Dear Autodesk,
The dwg file reader should be able to distinguish between xref overlay and xref attach
overlay xrefs should NOT be processed, they are not actually part of the file being appended, they are merely references used by that file.
On the other hand attached xrefs ARE part of the file being appended and should be processed.
C'mon guys...2012 and you still haven't got this basic functionality worked out!
I am especially annoyed with the inability of Navisworks to distinguish between Overlays and Attachments. All that would be needed is some simple, basic, Boolean programming, and a checkbook for the option. Autodesk really needs to work on their interoperability. This is so rediculously simple, that I seriously wonder about competence. Quit adding features and programs and fix your best for a year. You guys are getting a bad reputation for creating many rigs with flat tires, metaphorically speaking.
If this their is something missing, well, then I blame help. I have been looking for a solution for about an hour now... Not the first time I have done this.
If this is too difficult to understand... I will give a description of what is happening:
I have two files I want to append into Navisworks. They both include a whole building XREFed as OVERLAYS into the DWGs. When appending the two DWGs, the building shows up twice in the same exact place; meaning that one must hide one of the buildings in the Navisworks file set to make it invicible. This makes collision detection useless.
The workaround is to make a new drawings and add all the areas needed into the DWG. Then load that dwg into Navisworks. The problem with this is that there is no way to append anything and it limits many functions. One of the eliminated functions include refreshing, because Navisworks does not check into xref drawings of DWGs.
This is rediculous. And I hope someone addresses this. What are you guys doing? Sleeping? It is 2013!
Steady... deep breaths. Slow down a bit and you won't trip on things as much.
Now - there's a couple of features in Navisworks you should be aware of. First, using MERGE instead of APPEND will help deal with duplicate objects, as the name implies. Second, there are additional settings for dealing with duplicate objects under the Options dialog. Can't specifically point them out right now, as my Simulate session is churning out a 600-frame animation....
Okay, I went into the Option dialog. Tried several variations, but no dice. Thanks for your help, but I have described the issue, and would like some solid solutions.
Again, this issue has too long been ignored. Is the programming more difficult than I assume? I like the ideas for the workflow, but they are not being refined. It is ludicrous to assume that one is going to detach all attchments every time they go to save their drawings, and merging does not always work. I did find that it worked a couple of times, but I still see an excessive amount of repeats in the selection tree. Collision detection becomes useless with the Plant 3D and other AutoCAD workflows. Just some simple "if" statements in the code would allow the overlays to work correctly in Navisworks, like they should.
I love doing this stuff, but it becomes difficult to deal with all these setbacks.
I use MERGE when building, and have Options -> Interface -> Merge Duplicates options checked. I also have Options -> File Readers -> DWG/DXF -> Convert XREFs and Merge XREF layers checked. When I build composite models from a variety of sources containing XREFs I don't get any duplicate objects. The downside is when a refresh is done, *all* content has to be refreshed from the ground up since it has to check (again) to deal with duplicates.
If you have a similar set-up, it might be time to do a detailed investigation of the models and look for non-identical duplicates.
Sorry - that should have been Options - Model -> Performance -> Merge duplicates.
i would have to agree. the way autocad works is that it only brings in attached xrefs when referencing in a drawing, and always ignores overlaid xrefs everywhere except when actually opening the drawing that the xref is in. that's the right thing to do. 3ds max works this way when reading drawing files, it's how navisworks should work.
funny thing is, that when you xref your main drawing (containing your design data and a number of xrefs either attached or overlaid) into a blank drawing, then save that and load it into navisworks, things come in as expected, overlay xrefs are ignored, and attached xrefs are brought in. this is carried out thruout the xref file tree. it's just in the primary drawing node that's not working correctly.
Could this 10 year old request be either archived or deleted ? Please do so. Navisworks development stopped long long time ago. Keeping this in the air is waist of frustration and reading time for solutions that will not be provided.
2022 and still same problem We have to detach Xrefs we use for references only when modeling (Overlay-ed obviously) , so they don't appear in Navis combined model.
Its so annoying because We have to monitor every instance.
2023 and still a problem! AUTODESK IS DROPPING THE BALL!!!!!
Back in the day, before autodesk acquired Navisworks, here in the US, east coast, I used to call around 4am to talk to the developers in england and they will have a fix within hours. Maybe Autodesk is planning to incorporate Dynamo to Navisworks so we can fix the program ourselves. LOL
Great idea. Lets also vote to give autodesk a big thumbs up or thumbs down for reading any of this.
We pay premium for the software subscription!
My time is limmited that's why we buy the software to design no to program. Rolling my eyes.