Navisworks not showing attribute information

[mindcore]

Hi guys,

when I open a DWG file with Naviswoks everything works fine, but the information contained in the attributes is not picked up only the Attribute name. For example I have a attribute called "tagname" that contains "MC210", when the file is openned in Navisworks, I can only see "tagname". I've checked if there where OE errors, but nothing comes up.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[JeffH_ADSK]

Hi there,

Could you provide more details of how this data is applied to AutoCAD objects? Where does it appear in AutoCAD?

Thanks,

Jeff

[mindcore]

Hi jeff, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by how this data is applied, so I've attached 2 pictures. One of the autocad drawing and the other of the same drawing but in navisworks.

Thanks

[JeffH_ADSK]

Hi there,

I don't think we've come across this type of behaviour before in Navisworks. The Navisworks reader does read attribute data from blocks, but this is the first time I've seen said data in the geometry.

If you select the block in Navisworks, are there properties on the node (or sub-nodes) that show the attribute data being read?

If you could attach an example file, that would be very useful in following this up.

Thanks,

Jeff

[mindcore]

Hi again jeff,

Nothing in the Navisworks drawing seems to be read as an attribute. Would it be possible to have your email and I could send you the file I'm working with, as it is too big to be posted on the forum (4mb)?

Thanks

[JeffH_ADSK]

Hi,

Having looked further into this, I would recommend logging this as a support call/bug report to Autodesk Support, so that this is properly tracked as an issue.

I believe this is currently unsupported by Navisworks.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,

Jeff

[mindcore]

Thanks again Jeff,

But, could you elaborate what you mean by "this is currently unsupported by Navisworks", the original file is a DWG from AutoCAD, which Navisworks is supposed to fully support?

[JeffH_ADSK]

I'm not sure I understand the question.

The DWG reader in Navisworks is not currently aware of this new block feature in AutoCAD. As I indicated, once the issue is raised with Autodesk Support, our product management will take steps to remedy this.

DWG is fully supported in Navisworks, as we aim to provide complete DWG file translation.

Jeff

[mindcore]

OK Jeff, will go back to Autodesk support...however, I should reiterate that the file is a STANDARD AutoCAD dwg file with a standard attribute, so your saying “DWG is fully supported in Navisworks” does not seem to be the case

[dgorsman]

Semantically you may be right; I don't think block attributes have ever been supported in Navisworks.  Thats just nitpicking.  It will read all DWG features and show them, but block attributes aren't something that would be high priority since most 3D object data is contained in XDATA, Xrecords, or similar structures.

[Hugh_Compton]

Apologies for this not being directly related to the post topic, but does Navisworks support XData and / or XRecords as DGorsman indicated?

I am asking because I haven't found a way of showing XData in Design Review yet and I'm trying to make the transition from AutoCAD ACA to vanilla AutoCAD.  Currently the ACA data format (Property Sets) shows up perfectly in Design Review under 'Object Properties'.  I would install the trial and experiment but I am reluctant to put additional software on my machine if it is very unlikely to fit our work processes. 

Thanks

[dgorsman]

Not that I've seen so far.  The only way that I can think of getting it done is to write a different NWC exporter for DWG files which would recognize specific XDATA/XRecords and encode them for Navisworks.  For now I think thats way over my head in programming ability and available time.  Needless to say, a simple way of implementing such is very high on my personal Navisworks wish list, in order to support some of our own internally developed tools.  🙂

[Patrick_Aps_9121]

Perhaps a stupid remark, but has anybody of you tried the DWF way to go from these DWG to NavisWorks ?

Maybe Attributes and Xdata are supported in the DWF....

[dgorsman]

Already tried.  ZERO data, whatsoever.

[Kevin.Sturmer]

Have you tried exporting your AutoCAD MEP file as a NWC file and appending that instead?

[peterwardley]

I have had the same problem and it was there in version 2010 too. It appears that Autocad 2012 attribute do not appear (visable) on the models, what does appear is the default value instead of the actual value. Even stranger is if you check out the Attributes in the Properties tab the attibutes true values appear and not the default ones. Is this more a graphice problem rather than data transfer issue?

In AutoCAD 2012

Tag value=C100 (visable on screen)

Default Tag = XX

Naviswork shows XX on the graphics in the model, but C100 is the attribute tag value in the Properties tab??

Peter

[MOLGRAND]

Hi,

Was this ever resolved - Im currently trying to get the attribute information to display for the native Autocad blocks (I had them displaying in Navis 2012 - was this by luck), but it doesn't show up in the properties in 2013 & 2014 - has somebody come up with a solution for this or how it can be added or shown? Tag information appears OK for the plant 3d valve & equipment tags!!!!

Thanks

Gary

[MOLGRAND]

Hi,

We found our solution - it was a simple setting change - see attached, now native autocad att tags display ok.

Regards

Gary

[RobinsonG]

I welcome evidence that Autodesk has resolved the inability of Navis Manage 2013 or 2014 to display the AutoCAD Blocked Attribute values. To date [November 23rd, 2014].

A post mentioned changing the selection remedied the problem, I am unable to validate that.

The issue at hand for a few years now is:

You can not view AutoCAD blocked attribute values in Navis. Navis converts the Tag Default values not the actual defined values.

This behavior is reproducible. In AutoCAD create an attribute. Save that .dwg to disk call it one.dwg. Open a new AutoCAD drawing. Insert one.dwg, defining in the attribute value. Save that file as two.dwg Open two.dwg in Navis. With "Text" toggled on the value displayed is the value you place as default when you defined the attribute, the correct value - the one you assigned, is visible in the Selection tree Properties Tab, Attributes tree.

This is a real Pain, and cripples Blocked Attributes usage.

The attached Graphic completes the issue description.

GSR

[Ludovic73]

Hello,

I have the same problem with 2014 release of Navisworks and Autocad.

Is there a workaround with this issue ?

Thanks,

Ludo.