometimes the Block Unit Factor would change to 0.08333. But I tried so many different things that I can't remember what I did when it changed, or if that was what changed it. I'll have to take notes and see if I can discover the path to Truth.

Dave

[Joe-Bouza]

Hi Dave

All that INSUNITS stuff spins my head too. I keep mine set to unitless and just type in the scale factor.

[Pointdump]

OK, so here's the definitive results of my extensive experimentations this morning whilst drinking coffee:

First Way:

INSUNITS=0

INSUNITSDEFSOURCE=1

INSUNITSDEFTARGET=2

This will bring in an Architectural Drawing (Inch Units) into a C3D Drawing (Decimal Feet Units) without the necessity of changing any scale factors.

Second Way:

INSUNITS=2

This will bring in an Architectural Drawing (Inch Units) into a C3D Drawing (Decimal Feet Units). Block Unit Factor changes automatically to 0.083333.

Third Way:

INSUNITS=0

INSUNITSDEFSOURCE=0

INSUNITSDEFTARGET=0

Under Scale, set X to 0.083333 and click on Uniform Scale.

Thanks, Murph and Joe!

Dave

[Murph_Map]

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@Pointdump wrote:

Murph,

Lemme get this straight. If I have an architectural drawing that I want to Xref into a C3D drawing, all I have to do is set:

INSUNITS = 0
INSUNITSDEFSOURCE = 1
INSUNITSDEFTARGET = 2

And that will automatically scale the Feet&Inch Arch Drawing into my Decimal Foot C3D Drawing? Or am I missing something?

I'll wait until you get back from Golfing. 

Dave

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Yes providing the arch dwg was done in feet/inch units. 

I don't golf but had to mow the yard and other honey doos. 😉

[Joe-Bouza]

Thankl you, two more lines for the acaddoc.lsp file 🙂

[AllenJessup]

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@Pointdump wrote:

Things would certainly be easier if architects would just learn how to use real dimensions. 

---

Dave, Don't start that argument! I haven't heard any Architects complain about dumb Engineers who don't know how to draw in real units for a while. The silence has been golden.

The INSUNITS, INSUNITSDEFTARGET, and INSUNITSDEFSOURCE method is definatly the way to go. Unless you have to consider Survey Feet!

Allen

[Pointdump]

Thanks for weighing in, Allen. It's nice to have a confirmation on methods.

As for Feet-and-Inches, I'm a reformed (recovering?) carpenter, so I know a thing or two about those grievous units. 

Dave

[wfberry]

Dave:

Remember it is much easier (and more accurate probably) to just enter 1/12 whenever AutCAD asks for a scale factor.

Bill