Problems with opening AutoCad 3D file

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I've received an AutoCad dwg file that is 3D, but I can't seem to open it.  What must I have in order to open it in 3D?

Thank you!

[pendean]

is it a DWG file? or something else (and what)?
What does 'can't open it" means to those of us not looking over your shoulder?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Yeah, it's got a dwg extention but it hangs up my Autocad when I try to open it.

[pendean]

Start AutoCAD, then use RECOVER command to open the file and see if that helps.

[Anonymous]

How big is the .dwg file?  Also, what's the spec on the computer?

Just want to see is it a really big model or not.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

It's 7.87 MB, and the computer....well it has 8GB of RAM.....the rest of the specs, I'm not sure how to find on this computer. It was bought just last year, though. And I'm trying to open it with Autocad 2014...

I'll have to try the RECOVER method, too, just haven't gotten around to it yet...


Thanks!

[Anonymous]

The spec sound good.  Should be just fine.  I would try the recovery options first.  Let us know if you will have issue after that.

[ntellery]

by "3D" do you mean it was created with Autocad Architecture?  or MEP?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

To be honest, I'm not really sure how to tell. On my desktop, where I've saved the file, there is a 3D image, but the file type says AutoCAD drawing. I also have to admit, I'm not so familiar with AutoCAD....

[ntellery]

I’d ask the person who sent you the file. If it is created by Autocad Architecture or MEP then you prob would have trouble opening it.
I’m not sure if standard autocad can open ACA files even if the same version.
If you have no need for the 3D, ask them to FILE>Export the drawing to the same version autocad.dwg you are using.
otherwise we are just wild guessing.

Only other option is to post the drawing here for us to look at but I would guess the author would prefer to sort it themselves.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick response! Would it still be a problem even if I have AutoCad Architecture and MEP? I'm alsmost certain it's not MEP, since we are supposed to do the MEP part, but my AutoCad Architecture automatically tries to open it but gets stuck. I have to do the RECOVER solution, but I don't know how to do that, so I've been waiting for my busy colleague to be un-busy. The intention was to see if we could actually utilize this 3D model so that we could do something 3D, too....

[ntellery]

well good luck with the 3D bit then. Hope you are not in a hurry!

For recover, just close the drawing and under the BIG A, look for Drawing Utilities and the recover option and select the drawing.
If you have MEP it would have no trouble opening an ACA drawing because you have ACA plus MEP.
It may be a version issue but I thought you said you were using 13 which is the latest drawing format. Anything previous would have trouble opening 13,14, or 15?

It may also be a corrupt drawing!

[David_W_Koch]

AutoCAD has the AutoCAD Architecture (ACA) object enabler built into it (and has had it for quite a few releases). Opening an ACA file in plain AutoCAD should not be a particular problem, provided the AutoCAD version used is a release that uses the same file format as the ACA file. You would have limited editing capabilites with vanilla AutoCAD, but if the purpose of the file is as a background for the work of other disciplines, it should be fine. The file may be corrupt, or perhaps it was not originally created in AutoCAD or an AutoCAD vertical product and the translation to DWG format met with issues.