DWG File Size and possible corruption

[strawberry12]

I use AutoCAD2012.

Typically, our drawings are between a few hundred k and 3MB.

However, I have one drawing that is approximately 5.5MB in size. It seems to have the same mix of geometry, xrefs, blocks, layers, hatch patterns as our other drawings, so I'm trying to analyse why it's so big. In doing so, I've uncovered something odd.

If I WBLOCK even a single object from this drawing (a rectangle, say), the new file is approximately 4MB in size; If I copy and paste that same rectangle from the original drawing to another new file, it's also 4MB.

If I start a new drawing, and draw from scratch a rectangle of the same dimensions, that file is 49k.

If I erase all objects from the WBLOCK file and save again, the file remains at ca. 4MB in size.

Purge, -purge, audit, recover all appear to make neglible differences to these findings.

What's going on? And how can I fix it?

[jggerth]

a couple of probabilities -- that drawing has been edited at some point in a vertical application, and the AEC object data is being dragged along

  if that's the case, the -AECEXPORTTOAUTOCAD command ought to clear it up

or it may include Microstation linetype definitions.  Look on Exchange for DGNPurge utilities

Or some 3rd party application that attached XData.  In which case you may need to get with the 3rd party vendor

[strawberry12]

The drawing does include (or has included) xref data provided by other consultants. I'm not sure what software they use (but we receive dwgs from them), so yes, that's a definite candidate. I'm not sure how the -AECEXPORTTOAUTOCAD command helps with that, as it seems to create an even bigger file !?!?

I'll check out the other tips too - thanks

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Check this thread, it may help you.

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-2013-2014-2015/Copy-Paste-multiple-drawings-ignore-AEC-objects...

[strawberry12]

Abubakars,

I have to confess to great scepticism that that link would prove useful. But I followed it, installed the CADManagerTools utility and hit 'purge DGN'...

I can't believe it! It's reduced the file to a quarter of its previous size!

Thank you!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks Strawberry.  This solved my issue too!