dwg to skf will not open with all layers or information

[treeguy]

I have downloaded a dwg file from a surveyor.  I am a landscape designer, and I have a hard copy of this plan from the city of Chanhassen, MN.  So, I know what the copy should look like.  I have autosketch 10.  When I open the dwg file in autosketch 10, I see a preview ini the upper right corner.  I know when you open it, it takes you to a window with .shx files.  In the past when I would open up dwg files, I would click on itypeshp.shx, than I would need to click on itypeshp.shx again.  It will open it, but I am missing what appears to be the contour and spot elevation layer.  Once again, I can see the contours and spot elevations on the preview, but these will not open.  I have tried many other .shx files, it will still not open the contours and spot elevations.  Please let me know how to open the entire dwg file.  Thanks

[Shawn_Niles]

I have investigated this issue for you. You had mentioned the SHX messages you are getting, but that is not why you are not seeing the contour lines. I have a few thoughts for you:

First, it is always recommended that you have all the correct fonts loaded. When you receive the messages about SHX files missing, it means you do not have the same fonts as the person who sent you the files. So even though you pick a different font to use and it allows you to open the file, you will not be getting the same exact look as the person who sent you the file. The easiest way to fix this is to request those fonts from whoever sent you the file. Since SHX files are not proprietary, most folks have no problem sending them over. In the case of this file, you are missing Simplex1.shx and Longdash.shx. My recommendation is for you to request these fonts from the person who sent you this file. You can then add these into your fonts folder, and you will no longer get the messages about missing fonts. More importantly, your text in the file will look as it should.

The more critical issue here is the missing contour lines when opening the file in AutoSketch. The reason for this is because the DWG file has objects in it that AutoSketch cannot read. These objects were created using Land Desktop 2006 and also AutoCAD Civil 3D. AutoSketch does not have the ability to read those types of objects. When you open the file in AutoCAD, you will see those objects, but they list as 'Proxy Objects'. You cannot modify them in AutoCAD either, but you can at least see them since AutoCAD is more powerful than AutoSketch.

I did find a possible solution for you, but it depends on if you absolutely need to keep using AutoSketch or not. AutoSketch is actually an older product of ours that has not been updated in many years, and there are no immediate plans to update it again any time soon. So if you only need a way to view these files that you receive, and you are not absolutely tied to AutoSketch, my recommendation is to use DWG TrueView instead to view them. TrueView has the ability to view the objects that AutoSketch does not. I opened up this file you attached using TrueView, and I could see all the contour lines perfectly. So if you only need a way to view the files, are you open to switching over to the much more robust DWG TrueView? I will put a link for you below where you can download this free product, and try it out.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=9078813

Let me know how this works as a solution.