AEC objects & 3rd party contractor

[payingtoomuch]

Have a project that I'm struggling with performance issues.

When opening the file and all the xrefs/ layer states etc are loading I notice on the command line various AEC things also being loaded.

Wondering if this could have anything to do with third party contractor files.

I have autocad architecture so can read the files.

This project had a 3rd party contractor generate as builts from 3d scans of the building and the files were converted to autocad.

Wondering if something could be buried in these files that needs to get unloaded somehow.... all I need is the 2d linework.

So far the only thing I've stumbled on that is 3d is some polylines.... which I didn't even know existed..... I mean what can they be used for anyway?

Select all and nothing appears to be at different elevation than zero.

Ran some command (can't remember the name) to put everything at zero but did not run the flatten command because I've had issues resulting from running that command in the past so kind of avoid it.

Thoughts?

[ChicagoLooper]

Hi @payingtoomuch

<<….Ran some command (can't remember the name) to put everything at zero…>>

I hope you ran than command from a copy of the contractor’s, not the original. 

<<I have autocad architecture so can read the files.>>

Reading a file may allow you to open a file but it doesn’t necessarily allow you to see objects created or edited by the contractor. The contractor might be using another version of AutoCad.

If he’s using Civil3D, you have three options:

1. Have the contractor use EXPORTC3DDRAWING command on his original drawing then send it back to you.
2. Download and install AutoCAD Civil3D Object Enabler which will allow you to ‘see’ Civil3D objects. 
3. Use Civil3D to open the file. 
   
   

Also, if you have the original dwg file, open it then use 3DORBIT (or the Viewcube) then pan and zoom so you can see whether there are any 3D objects in modelspace.

[paullimapa]

typically scanned paper drawings into digital cad formatted files will cause the file to be larger and slowing down performance because:

* there may be no blocks so each object is a separate element thus increasing file size

* there may be no hatch pattern objects which means those hatch patterns currently seen may be made up of small line segments

* the text seen may not be Text objects but are made up of individual line segments

[payingtoomuch]

A little clarification Chicago and Paul-

Chicago. Looked up the command for you.... can never remember it.

change>properties>all>elevation>0>enter

Everyone-

The drawings I started with (as a template) are architectural drawings that were given to me to work on that started out as some sort of 3D scan.

The company that I'm working on this project for farmed out the as-built documentation to a company that professes to create the drawings from 3D scanners and drones.

Files seem to be OK. My guess is they are a hodge podge of scan data and people actually using the scan data to overlay linework to create some facsimile of an architectural drawing. I know some is generated by hand because some items are not accurate as far as sizing goes. BUT, a good portion of the lines are not truly horizontal or vertical (so not good cad "form" so assuming that info was generated by the scans).

Anyway, has me thinking that there is a lot of potential to have garbage buried in these files.... but I can't locate anything in particular that seems way off.

That being said I ran -Purge/ Regapps and somethings came up that I was not familiar with. Some had AEC prefixes (such as

-AECBase

-AECland 130 etc.

Some others not AEC related are

-_KTI_ARCHT

-ACAD_Exemp_from_cad_standards.... which has me scratching my head

-ACAD_MLEADERVER

-ACA ANNO AV

-PALLADIOXDATA

-PEURL

ETC ETC.

[paullimapa · Accepted solution]

That command may not adjust objects that have points on different elevations like 3d Lines or 3d Plines and etc.

But you probably can tell if there are anything floating up beyond the z axis of 0 by rotating the view from plan to elevation.

Regardless, if you know for sure when you worked on the drawings and didn't add all those strange AEC references, then those must have come from before when the dwg was given to you.

Now, I'm not saying that's causing your performance issues. But you can try and eliminate those as much as possible just to see if that makes a difference. Try thawing, turning on, unlocking all layers, Zoom Extents and do a WBLOCK of the objects you see on the screen. Then open that WBlocked dwg and see if that eliminates all that junk and if there's any improvements with performance.

FYI: WBlock will only take the current objects in Model but not any of your Layouts.

[payingtoomuch]

yes I took a look for 3d objects when viewd in elevation and found a few things but didn't make a difference following deletion.

yes also on the strange aec references. Purged those as well. Most of them don't come back after saving but 2 do. Seems like they are persistent for whatever reason.

yes also tried the wblock export thinking that would purge out all the junk. It saved a little but no performance gains.

So, back to either the drawing is just too freaking cumbersome/ complex or might need to look into a more powerful desktop to replace my laptop.

[ChicagoLooper]

Hi @payingtoomuch 

If I were to guess, I’d say you are desperately trying to delete ‘objects’ that aren’t showing up in the first place. Can you share your data?

The descriptions you’ve provided so far clearly illustrate the ineffectiveness of your workflow and your desire to ignore (delete) what you can’t see only moves you farther away from the point cloud, the source of your data. Take the digitally scanned points, point cloud data, to AutoCad Recap=>Export, or Save As, an rcp file=>add the rcp to AutoCad using Civil3D or Infraworks to ‘see’ the points.  

Using Civil or Infraworks allows you to index the point cloud and stay in Autodesk when you import, but you can also use the scanner’s software too. The underlying key is to process the point cloud into a format AutoCad can consume. 

Yes, you are dealing with a procedure not typically performed in vanilla AutoCad, but you are dealing with data, point cloud data, and that instigates an inescapable transgression beyond points and lines. 

[payingtoomuch]

Hey Chicago.

I appreciate your interest and your persistance.

To be clear, I'm dealing with a file that probably has been converted in someways to a 2d cad file for me to use by whoever created the scan originally. Yes, there may be some info in there that I can't see. All I want to do is get rid of it in case it is bloating my file unnecessarily.

It doesn't matter to me if I keep any of the point cloud info in my file.

Just want to make sure we are on the same page.

I don't have civil3D or Infraworks.

I do have "recap photo" if that's what you mean. Short of that I can download a free trial if necessary,

Note that in the files we received for the project in addition to the cad files are some .obj and all these various "scene_mesh_textured_material_0x_map_kd.jpg" files that are basically a patchwork of different images. I have no idea what any of this is and if it relates to what you are describing.

Note they also included instructions as to how to view the files.... To view the 3d model  instructions were to download recap. I was able to do this and see the 3D model. Pretty cool!

To view 3d pictures the instructions are to download theta 360 to view 3d pictures.

Obviously I know nothing about this, but curious and sure would like to get to the bottom of if somewhere in the translation I ended up with a bunch of garbage in my dwg file.