topic Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext. in Navisworks Forum

Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext.

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 18:31:16 GMT

The Issue - as stated in the title - is that when merging in .dwg files, Navisworks Simulate 2016 will sometimes merge a .dwg file that is already merged, only it will give it the file extension .DWG (all uppercase).

This has happened for a few of my coworkers as well and causes some confusion during the quality control process.

I was wondering if anyone has an answer as to how this happens? and if there is another user input process that will avoid it.

For the record, I'm using ShipConstructor 2016 through AutoCAD 2016 as the modelling program. In Navisworks simulate 2016 I use the Merge command, not the append command, and bring in upwards of 10-20 .dwg files at a time, even if they've already been brought in (this avoids me missing any models). I've checked the source folder and there is always only one .dwg file with a lowercase file extension.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 15:56:08 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

why do you have Upper and lower case? Why don't you save everything in lower case.

Afaik Navis is case sensitive.

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Re: Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext

MichaelBussiere2 — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 23:09:12 GMT

Thank you for your post. In this case it looks like every time you merge a file it then creates a secondary file with the same name but now represented with both upper case and lower case versions of the same files.

I have not seen this specific issue before, but form the behavior described I would suspect an issue with the Navisworks project files (NWF) or the network these files are saved/shared from. If a corrupt NWF, this would require you to rebuild the file (new NWF and then add the files back in). In regards to the network or system, what are the network specs that you are saving and sharing from?

Thank you and we look forward to your reply to best help wherever possible.

Re: Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 11:43:25 GMT

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the response!

I don't believe its an issue on the NWF file side of things, as this has happened in multiple NWF's on multiple computers.

the .dwg files are all saved to a local area network connection. As far as specs I can't really say.

cheers,

-tl

Re: Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext

Anonymous — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 18:35:53 GMT

The same issue is happening to myself as well. Some of our files are saved with .dwg or .DWG and it seems that Navis has decided that the files are different and merging them in creates a copy within simulate. Any suggestions?

Re: Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 17:52:57 GMT

I created and maintained a very extensive library of Navisworks models for years. Navisworks is definitely case sensitive. The complementary software being used with AutoCAD would save filenames inconsistently. It would save with .DWG for some disciplines and .dwg for others. (I should have just complained to the software developers and demanded they standardize it.)

I tried multiple ways to handle this (including hunt and peck). Here are two methods worth considering:

1. My Final Scripted Solution: I wrote a batch file that looped through all my directories (for loop) and changed .DWG to .dwg. I also created all my Navis composite models by batch script (FiletoolsTaskrunner.exe). I just included the name change correction script as a precursor to the creation of the .nwf. Needless to say, the windows batch commands to rename files are very simple and dangerously powerful. The "for" looping routines will fail or go awry due the smallest mistake. DO NOT ATTEMPT this in a work environment unless you have approval and automated backup of the files. You need to know exactly what you are doing or have trained yourself and performed thorough testing of your scripts in a safe environment.

2. Manual correction: Use the Navisworks Batch Utility to export a list of the models in your existing .nwf as a .txt file. Simply change the file extension of the "Output to file / list:" to .txt. This txt file can be sorted to identify duplicates. Duplicates can then be manually removed from the nwf model. This requires no scripting knowledge, but is a clumsy time-consuming hassle. If you can write simple script, the duplicates can be removed from the .txt list and that txt file can be used as input for a windows command script that recreates the .nwf from scratch using FileToolsTaskRunner.exe.

I hope this helps... Good luck!

Re: Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 12:31:17 GMT

Hi SpankyMac,

Thanks for this response. We use the Shipconstructor plug-in for AutoCad, it sounds like this may be where the issue lies. Can I ask if this was the same accompanying software you were using?

Cheers!

Re: Navisworks merging the same file twice with uppercase and lowercase file ext

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 19:15:36 GMT

Yes it was. ShipConstructor 2008, 2012, 2016. I no longer manage Navis models at my current job, but looking at the server, I see that the .DWG/.dwg mix continues in SC2018.