Best way to send drawings to clients???

[sonnyamorales]

So I have just finished up a project and now need to send the files (all of them, surfaces, alignments, corridor, construction documents, etc) to the client.  What is the best way to do this?

I am confused because Civil3d uses Data references that are created based on a folder I specify which the client will not have access to and so on. 

I opened my alignment file and did a DXFOUT than went ahead and opened that dxf and saw that there was nothing there???

Could they recreate the stuff I have done using DWFs?? or should I Etransmit?? or what other options do I have?

Thanks, 

Sonny

[mathewkol]

Your only option is etransmit.  DXF will give them crud, or nothing in your case.  DWF or PDF will give them a pretty picture, but no usable data.  Etransmit and DREFs, there is a setting to save the files to a single folder, use that option and no paths will be saved.

[antoniovinci]

Please list the softwares owned by your customer, thx.

[Mark_Castle]

For the data references you can promote the objects in the drawing you send to the client so they are no longer data referenced. Just be careful doing this with surfaces that are referenced as you could greatly increase the drawing size.

[sonnyamorales]

Thank you for the responses.  I went ahead and just etrasmitted the files, so we shall see how that works.  I am uncertain what version they are using and am uncertain if what i sent them will work 😞

will find out shortly.  thanks again 🙂

[Lisa_Pohlmeyer]

Since all our drawings & data reference files within the same folder structure, we zip up the entire folder.  They can use the Reference Manager and Data Shortcuts Editor tools to modify paths to suit them.

Hopefully, you're talking about them using the same version as you, or later.

[neilyj666]

If they are on Civil 3D (or even if not) XML will certainly deal with the alignments and surfaces

[neilyj666]

but remember not to save these versions.....

[sonnyamorales]

They are asking for dxf files, which I know will not work, but will send them anyways.  I also did an etransmit of all the files and clicked the box for "save all within this file" (or something like that) just in case.  That should work right?

Seems like Etransmit would be the way to go....

If you DXF an alignment file (per say) it actually doesnt show anything in the DXF when you try opeinng it up..right??  at least for me it doesnt

[sboon]

You can produce dxf files, but it requires a couple of steps.  First export the drawing to ACad.  Open that file and do whatever cleanup is needed, exploding point blocks erasing extra stuff etc until you have a "clean" file.  Save that as a dxf and send to your client.

Steve
Please use the Accept as Solution or Kudo buttons when appropriate

[neilyj666]

A word of caution when using dxf files - be sure NOT to include GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION if prompted as this causes problems when trying to open dxf's