Flatten Command doesn't work after update to AutoCAD for Mac 2017.3

[Anonymous]

Hello, 

I recently downloaded autocad2017.3 and the flatten command is not working. Please help

@Anonymous

john.vellek has edited your subject line for clarity: Flatten Command

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

Do you receive an error message when you try to run the command? OR, is it just not working in the file?  

I have attached another Flatten type routine that I pulled off the Customization forum.

Can you share the file if it is specific to just one?

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

if i type flatten, it doesnt show. i dont know why

[maxim_k]

Hi

There is no such native command (FLATTEN) in 2017 version. It was introduced in 2018 version of AutoCAD for Mac.
Maybe you used custom AutoLISP routine previously? If so, please verify that it is loaded before using FLATTEN command.

[pendean]

If you are trying to use the LISP that was posted, the command to launch it after you load the LISP is SUPPERFLATTEN

[pendean]

Updated LISP attached @john.vellek

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

@pendean @john.vellek

Unfortunately AutoLISP routines you attached will not work in AutoCAD for Mac as they both use Visual Lisp functions which are not available on Mac.

I attached another FLATTEN routine which works on Mac (I modified it slightly to make fully compatible with AutoCAD for Mac), but it was written in 2000 and has some restrictions:

1/ It sets the Z-coordinates of these types of objects to 0 in the World Coordinate System:
"3DFACE" "ARC" "ATTDEF" "CIRCLE" "DIMENSION"  "ELLIPSE" "HATCH" "INSERT" "LINE" "LWPOLYLINE" "MTEXT" "POINT" "POLYLINE" "SOLID" "TEXT"

2/ FLATTEN doesn't flatten objects nested inside of blocks. (You can explode blocks before flattening. Alternatively, you can WBLOCK block definitions to separate DWG files, run FLATTEN in each of them, and then use INSERT in the parent drawing to update the block definitions. Neither of these methods will flatten existing attributes, though.
3/ FLATTEN flattens objects onto the Z=0 X-Y plane in AutoCAD's
World Coordinate System (WCS). It doesn't currently support flattening onto other UCS planes.

To run FLATTEN, load it using AutoCAD's APPLOAD command, 
Once you've loaded FLATTEN.LSP, type: FLATTEN

[john.vellek]

Hi @maxim_k

Thanks for the follow up. I had attached that file prior to finding out that the customer is using AutoCAD for Mac.  I moved this thread form the Windows AutoCAD forum.  I was going to go hunt down a routine but I am glad to see you were kind enough to provide one. Thanks for the contribution.

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

I am coming back to your thread to see if the issue or question you posed has been resolved.  If so, please mark the post or posts as Solution(s) to help others find the answer quickly. If your issue persists, please give me a bit more detail on this issue so we can continue to work towards getting this solved.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have been drawing on a 2d plane but my lines are being drawn as 3d objects. please, how do I resolve this?

thank you

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Hi Rahama,

You can use FLATTEN command in AutoCAD 2018 to make all lines "flat":
https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACDMAC/2018/ENU/index.html?guid=GUID-0E2744A7-AAB9-4AE9-9614-5697668C...

[Anonymous]

I have autocad 2017.3  It doesnt have flatten commands, i dont know why

[maxim_k]

FLATTEN was introduced in 2018 version of AutoCAD for Mac.
So you can use for example this method:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-for-mac-forum/can-t-make-2d-drawing-it-becomes-3d-drawing/m-p...

[Anonymous]

thank you. But this worked only with lines. How can i make spline, circles and rectangles flat? thank you

[maxim_k]

>>>>How can i make spline, circles and rectangles flat?
From the link I referred in my previous post:
"- for circles - set center Z to zero,
- for polylines - set Elevation to zero,"
Note: Rectangles in fact are closed polylines. Circles and polylines are flat 2D objects, so you only need to put the center of the circle to XY plan and you need to set polyline elevation (Z level) to zero to make them "flat". That is correct for the case when polylines and circles were created in the coordinate system which XY plane was parallel to XY plane of World Coordinate system.

Splines are 3D objects by its nature, so you cannot use Properties palette to flatten them. So you can try to use another trick to flatten them:
https://thecadgeek.com/blog/2012/04/mac-flatten-command/

[Anonymous]

can i package the dwg file and send it to you, if you can flatten it please? thank you

[maxim_k]

Yes, sure.
Can you attach it here? Or you want to send it to my email?

[Anonymous]

Here it is.

[maxim_k]

You can find your flattened drawing in the attachment.

I flattened only layers that was turned on (visible), but in the drawing there are also layers switched off and there are a lot of objects on them/ Do you need to flatten them as well?

[Anonymous]

yes, i want everything flattened. Thank you