Community
AutoCAD LT Forum
Welcome to Autodesk’s AutoCAD LT Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular AutoCAD LT topics.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Linetypes Will not Purge

119 REPLIES 119
SOLVED
Reply
Message 1 of 120
Mcdowall
85616 Views, 119 Replies

Linetypes Will not Purge

Hi,

 

So i have all these linetypes (see image) that i think originated in Microstation and have appeared on my computer when i binded a few DWGs derived from DGNs. (I can explain all that more if you think its warrented).

 

This is basicly what keeps happening.

- I open a brand new template, all line types are there (usual: dashed, phantom etc).

- I can work away happily, untill i copy something (a line, text, circle....) from a drawing that has these linetypes and BAM they all appear in the new drawing.

 

In this way, the linetypes have 'spread' into quite a few dwg's, and i cannot get rid of them once they are in the drawing and its saved.

 

A few other things....

- Other people in the office can open the drawings on their computers = NO weird Linetypes appear. Some open it and they do appear. (so if you open the dwg attached to this and find no linetypes, i dont know why!)

- The linetypes wont purge due to being in use etc

 

I would say the problem has originated from when I binded the xrefs, which is fine, but how to i fix it now?

The two main xrefs that appear to be referenced in the linetypes description are being used by other people in the workplace so i cant just delete them and start again.

 

Hopefully someone has as idea of what I can do/try to fix the problem!

 

 

Linetypes.JPG

 

 

119 REPLIES 119
Message 2 of 120
Johneng
in reply to: Mcdowall

I don't know why purge would not remove them. Using the WBLOCK command ENTIRE DRAWING option did remove them in my testing.

Message 3 of 120
drjohn
in reply to: Mcdowall

The $0$ indicates, as you know, that it was brought in from an xref.

 

One way I have found to get rid of these un-needed layers is to use laywalk. Quite handy, actually.

 

Caveat: if the line is embedded in a block/xref it may not purge. You may need to take blocks into block editor and run laywalk.

 

I have inherited about 10 years of drawings from my predecessor that has thousands of extraneous points on layers that are non-sequitor (undoubtedly from exploded dimensions) and chunks of lines that he left .... eg: instead of extending a line he drew a new one from the end of the unfinished to the point he wanted to go to.

 

It's a PITA but laywalk should get you thru it.

 

Zoom extents in model space and thaw/turn on everything and run laywalk and it wil show you the snippets of line that may or may not be lying around. After doing laywalk, also try a purge. There is something in there that has that layer used somehow.

 

HTH

 

Regards,

DJ

 

 

Message 4 of 120
Johneng
in reply to: drjohn

drjohn the OP is trying to remove un-needed linetypes not layers.  Did you look at the OP's posted dwg file. It is pretty much stripped down to layer 0, one layout tab and one paper space viewport, 15 or so linetypes (that won't purge) and no blocks. Doing a list all only shows the viewport as the only object in the drawing. After deleting the layout tab and doing an erase all I did a list all and did not find any objects. I did a purge and there was nothing to purge. But the linetypes were still in the drawing. The only way I could remove the linetypes from the drawings was with the WBLOCK command.

Message 5 of 120
pendean
in reply to: Mcdowall

>>>... when i binded a few DWGs derived from DGNs...<<<

You needed to clean out the original files before Xreffing and binding I suspect: WBLOCK as noted by others here was the way to 'fix' the originals. Typically these kind of issue show up when, in a rush, we all take these shortcuts without taking the time to gut the original file(s) of items not needed or necessary.

 

I don't understand your statement "others can open these files and not get the linetypes" since all of us here, and we are not in your office, can see the definitions quite clearly. Are you all actually openin the same exact files? Are you all on the same version and flavor of AutoCAD?

 

I also cannot replicate your copy/paste brings them in issue with your posted file if I draw something there then copy/paste it in one of my drawings: perhaps your copied objects have these definitions?

 

I think there is more to this that your posted file or your post are providing.

Message 6 of 120
drjohn
in reply to: Johneng

Musta missed that.  My bad.  Smiley Indifferent

 

 

Regards,

DJ

 

 

Message 7 of 120
Mcdowall
in reply to: pendean

So your saying i need to 'clean out' the xrefs? I have attempted to purge in the xrefs to no avail.

 

What do i do with the WBLOCK - ENTIRE DRAWING command?

I make the entire drawing a block.... then what? A PURGE doesnt remove the linetypes. Do i need to insert the block or delete it?

 

Ignore the 'Others were unable to see the linetypes', the person i asked to check wasnt opening the right file nor looking in the right spot....

 

THe Copy-Paste issue is my real problem. The other drafty has the same issue, draw a new line/polyline, copy the line and the linetypes appear. I don't know why it doesnt happen in your drawing, it must be a setting somewhere.... Ill try explain better.

 

(DWG with XREFS ATTACHED) >> Copy LINE >> Paste in DWG 2 (New Blank Template) >>> Linetypes appear >>> COPY text created in DWG 2 >>> Paste in DWG 3 (New, Blank Template) >> Linetypes appear.

 

Sorry if this is repeating myself  but its hard to explain with out being infront of my computer!

If the copied objects do have the linetypes 'attached' to them somehow, any guessing on this setting being turned off?

 

 

Message 8 of 120
Johneng
in reply to: Mcdowall

Yes you will need to "clean out" the drawings that have the un-needed linetypes using the WBLOCK - ENTIRE DRAWING command. As Dean suggested start with the original files being xreferenced and work your way down to the files that contain the xrefrences.

 

The WBLOCK command ENTIRE DRAWING option does not make a block. It is basically the SAVEAS command. It will save your entire current drawing with a new name you specify. For some reason I don't understand it strips out (removes your unpurgable linetypes)

 

Start the WBLOCK command. When the Write Block dialog box pops up click the ENTIRE DRAWING option on the top left side under source. At the bottom of the dialog box under under Destination Fill in the path and file name of your choice. Finally click the OK button. You should now have a "copy" of your current drawing (without the linetypes) in the location and with the file name you entered under the Destination section of the Write Block dialog box.

 

 

Wblock.jpg

 

 

After posting the information above I played around with writing a Macro to help speed up your "cleanup" and came up with the following Macro.

 

^C^C-wblock;\*;

 

 

Message 9 of 120
Mcdowall
in reply to: Johneng

Hi,

 

So that appears to have worked.

 

Only issue is that it doesn't remove the linetypes when i use my LT version (2012). The other drafty can do it on their LT version but it only works in the Full Version (2011) on my computer.

 

Sooooooo dont know what happening there, but I can get rid of them now so all good!

 

Thank you all for your help.

Message 10 of 120
katrin.sullivan
in reply to: Mcdowall

I have just run into this on a project. It is fixable... in a drawing without civil 3d objects in about 6 min.

With conciderably more.

 

The two methods we found were the use of Query and the use of DXF export. Please note this will strip all civil 3d objects of their intellegence and ability to be seen as Civil 3d objects, so for your best results please export these as an XML. prior to executing query or dxf option.

 

Execute query pull desired layers into clean drawing save as a new drawing ... the bad linetypes will be screened out. If you have tabbed layouts such as sheets this will not work see dxf option.

 

DXF export will allow you to purge (select nested option too) if you purge from the DXF, prior to saving it back as a dwg.

then import the xml to restore objects and switch to appropriate layers etc.

 

DO NOT use Lman to import from corrupted drawing, or to export this will reinfect. Do NOT use the file for ncopy, copy base or anything else, for some reason design center will pull blocks from infected drawings that were not infected on insert and remove those for reinsert without carrying the problem along.

 

I hope it helps it is a bunch of work, and you will have to do some layerstates cleanup but it clears the problem and the resulting drawings size is about 1/3 to 1/5 the size depending on how far the corruption has gone.

Good luck

 

Tags (3)
Message 11 of 120

the above is what you do when Wblock entire doesn't work...

Message 12 of 120

Hi,

We have same problem in our office. We have some files that has 5000+ line types. After quick search I saw, wblok command with entire drawing option can solve problem.
We have lt 2012 and lt 2010. LT 2010 can solve problem with wblock command but lt 2012 can not.
I uninstalled LT 2012 and removed directories and registry keys. Then clean reinstalled it. wblock command worked for a while and line type problems gone. But than next week all problems came back again. LT 2012 Wblock can not remove line types and new line types started to appear in all files. LT 2010 machines can remove line types with wblock command but after LT2012 machines worked on file, new line types appears again.

 

Is there any solution?

 

 

Thank you...

Message 13 of 120
pendean
in reply to: Mcdowall

The linetypes reappear because you keep reintroducing them: they obviously exist in blocks and content you add to your DWG files.
You folks might need to spend time purging or replacing these at some point.
Message 14 of 120

Hi again,

I am talking about new drawings. Clean drawings are going bad in time. There is no block or object imported or pasted from another drawing or file.

 

Main problem is why can not LT2012 wblock? Wblock with LT 2012 has no effect for line types.
LT 2010 and Acad 2013 can do it. Also LT 2012 could wblock in after clean install but only for a few weeks.

 

And problem is shown in the files that only LT 2012 machines working on.

 

We had no problem like this at past (I mean years before LT2012). When we had it, we saw LT 2012 can not fix it. That's why, I thing LT2012 is the responsible for this issue.

 

Thank you..

Message 15 of 120
pendean
in reply to: Mcdowall

Files going bad? Seriously, do you believe that? Content doesn't just appear one day, a user puts them in. If the content is not there at start and is there after some time someone added it. Rethink that excuse.

We all have 2012 and 2013, post a Dwg that you can purge in one but not the other, maybe someone can figure out a trigger if there is one.
Message 16 of 120
katrin.sullivan
in reply to: pendean

We have worked through one source in the case of the Line type error nightmare. The OP (original provider) who set up the drawings had been creating drawings using a bound base and then erasing all. That was done over and over instead of using a clean template. It infected 2 projects before it was contained we have 85% cleaned. It can be done but I don't know if LT series can export. I haven't used it in over a decade. If it can... Export to DXF, open new DXF, audit in DXF, purge all make sure nested is checked. This will take a couple times. Check line types once gone save back to dwg. Since you are using LT there is actually less data loss because of the lack of certain object classes. I hope this gets to the right person I am Mobile right now headed in to work. Good luck
Message 17 of 120
katrin.sullivan
in reply to: Mcdowall

Hello,

I have found another solution to the issue. It is using AutoDesk's Layer Translator in an illogical manner .

 

This has affected not only  LT drawings but, Civil 3D as well. Due to the nature and complexity of some larger projects and the fact that this issue, has been shown to be transferrable to any drawing that is touched (xref, block, copybase, ncopy, layer import, etc) by a drawing with the problem I recommend you apply a bottom to top method of looking at your affected drawings.

 

I have found that this needs to be done in a certain order with files. The lowest nested xref must be done first (if there are any) to prevent re-corruption of production sets.(ie if you have a sheet and it has the base attached and nested in that is the survey, landscape base and the off site improvements; you should start with the nested files first then work back)

 

Method:

1. Layer translator in the left hand box, check for layer names with a different icon next to them (these are unused and can be purged) right click on one of the layers listed and chose purge. All extra layers will be purged.

 

2. Under the right hand box, choose the button "Load..." browse to the same file you have open. This is the illogical part, but the Layer translator only brings with it the actual layers and settings that have been set in the manger. The extra lintypes not being attached to any specific one are left out. Choose file and select open.

 

3. Once Layers have loaded select "Map Same" button in the middle of the two upper boxes.

 

4. Once the layers have been mapped they will show as having disappeared from the left hand box and all the layers will appear in the lower box. Select "Translate" button at the bottom.

 

5. On the next pop up select Translate Only.

6. Purge all

7. Audit

8. Purge all again.

9. Type in LT to pull up dialog and confirm that all excessive linetypes have been removed.

 

Depending on file size it takes on average about 2-3 min to perfom

Happy CADDing.

Message 18 of 120
ZachGraff
in reply to: katrin.sullivan


@katrin.sullivan wrote:

Hello,

I have found another solution to the issue. It is using AutoDesk's Layer Translator in an illogical manner .


I can't imagine how you ever discovered this but it worked like a charm for us. Thanks.

Message 19 of 120
Glenn_Beasley
in reply to: Mcdowall

Hi There!

 

I also have this problem of linetypes that won't purge in a particular drawing. I am using lt 2013. I have tried the following:

 

wblock

save as dxf

explode and purge all blocks

delete absolutely everything from the drawing and purge it

 

Still I have these linetypes that won't purge. See attached my file which has no objects in it but lots of linetypes.

 

Any ideas?

Message 20 of 120
hwalker
in reply to: Glenn_Beasley

I suspect it's something to do with the shx files, but unfortunately I don't know how to unload them from LT.

 

SHX files are usually used for complex linetypes, so if you can stop those files loading you will probably be able to delete the linetypes

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Autodesk Design & Make Report

”Boost