New new entity handles generated from dwgs.

[David_Metcalf]

A customer is working on a project doing BIM. He has prevoiusly have submitted the models as dwg files to the team BIM coordinator. He says that the drawing is generating new entity handles each time the dwg is modified, saved and uploaded as a new dwg to the project collaboration site.

They are using AutoCAD 2011 with the Cadworx Plant add-on to generat plumbing piping.

Is there a way to keep entity handles the same?

[dgorsman]

No.  When CADWorx modifies a component e.g. stretches a pipe, it recreates the solid that forms the pipe.  That makes it a new object with a new handle.  And you can't explicitly assign handles to objects.  Many other programs do this as well, such as ProSteel/ProStructures.

I don't recommend working directly with object handles in Navisworks.  Instead use object properties, which is very handy since CADWorx properties (like line number and tag) are directly available.

[Anonymous]

How do you get Navisworks to use something besides the Entity Handles to keep track of each item in your model.

When the Entity handle changes Navisworks thinks that the item is a new item.

[dgorsman]

Depends on what the goal is.  If its to support ongoing clash detection then for now there's no solution that I know of (but I do know the devs are aware of that issue).  If its for some other purpose there may be other options.

[Anonymous]

Did I not read somewhere on the web that you could move piping in Cadworx with handles and it would not chang the Entity Handles?

[dgorsman]

Move, rotate, yes (although thats would just be using the handle as a reference to the object).  Modify in such a way as to change the solids, no.