extract information of a raw dwg file

[cae]

Our company uses all Autodesk CAD softwares from 2005 to 2020. That makes the drawings (dwg-files) potentionally ambiguos. However, it is obvious that one can determine a lot of stuff just opening a dwg in notepad. Now, I would like to understand and know if there is another way than using for example Powershell to read out information in a dwg file. Is there an API, is there a ready piece of software that can determine the version and thel tool the file was created or edited in? I rather not invent the wheel again and my qualified guess is that there would be others with need to know, whitout opening a drawing in autocad,

[vinodkl]

Hi,

You can try Autodesk DWG TrueView.

[imadHabash · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I suggest to check and use this app . >> Click << 

[cae]

Thank you for your suggestion, but as I said, I dont want to open the dwg in an autocad product, but determine which autocad product the file was created in, so that I can open correct product. instead e.g If the file was created in Mechanical, I want it to be opened in Mechanical, and not architecture, -or DWG-truview (as you suggest). Users here have multiple AutoCAD products on their clients

[cae]

Thanks, I will check it out to see if it can be used as an API to determine which autoCAD product to open the dwg-file in.

[RobDraw]

Moving forward, I would suggest file naming that indicates the version/vertical used. 

[cae]

Not possible in a PLM/DMS enviroment with millions of documents...

[RobDraw]

There's got to be a simpler organizational solution than actually inspecting the file. Something like Project A is 2019, Project B is 2005. 

If you've got users with different versions working on the same project, then the project should have some sort of protocol to let the user know which version to use on which file. File naming is the simplest way to do it. Documentation would be next. Ideally, a given project should be using at least the same year version across all files. Different verticals for different trades but all the same year. That's a pretty basic best practice. 

[cae]

Sorry, you dont know where I come from...;) Therefore I can just say to you, that it is not possible due to a lot of matters and reasons that would be working in other places, so please trust me in that.

[RobDraw]

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@cae wrote:

Sorry, you dont know where I come from...;) 

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That may be so. I offered multiple simple solutions and you say none of them are possible.  It sounds like where you come from is not a place I would want to be. Sounds like cowboy CAD.

It sounds like you are looking for a software solution to make up for poor project management. Good luck  with that.

[cae]

Imagine the most complex industry environment you can, there I work. Autodesk software is just a very small part of all the CAE we are doing here...very very small, even though we use all Autodesk products available.

Now, im not here to engage in a flame war, im just here to get some help with doing what I asked for. I already reported you for your earlier answer and you dont need to help me, if you dont want, but dont make me report you one more time.

The question is still, if I re-phrase it:

In order to open a drawing from the DML/DMS system in the correct autodesk software I need to somewhat identify what Autodesk software it was created in in the first place. I dont want to open a Autocad Mechanical drawing in Autocad Vanilla or Archtiecture. It is very obvious, when you look in the dwg file that there are text that displays in what autodesk software it was created in. I want to extract that piece of text in order to create a script that starts the correct autodesk software with the correct profile settings for that autodesk software, in our environment.

Is there someone who has experience with this who can give some good advice?

[RobDraw]

You can report me all you want for giving good advice. What I'm telling you is established best practices for any drafting environment, especially most complicated one that I can think of which I doubt is where you are at otherwise you wouldn't have a need for what you seek.

Good luck!

[cae]

And I will...You where reported for being nasty and out of scope and context, as you are now. Im am not asking for any strategic advise, im asking a question on a very specific operative matter that doesnt need any strategic input, such as "why".

And my question is still if there are anyone out there who has used a tool, script or something else to extract text out of a dwg file. I am of that understanding that you have little or nothing to add in regards to this, so I thank you for your participation. 

[cae]

The product actually works fine. It creates necessary attributes under the information tab in the file properties. That makes it possible to extract information with a short powershell sacript and present it to whatever is needed.

Now I just need to find a license model for it to be able to install it on 20.000 clients. Quick question: Wouldnt it be possible to just call a dll that would do the same thing, Doesnt Autodesk have an API or dll for that? Anyway, I will call your answer as solution.