issues modifying service, specification and material

[rptjr]

We have a sheetmetal dwg received from a subcontractor who is supposed to be using our services, spec, and material. Specification and Material are in brackets and the service is in paratheses. The actual names of all match exactly to what is in my database. I have “use dwg database” set to NO and “database reading” set to strict. I can change the service to our dbase service using properties but when using CHPSEC our dbase specs are not an option to chose from. I manually changed one items properties to the correct service, spec and material and then tried to use match properties with only Item Specification checked but it errors out. If I select both Item Specification and Item Material + Gauge it will work but then because my gauges change by size my gauges would not be correct.

Ive used CHSPEC and it has worked in the past – Im not sure what the prob is here. Using 2014 sp2b also tried it in 2013 sp4 with the same results.

Any ideas or suggestions?

[Nicholas.Hyland]

Hi Randy,

When CHSPEC doesn't list the desired Specification it's normally because the Material currently assigned is invalid for the specification you’re changing to, change the material to one you know is valid then CHSPEC should list the specification you need.

[rptjr]

Thanks Nicholas. Thats good information.

Turns out my database read setting was changed from match by name only to strict somehow someway, not exactly sure why or when. After going back and reading an old cad duct training manual from 2004 and then the current help file as well as well as some internet research I felt confident enough that was the problem and it seems that it was. It actually solved more than one problem - that is always a good day.