DXFOUT Command

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I work for a company that produces cabinetry via CNC machining, and we create "patterns" (cabinet parts arranged in a box that is the same size as our sheet material) using AutoCAD that CNC production software can recognize. These patterns are saved as .DXF format. I use AutoCAD 2010 and the command I use is DXFOUT. So here's the procedure:

I'll create a pattern in a work file drawing which includes the floorplan of the building the cabinets are going into. I'll copy the pattern into a new file, purge everything using the PURGE command and use the DXFOUT command to make my DXF. The problem is this: The file size saves at over 20,000 KB! That's 20 MB per file! When I open the file again and use the PURGE command, suddenly there are hundreds of Blocks in the purge tree that weren't there when I purged the first time. If I purge those and DXFOUT again, my file is down around 100KB, as it should be.

So where are these phantom blocks coming from? I don't have time to reopen, purge, and save all my DXF files. I'm generally creating 50 of these at a time. How can I get my file size down when saving the FIRST time?

Thanks in advance!

[dmfrazier]

It sounds like what you describe is what happens when there are lots of blocks "nested" inside one or more other blocks.

When you PURGE the first time, do you run PURGE multiple times, until it tells you there are no more things to purge?  If not, blocks that had been nested inside other blocks will be left behind.

[jggerth]

where are the floorplan drawing coming from?  sounds like they are being created in a vertical, Architecture, Revit?

[Anonymous]

The PURGE command will look like it's emptying the DXF completely. I'll run it and it will no longer show anything that can be purged. It's when I save it that the file gets huge. Even then, you can't see those blocks I'm talking about until you close and reopen the DXF. THEN all the blocks appear and you can purge them.

[dmfrazier]

So, just to be clear, you run PURGE with the settings shown here:

And you "Purge All" until the button greys out...right?

"It's when I save it that the file gets huge. Even then, you can't see those blocks I'm talking about until you close and reopen the DXF. THEN all the blocks appear and you can purge them."

Bizarre! What are the names of the blocks that suddenly appear?

After purging those, if you then save again, does it all repeat?

[Anonymous]

@JGerth the floorplan drawings are created here in our office by the draftsmen (I'm a programmer). They're on ACAD 2013. The process is like this:

They receive the floorplan from the architect. They eliminate unecessary elements, explode the entire drawing at least twice, place everything on the "0" layer and copy the floorplan into a new drawing, which they overlay our cabinetry onto by copying from existing drawings.

[Anonymous]

@DMFrazier that is exactly right. Purge All until the buttons are grey and there is nothing left to purge. The blocks all have these random sequential names, like "*A00", "*A100100", "*A1010".

I don't know binary, but that's what these numbers look like! After I purge the blocks and DXFOUT for the 2nd time, THEN my file size goes down to around 100KB and all is normal. Strange, huh?

[dmfrazier]

"They receive the floorplan from the architect."

Ding, ding ding.

"...explode the entire drawing at least twice, place everything on the "0" layer..."

OMG.  Why?

[Anonymous]

@DMFrazier the idea behind that is to eliminate this kind of thing. Exploding turns blocks into single lines. Placing everything on the "0" layer before we copy prevents copying in 150 layers into our drawings that we don't need. Once it gets into our drawings, the drafters put everything on an "Architect" layer and lock it down and we never touch it again.

[dmfrazier]

These are most likely special "blocks" (or custom objects) produced by either vertical AutoCAD products or 3rd party developers.  Something similar to what you describe happens when dimension objects are included as part of a block. If the block is purged, you will see a bunch of "anonymous" block names (*Dnn) show up.  If you don't purge them, AutoCAD will delete them automatically when the file is closed.  In the case of these *A blocks, they don't automatically get deleted because you don't have the vertical application (or an enabler) that would might take care of that.  I can't explain why they don't appear in the purgeable items list, though.  This is new to me.

[dmfrazier]

"...the idea behind that is to eliminate this kind of thing. Exploding turns blocks into single lines. Placing everything on the "0" layer before we copy prevents copying in 150 layers into our drawings that we don't need. Once it gets into our drawings, the drafters put everything on an "Architect" layer and lock it down and we never touch it again."

I see.  Unfortunately, you are now learning that there is a downside to this procedure.

I wonder if it might be resolved by ensuring you have the appropriate Object Enablers for your version of AutoCAD.  I'm not sure if this would help when exploding the custom objects, though.

Would XREFing not fit in your workflow?

[artc2]

Those are anonymous blocks which are created by applications.  Anonymous blocks will automatically purge on save/open when they are no longer referenced by anything in the drawing.  They will also show up in the purge dialog as purgeable if they are not referenced by anything (i.e. you've erased whatever was using them since the last open).

The *A blocks are most commonly created as part of DGN Linestyles.  They are referenced by non-graphical objects that define the dgn linestyle components.  Unfortunately, the purge in Acad 2014 and earlier won't purge those dgn linestyle non-graphical objects.  There is a dgnpurge hotix that will purge them.  You might wan to give that a try.

[jggerth]

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@Anonymous wrote:

@dmfrazier the idea behind that is to eliminate this kind of thing. Exploding turns blocks into single lines. Placing everything on the "0" layer before we copy prevents copying in 150 layers into our drawings that we don't need. Once it gets into our drawings, the drafters put everything on an "Architect" layer and lock it down and we never touch it again.

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Suggestion 1 would be to use the ExportToAutoCAD commands to eliminate the AEC objects instead of exploding everything twice.  Then run SetbyLayer to ensure there are no property over-rides.

Suggestion 2 is:  Rather than Inserting, XREF the architect's drawings into you base.  All their layers are then neatly isolated, and are never part of your dwg.  LayerManager enables filtering, and can ensure that none of the Xref layers get in your way.

[Anonymous]

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@artc2 wrote:

The *A blocks are most commonly created as part of DGN Linestyles.  They are referenced by non-graphical objects that define the dgn linestyle components.  Unfortunately, the purge in Acad 2014 and earlier won't purge those dgn linestyle non-graphical objects.  There is a dgnpurge hotix that will purge them.  You might wan to give that a try.

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I found the hotfix. It applies to ACAD 2013. I found one for 2012, but not one for 2010 (which is what I'm running). I tried the 2012 fix, but ACAD wouldn't netload the .DLL due to a permissions issue. I've unblocked the .DLL file and set all permissions to full control, but no dice.

I DID, however, find a workaround. I can save my floorplan drawing as a DXF, reopen it and purge those blocks. Then I can copy my patterns around as much as I want and the files stay small. It's just an extra step before I save all my DXF patterns, but that beats reopening and saving 50 DXFs at a time.

[Anonymous]

To get rid of the nasty list of TextStyles that are impossible to delete, I type command "DXFOUT" creating a dxf file called XXXX for temporary use.   Then open the file XXXX, Purge It,  then Save As over the original file. 

Problem fixed. 

I wish I didn't have to do these steps myself.  Someday they will have a quicker fix.