How to save a SHEET for ARCHIVING

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I am trying to archive some drawing sheets to create a back-up point. Each sheet has several viewports and overlapping references with layers turned on/off. I need to find a way to save the sheet with all the drawn lines/objects exactly as is, without the drawing being referenced. The aim is, even if I change the model drawing, the archived sheet will not change.

I have tried binding the refences but then all the drawings layers get turned on and all the references appear on top of each other (even if originally turned off)  in the viewport.

What is the best way to "archive" a sheet and still have it as a drawing file that can be seen/modified in the future?

Many thanks!

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

you can use _EXPORTLAYOUT (>>>details<<<) to create a DWG file from a layout, that does not contaon then any referencing data and is hopefully what you are looking for.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Alfred, unfortunately this way all that is exported is the title sheet that is live in the Sheet, none of the drawing coems through. 

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> all that is exported is the title sheet

Then anything runs wrong. Can you upload such a drawing (plus XRef's if there are any)?

What release of AutoCAD do you have, what service pack is installed and if it's a vertical product (like Architecture, MEP, Civil 3D, ...) which one is it?

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Alfred,

I can't upload the drawing as it is a private project. I am using AutoCAD Architecture 2012. 

Is there anything else I can try?

Thanks

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I am using AutoCAD Architecture 2012

Verify you have installed the latest servicepack from >>>here<<<.

And to make sure it's not depending from any ACA-specific objects: create a new drawing, draw some lines and circles, change to Layout1 and prepare the viewport so it shows the objects created first. Now run _EXPORTLAYOUT and see if that works.

If that works then it might be depending on ACA-specific objects. You might try to first run command -EXPORTTOAUTOCAD (hopefully that works in your ACA 2012, this explodes the ACA objects to plain AutoCAD geometry elements) and then use that new drawing to export the layouts.

HTH, - alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi again,

just another idea: is it enough backup if you run command _PUBLISH and create a PDF or a DWF from your layouts?

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Alfred,

your method works on a fresh file, so there might be something wrong in the file that doesn't export. 

I already do PDF, i find DWF are not as useful as I cant modify them easily (should I have to).

Any suggestions on what I can look for in the file that doesnt export?

Many thanks

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Any suggestions on what I can look for in the file that doesnt export?

First at all: have you tried my -EXPORTTOAUTOCAD suggestion?

I would then start to reduce the geometry, delte half of the proect, run _EXPORTLAYOUT and see if it works or not, either delete the next half or run UNDO and delete the other part ...

You can run the reduction of geometry to get only a few of the objects, that show _EXPORTLAYOUT failing ==> then delete all unnecessary layouts, purge the drawing and after verifying that this issue exists with this dataset upload the drawing as I guess there will not be to many info's in it that could be critical with privacy.

- alfred -

Happy New Year

[Anonymous]

This sounds like a plan. I will do and let you know, probably in the new year.

Many thanks and Happy New Year to you!

[Anonymous]

Alfred,

-EXPORTTOAUTOCAD and then _EXPORTLAYOUT works! 

It is a bit of a long route but it gets the job done, for now at least. 

Many thanks for all your help