topic Re: copy/paste with basepoint in Civil 3D Forum

copy/paste with basepoint

dhenderhan — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:27:17 GMT

Ok, new one on me...I can copy with basepoint out of one drawing and paste into another and it comes in correctly. But when I copy the exact same pasted object with basepoint out of that drawing back into the first one, it comes in 6820517.658 feet east-northeast and scales it up by about 2.28084 (suspiciously like 3.2808333).

Both drawings set to same coordinate system and all unit settings are the same as well. Both drawings have "scale objects inserted from other drawings" checked, but why would it do it in one direction, but not back in the other?

Got to be a system variable for insertion units that I'm not familiar with. Any ideas?

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

essam-salah — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:07:16 GMT

@dhenderhan wrote:
Ok, new one on me...I can copy with basepoint out of one drawing and paste into another and it comes in correctly. But when I copy the exact same pasted object with basepoint out of that drawing back into the first one, it comes in 6820517.658 feet east-northeast and scales it up by about 2.28084 (suspiciously like 3.2808333).

Both drawings set to same coordinate system and all unit settings are the same as well. Both drawings have "scale objects inserted from other drawings" checked, but why would it do it in one direction, but not back in the other?

Got to be a system variable for insertion units that I'm not familiar with. Any ideas?

@dhenderhan this is weird tbh.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

Pointdump — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:16:35 GMT

Hi David,
Did you check command BASE in both drawings?
Can you post both drawings?
Dave

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

dhenderhan — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:19:57 GMT

BASE is 0,0,0 in both. If I uncheck the "scale drawing..." button, it works. but it has never been an issue before, and as originally posted, why one direction, but not the other. Not able to post dwgs due to confidentiality. Got to be something simple I'm overlooking.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

Pointdump — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:33:09 GMT

Delete everything but one point in each drawing, and then post them.

Dave

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

dhenderhan — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:10:50 GMT

Here they are.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

Pointdump — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 06:36:35 GMT

David,
Thanks for posting your drawings.
I get same as you when I COPYBASE that block, but works as expected with a simple AutoCAD point. So must be something to do with that block.
Dave

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

ChicagoLooper — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:05:32 GMT

@dhenderhan

Sixth Meridian

T14S

R42W

S27

SW corner, correct?

1. On command line UNITS=>Change the Precision from 3 decimal places to the maximum 8 decimal places.

2. On Ribbon go to Geolocation Tab=>Tools Panel=>Mark Position Dropdown=>Point=>Insert the Point at Center of the Block.

3. Select your newly inserted Position Marker=Properties Palette=>Geometry Section change size to 300. (Put Marker on a non-white layer.)

Perform above steps for both drawings (22484a.dwg and OVERALL.dwg).

Compare X,Y's. Compare Lat/Longs.

Be sure to establish maximum precision for decimal places before comparing.

Special Note:

AutoCAD's out-of-the-box 'Standard' templates use the default 4-significan digits for Imperial dwt's and 3 sig digits for Metric dwt's.

Both your original downloaded dwg's had Precision at 3 significant digits. Why?

Did your drawing originate in metric units which you converted to imperial?

Did you export to dwg format from a third-party survey program?

Just curious.

BTW, I agree with @essam-salah (refer to post #2). You can copy-and-paste to a neutral drawing, then copy-and-paste from that neutral drawing to the destination drawing.

For the neutral dwg: MAPCSASSIGN=>CO-C (Neutral dwg=CO, NAD27, Central Zone, feet).

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

Joe-Bouza — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 13:55:07 GMT

sounds like the ucs of each drawing may be different

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

dhenderhan — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:16:43 GMT

Thanks,

It's not just that block, anything I copy (except as you note, an Autocad 'point') is pasted in that fashion.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

dhenderhan — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:20:59 GMT

Performed "PLAN-WORLD" on each dwg and checked UCS was set to world prior to post.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

dhenderhan — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:57:23 GMT

All values are the same after performing your instructions. Paste error remains. Was there a solution proposed with your procedure? Unit precisions shouldn't have anything to do with pasting at 0,0,0 from one drawing to another as the UCS should be at maximum precision at all times regardless. No third party software was involved. standard imperial in-house template that has been tried and true should have been used.

Also, while I realize that anyone worth their salt with this software should be able to ultimately determine the location in the real world, and while I appreciate your posting an attempt to help me with my issue, I didn't appreciate you posting the actual position of my work for the whole board to see, especially after I said I didn't want to post dwgs because of confidentiality. Food for thought sir.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

ChicagoLooper — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:23:32 GMT

@dhenderhan

If the cut and paste method indicates the same numbers in the Lat/Long (you DID determine the Lat/Long, correct?) then one of your drawings isn't georeferenced accurately like it should be, and you'll need to exercise know-how to correct it. If you don't correct it, then you must live with this error, forever.

If you didn't verify (cross-check) the X,Y against the Lat/Long, then you are ignoring an easy way to test your drawing's location in the real world. And believe it or not, your points are side-by-side rather than on top of one another, but you already know that. It looks like you're looking for the 'Easy Button' and that doesn't exist. Your choice of possible solutions is inhibited by your comfort and familiarity in the program. Expand your options, however sophisticated, to achieve resolution.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

ChicagoLooper — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:44:15 GMT

@dhenderhan

<<... I didn't appreciate you posting the actual position of my work for the whole board to see...>>

Huh?!

You uploaded dwg's with an assigned coordinate system. You didn't clear out the External Reference palette, and believe it or not, those refs indicate location. It's common for users to upload dwg's whenever they want an accurate and effective solution. Readers (downloaders) in this Forum will not criticize your specific uploaded drawing. We are here to help and are providing valuable Cad consultation, at no charge.

BTW, When I cut your point and paste to the other, my result is accurate.

Re: copy/paste with basepoint

dhenderhan — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 15:27:27 GMT

Now cut and paste it in the other direction and see what happens.