Importing STP or Inserting DWG Results in Duplicate

[jstapchuck2]

Hello,

I am new to Autodesk AutoCAD so this may be a simple issue.

I am trying to input several parts into one drawing.

I created the actual CAD files in SpaceClaim (different CAD program), saved them as a STEP file, then imported them into my AutoCAD Drawing.

When I insert the first component, it works as expected.

The same goes for the second component.

However, when I try for the third component, it imports the same file as the second component.

I read some past posts about this, and one suggestion is to make sure every component has a unique name, which I did.

I also tried to save each part as a DWG file, then inserted each Drawing, which also came up with the same error.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to solve this issue?

If it helps, my components can be thought of as followed: one A, four B, two C, and two D.

Where each letter is a different components, but each letter has a different file name (example A_1, A_2, A_3, A_4).

If more information is needed, please let me know.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[tboehler · Accepted solution]

Import each STEP file into a seperate AutoCAD file.  And/or do the same with the dwg files you exported.

This might help narrow down the issue.

[jstapchuck2]

Hello @tboehler ,

Thank you for the response.

If I understood your comment correctly, I opened each .dwg file individually in its own AutoCAD window and it opened the correct component.

Similarly, opening the .stp files in their own AutoCAD window also opens the correct component.

It is just whenever I try to import/insert multiple components in one AutoCAD window is when it fails.

[tboehler · Accepted solution]

Kind of hard to know what is wrong without seeing the files.  Another option might be to simply cut/paste (COPYBASE command) the needed objects from each file into a base file.  Making sure you are not selecting blocks with the same name. 

Make sure all objects are the same scale and position between file,  purge, audit, I could go on.... 

can you attach the files?

[jstapchuck2]

This may be a dumb question, but how do I know if blocks have the same name?

Doing the 'COPYBASE' and 'PASTE' commands worked for two of the four components, but I have the same issues with two of the files - the same two files I am having issues with the other methods I'm trying.

I attached the .dwg files below, let me know if you'd like the .stp files.

In total, I will need one A, four B, two C, and two D.

It works when I add A and D, but when I start to add B or C, whichever I add second out of the two of them is a duplicate of the one I added previously out of the pair.

[tboehler · Accepted solution]

i renamed the blocks and purged the files,   Created a new file with all components.  Is this correct?

[jstapchuck2]

Yes that is what I need.

How did you rename the blocks?

And how did you go about doing this?

Just insert one component, rename it, then insert the next component, rename it, etc.?

And what does purging do to the files?

My apologies for all the questions, just want to know how to fix this in case it happens again.

[tboehler · Accepted solution]

How did you rename the blocks?

RENAME  brings up a dialog box that allows you to select the entity type in that drawing and rename.

And how did you go about doing this?

I went into each file and purged out the block named solid.  PURGE (all).  and renamed the block (as above).

Just insert one component, rename it, then insert the next component, rename it, etc.?

I opened dwg A and inserted the othe dwg's (blocks) one by one after I renamed them and purged the block named  "Soild"  then I did a SAVEAS  - allblocks.dwg

And what does purging do to the files?

Gets rid of unused entities (blocks in this case - named solid)  it wont get rid of anything being used.

My apologies for all the questions, just want to know how to fix this in case it happens again.

No worries!

Look into purge and audit - they can realy help get rid of dead weight in dwg's.

Happy Friday!

Tom

[jstapchuck2]

Great, thank you very much.

I just went through all the steps on my own and it worked.

Thanks again, have a good weekend and Holiday season.