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Dead defpoints layer

15 REPLIES 15
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Message 1 of 16
thiggins
531 Views, 15 Replies

Dead defpoints layer

I've been using Autocad and Autocad LT for years and I've never seen this. The objects (basically some lines) on the defpoints layer of a particular drawing have abruptly become completely inaccessible. The layer is not frozen. The objects are visible, but they can't be worked with. I first noticed that object snaps were not working on these lines. I then found out that the objects cannot be picked in any way, as for moving, copying, or deleting and cannot be listed using a cut pick. New lines drawn on the layer become inaccessible as soon as drawn. Only Undo can delete them. The whole layer has become unavailable for typical operations. I recovered the file. No change. I closed out of everything and rebooted and restarted. No change. I'm using !SlingShotMax form DRC Auto, so I tried opening the drawing with plain Autocad LT 2008. Same behavior. Similar drawings in the same package are not behaving in this way, so I think it's drawing specific. I've never encountered this before. What did I do wrong?
15 REPLIES 15
Message 2 of 16
bowness72
in reply to: thiggins

Its nothing to do with layer zero is it ? Possibly switched off or frozen ? I had trouble once before and it seemed that layer zero and defpoints worked together in some way but cant remember the details im afraid as it was a long time ago.
Message 3 of 16
thiggins
in reply to: thiggins

That was it! For some reason (user error) layer 0 was thawed but off! When I turned it back on access to objects on defpoints was restored. Thanks. I'll ponder the meaning of this. Maybe it's a feature.
Message 4 of 16
ColeBennett
in reply to: thiggins

Whether a feature or a bug, this relationship between layers 0 and defpoints has been this way through the last 3 versions of Autocad I've used, and presumably every other version. Who knows why...

Cole
Message 5 of 16
Anonymous
in reply to: thiggins

Goes back a long way, defpoints and zero are tied together: realistically,
every user should have abandoned using DEFPOINTS layer for anything since
layer no-plot options showed up many versions back.

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
Add-on products for LT
http://www.pendean.com/lt
--
Message 6 of 16
bowness72
in reply to: thiggins

Yes but you never know what version people are using when you issue your drawings to them which means they sometimes plot things that they shouldn't
Message 7 of 16
thiggins
in reply to: thiggins

But is there any harm or disadvantage in using the defpoints layer for detail locating frames or other such non-printing uses? (Other, of course, than the possibility of this little mixup with layer 0 repeating.)
Message 8 of 16
Anonymous
in reply to: thiggins

Judging by how many people don't know about layer 0 relationship, it's
obviously troublesome at best when more folks seem to know about noplot
settings.

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
Add-on products for LT
http://www.pendean.com/lt
--
Message 9 of 16
Anonymous
in reply to: thiggins

You exchange files with R12 users that often?

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
Add-on products for LT
http://www.pendean.com/lt
--
Message 10 of 16
bowness72
in reply to: thiggins

I exchange files with LT2000 users regularly, although I cant remember if the non-plot option was in that release.

The problem comes on the occasions when you are dealing with a small building company etc. who don't actually use the program that much, or the people using it aren't that familiar with some of the features so you have to try to make it fool proof to try to force the drawings to be plotted properly.
Message 11 of 16
Charles_Shade
in reply to: thiggins

Send 'em a PDF that you create not your DWG file if all you
are doing is giving them a "hard" copy.
Why send something they can muck with?

regards,
cshade
Message 12 of 16
Anonymous
in reply to: thiggins

Yep, it's there, been there since R14/LT97/98 I believe. I skipped R13/LT95
and I don't recall R12 or LT1 or LT2 doing it but I could be wrong.

When in doubt, send PDFs along with the DWG file, if you really need to send
that, helps all parties get it.

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
Add-on products for LT
http://www.pendean.com/lt
--
Message 13 of 16
bowness72
in reply to: thiggins

We do send pdf's but still people ask for the .dwg file and then end up plotting from that and don't use the .ctb file that goes along with it, either because they don't understand what it is or cant be bothered to plot it properly. Like I said, it is sometimes necessary to try and make things fool proof.
Message 14 of 16
bowness72
in reply to: thiggins

Personally I would like to issue DWF's as normal practice but people don't seem as keen to use these as much as pdf's.
Message 15 of 16
Charles_Shade
in reply to: thiggins

You can't fix what others don't perceive as a problem.
Just hammer the PDF or DWF solution in them. Life would
be easy if it wasn't for employees and clients.

One of the builders I work with always wanted DWG files. I
stopped and send nothing but PDF now. 2 things I told him
about that:
1. He did NOT keep up with the CAD upgrades and he didn't
need to.
2. There is too much of my intellectual property in these
drawings that if he decides to go somewhere else he could
take my work. This is why almost all my hatches are custom.

Regards,
Charles Shade
Message 16 of 16
Anonymous
in reply to: thiggins

There is a perception from some that they are not getting 'everything' if
you don't send them a DWG file. That just comes from trust and actually
communicating with each other. Looks like that is what you did Charles.

There is no hard sell for PDF or DWF, or even DWG: get into the mind of the
recipient, find out what the real 'issue' is and solve it. Customer Service
seems to be a dying art, we all just do the bare minimum to get it done and
nothing more.

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
Add-on products for LT
http://www.pendean.com/lt
--

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