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Import CAD

41 REPLIES 41
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Message 1 of 42
RBartsch
740 Views, 41 Replies

Import CAD

Sorry, new to Revit. I am trying to import a CAD titleblock by creating a new titleblock and importing the cad file. For the life of me, I can't figure out where in the heck the CAD goes. It shows up as "visible" in the view settings - imported dialogue.

I can get it dragged and dropped or imported in, for example, my main floor view, but can't get it into a sheet or when I try to create a new titleblock.

Thanks.
-- Robin B.
41 REPLIES 41
Message 2 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

RB-

i see no one is answering your question..
so let me try to help..

AutoCAD lines come into revit nicely- but
they are not revit lines..

titleblocks in revit may LOOK like a bunch
of lines like in AutoCAD- but in revit they are
intelligent parametric elements..

in revit- a titleblock is a "family"- and that family
is full of life and information.. it's not even
anything like a dynamic block of AutoCAD lines..

you must create a titleblock in the family editor..

but i rarely see a need to actually bring a DWG
into revit unless it is a site plan.. all other CAD
drawings i like to VIEW separate from revit (or
imported into a different session of revit)- and
measure everything on it and rebuild it in revit..

if i knew how to operate AutoCAD i would have
a separate computer and monitor just for that
purpose.. in fact- i am trying to learn enough
about AutoCAD to manipulate and measure
CAD drawings in AC just that way.. those
drawings don't always import properly-
especially if they are too old for revit to
import.. (many CAD drafters LOVE r14)..

i also think most people underestimate the
usefulness of AutoCAD in the foreseeable
BIM future.. and for those who know how
to use it- it's a wonderful drawing tool.. Edited by: Discussion_Admin on Jan 8, 2010 12:33 PM
Message 3 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

RB-

i better mention something before someone says
i don't know what i'm talking about because i don't
do it their way..

you CAN bring that DWG titleblock into the revit
family editor and work with it there to speed up
the revit titleblock creation instead of building
it from scratch like what i'm talking about..

PROBABLY if i was more skilled at manipulating
AutoCAD drawings inside the family editor- i might
do it this way- but i'm not.. and maybe that would
be a good thing to learn..

but for now you can for sure go to
NEW>TITLE BLOCK>NEW SIZE-
and start working on it..
Message 4 of 42
tbh
Enthusiast
in reply to: RBartsch

RB

Make sure the original titleblock is in the correct space. I believe it needs to be in paperspace.

I would also recommend bringing it in and either drawing overtop of the lines and deleting it or exploding it. If you choose the explode method I would change everything to layer 0 first so there's not so much cleanup.
Message 5 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

UPDATE!!!

after reconsidering everything i know about
importing DWG lines into revit for the tenth
time in five years- i think i now have what
might be my final conclusion..

NEVER bring DWG lines into a revit project
for ANY reason..

i've imported DWG site plans into my project
many times- but i'm not doing even that anymore..

if i really need those lines in my project to
speed up creation of something- i will make
a "screenshot" of those lines and bring them
into my project as an IMAGE for tracing over..

and then delete that image..

otherwise like i said- i will view those lines for
reference and measurements on a different
monitor or in a different session of revit..

so there you have it- cold turkey..

prove my logic flawed..
Message 6 of 42
Vector4U
in reply to: RBartsch

In the real world, everything is not perfect. The whole world is not utilizing Revit and sometimes an AutoCAD file needs to be imported into Revit. Your comment to "NEVER bring DWG lines into a revit project for ANY reason" is absolutely absurd. As an example, most companies cannot afford to completely redraw information from the AutoCAD files that are received from consultants.

The OP mentioned titleblocks and you answered that; however, you made a really bad statement with the above comment.
Message 7 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

Vector4u-

well i did flip-flop on the idea of importing CAD..

but your only "example" reinforces my conclusion
about "never"..

we cannot use any consultants in a design-build
environment who only know how to draw lines..
Message 8 of 42
BernardMadoff
in reply to: RBartsch

i will make a "screenshot" of those lines and bring them into my project as an IMAGE for tracing over................

how efficient and accurate is that, you can not expect to use ONE tool for everything in todays collaborative world.
Whether you like it or not on large projects its a case of utilising a combination of data and tools such as Revit, Autocrap, Navisworks etc to deliver an accurate and coordinated job.....like many have said not everyone uses Revit and every large project involves collaboration from numerous parties
Message 9 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

bern-

navisworks and revit are actually like one tool..

navisworks is an extension of revit for technical
validation and clash detection..

i'm not saying people who only know how to
draw lines will be completely out of work- but
it might only be "menial" work.. unless it's for
design type work.. and even a pencil is great
for that..
Message 10 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

bern-

AutoCAD sure is good with site plans..

there could be a future for AutoCAD
at least with site plans..

AutoCAD site plans are easy to trace
in revit and i've never had a problem
with them in revit..

you see bern- i just don't know how
things are going to go..

it's even possible that AutoCAD could
become important with BIM for making
custom components that can be converted
into revit families or in-place families..

but you can sure have a mess bringing
in DWG lines if you don't really know
what you are doing.. i haven't really
got into that too much..

since revit has a built-in drafting program
that can do anything AutoCAD can do-
why wouldn't a person who is good with
geometry and lines simply move over
into the revit line drawing program?
that would save time and money for
everyone in the business..

you know anything about that bern?
Message 11 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

Vector4u-

i think i have an idea to help AutoCAD drafters
stay in the game..

let them be responsible for making DWG files
"revit-ready"..

if they just give us a bunch of crap for drawing
files that messes up revit- then they will be putting
themselves out of the line drawing business..

you think?
Message 12 of 42
mikemcculley5692
in reply to: RBartsch

To all...

While I respect the revit bunch, I can't help but wonder how you think a property survey or a topographic survey can be drafted in revit. There will always be a need for a cad type program for those of us who provide these services. Do any of you know how to correctly prepare a 3D surface from ground data? I know you can build topology in revit, but there is not any room for editing. If I were to provide you with a detailed topographic survey for use in a site design and you discarded my data, scanned and traced the information to use for design, you are assuming all of the risk. Autodesk/Autocad should have made the import of a dwg file a simple task.


Just a Surveyor's point of view.
Message 13 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

mike-

revit is called "revit architecture" or
"revit building"..

revit is only for the building..

but since roads and land do lead up to
buildings- we need to link those drawing
files to our buildings for context..

we are happy that the people who draw
roads and land using AutoCAD are happy
with AutoCAD- but it really doesn't matter
to us what program they use to draw their
lines.. pencil lines that we can scan into a
revit site plan for linking to our building file
would be fine too..


Edited by: Discussion_Admin on Feb 18, 2010 5:25 PM
Message 14 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

"how efficient and accurate is that" ??

just so this thread doesn't get too far away before we
get somebody who thinks they know a better way
to bring DWG lines into revit- i say- anything other
than a DWG site plan because that can be imported
into a separate session of revit and "revitized" and
then linked to the project- i say the best way to get
any kind of DWG line objects into a revit project
is to bring those lines in as a jpeg image and trace
over them and when you are done with the image-
delete it.. also- and like i said before- i don't know
about bringing DWG lines into a separate session
of revit and the family editor to make detail items
and components- (other than an image)- but if that
can somehow speed up anything and somebody
feels good doing that- then it could be doable- but
still i wouldn't do it..

i don't want to hear any more rants about it-
i want to hear some logical reason why you
think some other way is better..
Message 15 of 42
Anonymous
in reply to: RBartsch

On Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:51:07 -0800, vector2 <> wrote:

>"how efficient and accurate is that" ??

>i say the best way to get
>any kind of DWG line objects into a revit project
>is to bring those lines in as a jpeg image and trace
>over them and when you are done with the image-

>i don't want to hear any more rants about it-
>i want to hear some logical reason why you
>think some other way is better..

How about: Bringing in CAD linework as a bitmap image is incredibly inefficient.

It makes a whole lot more sense to me to simply link the DWG in, trace it using
Revit's easy to use toolset, then detach the original DWG.

That way you have the CAD linework to use, without any of the problems with
importing it.

Matt
matt@stachoni.com
Message 16 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

Matt-
I want to study
careful what you are saying about DWG
importing.. Edited by: Discussion_Admin on Feb 22, 2010 11:15 AM
Message 17 of 42
Anonymous
in reply to: RBartsch

I have a lisp that takes acad survey and creates all 3d points necessary for
revit to create topography in seconds and far more accurately than you or
anyone else could using a raster image which is of ridiculously poor quality
dfor serious work. I assume you do only schematic and design development in
revit 'cause from what I see your knowledge ends at 25% dd and that's being
generous.

oh, and the lisp I mentioned. it creates the topgraphy in 5 seconds. for
50,000 data points

and no, you will never see it.


--
TDP

First things first, but not necessarily in that order.

The Doctor
wrote in message news:6341023@discussion.autodesk.com...
Matt-

you're better off staying one step behind
me in your understanding of anything- rather
than putting your foot in your mouth.. LOL

anyway- yeah- thanks- i want to study
careful what you are saying about DWG
importing..
Message 18 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

TDP-

are you saying this "lisp" takes the place of linking or importing
DWG data into revit?

and how would that make it easier to copy details into revit?
Message 19 of 42
vector2
in reply to: RBartsch

"incredibly inefficient"?

maybe somebody should actually try bringing
a DWG detail into revit as an image for tracing
and see how easy it is- vs. muddying-up the
project file with DWG data..

and why would revit want to use those sloppy old
hand drawn lines from AutoCAD exactly the way
they are anyway?

people are just not thinking- they never do..

see the image..
Message 20 of 42
Alfredo_Medina
in reply to: RBartsch

Dear Vector2

What our friend is saying about a Lisp routine that does the job of creating the topography is true. I wrote one for me, too, and I explain its use to my students in my courses. Revit provides 3 ways of making a site: 1) By manually adding points with elevations , 2) By importing a drawing, and 3) By reading a list of points.

The method that you are proposing (tracing over) has to do with option # 1, but it will be extremely awkward to trace over an image of a site plan, not only painfully slow and inaccurate, but also risky and unprofessional. Have you really tried? Those plans have some difficult curves, it will be a nightmare to trace it over, don't even suggest that.

Option # 2, importing a drawing; you bring a 3D wireframe of a site plan, and then tell Revit to use that import to create the topography. Once created, you may erase the imported drawing. Nothing wrong with that, if it works.

The other option, # 3, is the one that works with the Lisp routine. This option has the advantage that you don't need to import any CAD drawing, which is what you and others are against to. All you need is some previous work in AutoCAD before going into Revit. In AutoCAD, you need a 3D wireframe of your site plan; have all the contours elevated as per the actual elevations. Then, in AutoCAD, you run the Lisp routine. It only takes seconds to generate a list of all the x,y,z coordinates of the first and endpoint of every line or polyline segment. The routine saves the list in a .txt file. Then close AutoCAD, go to Revit > Site view > Massing and Site tab > Toposurface > Create from import > Specify points file > select the .txt file created by the Lisp routine > and Voilá! ...your topography is created in an instant. The result is accurate, since it is created with actual coordinates. Now compare this with tracing over an image!

Alfredo Medina
Online training of
AutoCAD & Revit Architecture
www.planta1.com

Alfredo Medina _________________________________________________________________ ______
Licensed Architect (Florida) | Freelance Instructor | Autodesk Expert Elite (on Revit) | Profile on Linkedin

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