Problem exporting to previous version

[isaac]

We are surveyors working in Civil 3D 2013.  We sometimes need to export drawings back to previous versions for architects.  This can produce unpredictable results.  It was suggested to me on another forum to use the command PROXYGRAPHICS, change it to 1, and then export to a previous version.  This worked on some drawings.

Yesterday, however, I tried this method and the architect sent me back a PDF saying this is what it looked like in model space when he opened it.  Any ideas what causes this and how to fix it?  

[troma]

Neilw

1. How do you create C3D labels in paperspace?

2. I have found exporting from paperspace very glitchy.  In 2008 it would just crash the program.  In 2011 it would work, but pipe labels and featureline labels wouldn't get exported; they would just be missing in the exported drawing.

3. C3D objects & labels keep their current appearance at the time of export.  Whatever viewtwist you are in will effect labels that have their orientation set to 'View'.  Whatever scale you are set to will effect the size of many objects and labels.  I don't know if annotative objects are similar or not.

[Neilw_05]

Since I did not create the drawing I don't know how the C3D labels were created or how they got into paper space. It may be they used CHSPACE to put them there.

I've just now discovered there is a difference in behavior when exporting from paper space vs. model space. I submitted a support request on the bloated file issue and there was no mention of this in the reply. Apparently Support is not aware of it either or they would have recommended it as a solution.

In one of my projects I had C3D labels in dragged state displayed in viewports with a twist applied. When I exported to 2004 they did not retain their orientation. I don't know if it was due to a setting in C3D or if it is a deficiency in the Export routine. I'll have to investigate that. What setting in the label style do I need to check?

[troma]

I've tried & failed to create labels in paperspace or use CHSPACE to get them there.  But you prompted me to investigate a little further, and I found that copy/paste can do it.  Interesting.

The problem with labels with 'view' orientation, is that you only have one view in modelspace.  The same label might show up with two different views in two different viewports.  Certainly even if it's not the same label we almost always have labels using the views of different viewports to set their rotation.  Similar ideas apply to scale too.

But when you export, you have to pick one view and one scale and stick with them.  (At least, we do, since we always export from modelspace.)  We pretty much know that we can export and create a drawing, but it's never going to look like the original.  It will never be presentable or plottable; it's just a tool (for layout usually).

I suspect that I haven't answered your question.  Aside from the Orientation setting, I'm not sure what else.  Were they set to view, and what viewtwist were you in when you did the export?

[Neilw_05]

Well it turns out I've led you off on a tangent. What I thought were C3D labels in Paper space are actually multileaders. They showed up as AEC proxy objects when opened in 2004 so I assumed they were C3D objects. When you mentioned you couldn't create C3D labels in PS I decided to investige and that is how I came to discover they were not C3D objects. My apologies for that.

I've not had time to fully investigate the nuances of exporting a plan set from Model space so I'm not sure I understand the behavior you describe for labels in rotated views. I'll post my findings when I get more time to analyze it.

[isaac]

Neil--I was out of the office yesterday. I got your request to run one more test and will so as soon as I catch up. 🙂
Betsy

[Neilw_05]

No need to run any tests Betsy. I think it's been confirmed.