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DWG Insert That Contains Data Connect

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Message 1 of 13
nkg2
524 Views, 12 Replies

DWG Insert That Contains Data Connect

I have tried the XREF route to look to another drawing to bring in my NED files instead of putting my NEDS with my shapes and point data.  The drawing that contains the NEDS were brought in using data connect.  When I xref the NED drawing into a new drawing, nothing shows up.  Zoom Extents does not show anything nor does anything appear to be turned off.   When I do the xref, I see the image of the tiled NEDS and click on use georeferenced location (because I am trying to trick the neds to stay together but translate together).  Is there a better way or what could I be missing to get it to show.   Thanks in advance.

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Autodesk 2022- Architectural, Engineering and Construction Subscription & Infraworks
Windows 10 Professional, x64, Microsoft Surface Pro 3
12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
Murph_Map
in reply to: nkg2

Xref is an Autocad vanilla command and only recognizes Autocad vanilla objects. When you see the tiles of the NED data you are looking at the thumbview when that dwg was saved not anymore. Civil 3D uses what is called Dref to referance the Civil3D objects but Map3D does not have anything like that for feature data connections. You will need to data connect to the NED data or export the dwg with the NED data in it to a vanilla dwg.

Or you can save the NED connection layer to a .layer file and then bring that layer into your dwg that you tried to xref into.

Murph
Supporting the troops daily.
Message 3 of 13
nkg2
in reply to: nkg2

Thanks Murph, I will give that a try.

 

In the meantime, it might take a book to respond, I am trying out and liking so far the other programs that come with my Suite.  For me infraworks, though they say is more like 30% phase program, is a preliminary ice breaker to give clients and audiences a way graphically show non-engineers, non-contractors where we are trying to go without spending excess money to design something and the client comes back and says you did not understand the scope.   (Yes I am leading up to the chicken versus the egg argument).  That being said, I am looking to take say a project from concept to construction and therefore I would look at the suite in this general progression...Infraworks => Map3d or Revit or Civil3d or a combination of these => Infraworks or 3DMax => Civil3d or Map3d => 3DMax.   How would I generate the workflow between all of these programs (this excludes discussion on hardware to try to keep the response to less than a 100 pages ;-))  Thoughts?

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Message 4 of 13
Murph_Map
in reply to: nkg2

MHO the workflow that works for you is the way to go. Ask the Revit users and then ask the Civil3D user and ask the Max3D users you will get 3 different answers.

Murph
Supporting the troops daily.
Message 5 of 13
nkg2
in reply to: Murph_Map

I guess that is true but at the same time in the end what is your final product?  Is it a dwg file or what?  There has to be something that is common between all of the programs because switching between layer this, dwg that, sdf there...ultimately shouldn't everything get funnelled to one essential file that pulls all of this together?  

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Windows 10 Professional, x64, Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Message 6 of 13
Alfred.NESWADBA
in reply to: nkg2

Hi,

 

>> There has to be something that is common between all of the programs

Yes, the operating system, but that's it 😉

 

You try to combine data from different branches, but GIS, civil engineering and architectural design do have so different needs, so currently there exists different software and different file formats. If you want to get them all together (what the word "BIM" tries to tell us) you may have to use things you don't need or want to (e.g.for a architectural design you have to define a geographic coordinate system - as that is a minimum info for GIS data usage .... and there are a lot of overflow than to be handled). So the current way is to use the tool that fits best to your job/your needs and then exchange data via interfaces.

 

If you want to shorten a wooden panel you also take the tool you need like saw, if you want to mount it, you will take a screwdriver. And for now it's the same with the software. For the future (like Infraworks shows as a start) there might be one tool and one fileformat for all, but that needs time (and faster workstations too).

 

Just my 2c, - alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS ... www.hollaus.at ... blog.hollaus.at ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 7 of 13
nkg2
in reply to: Alfred.NESWADBA


@Alfred.NESWADBA wrote:

Hi,

 

>> There has to be something that is common between all of the programs

"Yes, the operating system, but that's it ;)....

 

...If you want to shorten a wooden panel you also take the tool you need like saw, if you want to mount it, you will take a screwdriver. And for now it's the same with the software. For the future (like Infraworks shows as a start) there might be one tool and one fileformat for all, but that needs time (and faster workstations too).

 

Just my 2c, - alfred -"

 

>>Very much understand and that is a good point.  It is just so dizzying trying to keep up with so many "tools" that help shape the wood..  However you do bring up the wood.  The wood is constant whether I use a saw or a screwdriver.  I would suspect that for most Civil Project there is a common wood.  (i.e. coordinates, terrain,  etc.)   Lets take for example a wooden beam, I could divide it into 4 parts and do something with those 4 parts but they all came from the one piece of wood.   The way I view the suites, in my mind, is taking the 4 parts, turning it into a square, sanding, and then staining.  Or if you put it in Autodesk terms Infraworks to cut the wood after envisioning it, Map 3D to layout the wood, Civil 3D/Revit to join the parts with sanding, and Max3d to give it that wonderful stain. But as it stands now, I have to load the basics (wood in our example) at least twice (Infraworks and Civil3d/Map3d) to give me the same basic piece of wood. 


 

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Autodesk 2022- Architectural, Engineering and Construction Subscription & Infraworks
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Message 8 of 13
antoniovinci
in reply to: nkg2

Wait, wait, wait: the above mentioned softwares are only tools, but have you the skill to project something with paper and pencil..?

Message 9 of 13
nkg2
in reply to: antoniovinci

I can draw a 3D image on a piece of paper, I can fold a piece of paper to make shapes with depth, I can make paper any color I want with crayons or use colored paper, I can buy or make my piece of paper have texture to give a different feel and look.  I certainly don't want to do that though. 🙂  That would be an interesting origami project wouldn't it 🙂  

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Message 10 of 13
gluckett
in reply to: nkg2

Yes, all the formats can be troublesome. SDF, DWF, DWG. what to use? SDF shows up in all the GeoSpatial and Civil products. In early days, Object Data (like Xdata but way easier to use - it even had an interface) was inside the civil/map AutoCAD formats.

Really, all DWG-based products need some kind of non-graphic data.

Why not have something like Object Data in all DWG formats (even vanilla AutoCAD) so non-graphic data can be added to all DWGs across the verticals and all products?

This would really solve a lot of issues and we can eat our own dog food.
Message 11 of 13
antoniovinci
in reply to: gluckett


gluckett wrote:
non-graphic data can be added to all DWGs across the verticals and all products?

Well, block attributes are kinda horizontal data between DWG...

Message 12 of 13
gluckett
in reply to: antoniovinci

See, DWG is half-way there!

 

All we need is data on plines, splines, lines, etc.  

 

XDATA does not cut it for regular people.

 

This would make life really easy if the vanilla DWG had that kind of generic non-graphic data.  

 

Imagine what everyone could do with their own data showing up in the Properties Pane!

 

 

Message 13 of 13
Alfred.NESWADBA
in reply to: gluckett

Hi,

 

>> All we need is data on plines, splines, lines, etc.

No, that's not all. If you are able to add attributive data to geometry you have to verify:

  • - how should the attributive data be labeled
  • - you will then also need functionality for classification, e.g. show a polyline in red if it's a pipe from 1900-1999 and show it in green for 2000 and younger.
  • - what should happen to that data if the geometry is modified, e.g. extruded.

...to list just a few of the necessary things that are needed then. And where are we then .... at AutoCAD Map3D. 😉

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS ... www.hollaus.at ... blog.hollaus.at ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(not an Autodesk consultant)

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