Export to dgn from C3D 2012 creating an empty dgn file

Anonymous · ‎10-22-2013

Hello - I have recently encountered a problem when exporting C3D to V8 dgn. The proxygraphics are set to 1, and I'm using a 3D seed file. Once the file is exported, the dgn file size is no larger than the seed file, and I am being told that the file is completely blank. I've run a recovery, audit - everything I can think of the correct this. I even had a co-worker try and generate a dgn from the same file with the same result. Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Civil 3D 2012

Win 7 Pro 64 bit, 8 GB RAM

Intel Xeon E3-1220 V2 @ 3.10 GHz

Dell T1650

Jay_B · ‎10-23-2013

Try Exporting to AutoCad first and then Export the AutoCad file to dgn.

C3D 2018.1
C3D 2016 SP4

Win 7 Professional 64 Bit

Anonymous · ‎10-23-2013

I tried that yesterday. The file size got even smaller than the first one, which indicates an empty dgn. Is there something I am missing? Is it possible the file is corrupt?

doni49 · ‎10-23-2013

Try making a dwg file with nothing but simple lines. Export that and see what happens.

Copy your file and then on the copy:

Explode all C3D elements down to dumb acad elements.
Export the file to dgn.

Confirm (or have someone confirm) that the seed file itself is not corrupt.

Give your dwg file to the MicroStation user and ask them to import it. MicroStation does have the ability to open and write directly a dwg file.

Don Ireland
Engineering Design Technician

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Anonymous · ‎10-23-2013

Thanks for the suggestions. Here is what I tried:

*1. I created a new drawing with just lines and exported. The file size indicates it did create a dgn with data inside (all the ones I have been creating with the issue were either 28 or 33 KB).

2. I did the copy->explode->export option you suggested. The file size is still 33 KB.

3. As far as a corrupt seed file, I tried it with the seed file I was provided by my consultant as well the 3D seed file that's in Autocad. Both of them would create the small file I mentioned earlier.

We don't have any microstation users at my office - it's used by our consultants.

*Since option #1 you provided seemed to work, and I tried to export a dgn using a different file and it worked fine, does that mean my file is corrupt? Is there another way for me to verify a file has been corrupted?

doni49 · ‎10-23-2013

@Anonymous wrote:

We don't have any microstation users at my office - it's used by our consultants.

That's fine. You can send your dwg file to them and ask them to import it. The idea of troubleshooting it to narrow down the possible causes of a problem until you're left with one possible cause. If the consultant is able to import the file, then your file is most likely not corrupt (unless the importer is fixing the problem).

@Anonymous wrote:

*Since option #1 you provided seemed to work, and I tried to export a dgn using a different file and it worked fine, does that mean my file is corrupt? Is there another way for me to verify a file has been corrupted?

Quite often, you can fix a corrupt dwg file by inserting it into a blank dwg file (use the insert command just like you would a block) and turn on the EXPLODE check box.

Don Ireland
Engineering Design Technician

If a reply solves your issue, please remember to click on "Accept as Solution". This will help other users looking to solve a similar issue. Thank you.

Please do not send a PM asking for assistance. That's what the forums are for. This allows everyone to benefit from the question asked and the answers given.

doni49 · ‎10-23-2013

One more thing to try: instead of just looking at the file size of the dgn files you create, try OPENING them in Acad (Open>DGN). Verify that they're really empty.

What exactly is in the dwg file? If it's ALL C3D elements (corridors, alignments surfaces etc) then MicroStation might not know what to do with it. That's why I suggested exploding them -- what exactly happened after you exploded them? Did you list those elements to see what element types they were?

Don Ireland
Engineering Design Technician

If a reply solves your issue, please remember to click on "Accept as Solution". This will help other users looking to solve a similar issue. Thank you.

Please do not send a PM asking for assistance. That's what the forums are for. This allows everyone to benefit from the question asked and the answers given.

Anonymous · ‎10-23-2013

The consultant that I sent the file to is the one who told me the dgn was empty.

I tried your other suggestion and inserted the drawing into a blank one, explode on insertion, and then tried to export the dgn - all to no avail. The file size remains the same.

Anonymous · ‎10-23-2013

The drawing is a survey with a surface,alignments,feature lines,etc. I did try opening the file. When I import the dgn, it's empty - there's nothing on the screen. I exploded everything in the file that wasn't a polyline and exported - still nothing. I am currently trying a work around by exporting an xml file and then importing it to a new file, then trying the export to dgn. Not sure yet if it will work.

doni49 · ‎10-23-2013

@Anonymous wrote:
The consultant that I sent the file to is the one who told me the dgn was empty.

But did you send them the dgn file AFTER doing the explode test?

@Anonymous wrote:
I tried your other suggestion and inserted the drawing into a blank one, explode on insertion, and then tried to export the dgn - all to no avail. The file size remains the same.

Did you try opening the dgn file in Acad as suggested? What happened then?

Can you post your dwg file?

EDIT: I guess you posted at the same time as I did this one. Other than posting the dwg file, you've already answered these questions.

Don Ireland
Engineering Design Technician

If a reply solves your issue, please remember to click on "Accept as Solution". This will help other users looking to solve a similar issue. Thank you.

Please do not send a PM asking for assistance. That's what the forums are for. This allows everyone to benefit from the question asked and the answers given.

doni49 · ‎10-23-2013

Can you also post your seed file? I have C3D 2012 here. I'll try exporting one of my projects to dgn and see what it does as far as these features.

Don Ireland
Engineering Design Technician

If a reply solves your issue, please remember to click on "Accept as Solution". This will help other users looking to solve a similar issue. Thank you.

Please do not send a PM asking for assistance. That's what the forums are for. This allows everyone to benefit from the question asked and the answers given.

Anonymous · ‎10-23-2013

I've tried to post, but even zipped the file is still too large.

The work around I mentioned previously seemed to create a decent dgn for the first time.

It must be that my original file is corrupt somehow. I'd still like to fix it, but nothing has worked just yet.

Anonymous · ‎10-23-2013

This site won't let me post the seed file It says it doesn't have a valid file extension. The other seed file I tried was the one already in Civil 3D.

Anonymous · ‎11-27-2013

Ok, new day, new project, same issue. I have completed another project since my last post about the empty dgn file, and I am still having the same issue. Export to dgn is apparently failing, even though I get a message that says 'Translation Successful".

When I insert the dgn, I noticed in the Import DGN Setting dialog box that only 3 layers are present, when upon export, there are many more layers listed. Is there something in my file causing the failure?

Again, it's a survey with all the basic components - pipe networks, alignments, surface, and sheet set through the plan production tool. I also added some new pipe sizes to the parts catalog through part builder - I don't know if that has affected anything either.

The only way I have found to generate a good dgn is to export the xml file, then import it into a blank file, and export the dgn from there...it just doesn't seem right. I've done this before many times, and never had this issue, now, however, it seems it won't go way/can't be fixed. I've attached my current file and a pdf of the import dialog I mentioned.

As always, any assistance that can be provided is appreciated.

Anonymous · ‎12-18-2013

Any luck? I'm having the same issue. I've also tried using DXFOUT then DXFIN in a new drawing. The linework is all there, but the DGN is empty. I'm going to test with all new drawings to see if I can even create a DGN at all.

Anonymous · ‎12-18-2013

No luck. I'm still getting a lump of coal in my stocking. 😞

I can start a new DWG with my standard company template, draw some lines and Export a 3D DGN file and see all the lines.

If I create a new DWG and copy/paste the problem design drawing into the new DWG, then Export out the DGN, all I get is an empty DGN.

Tried exploding, purging, audit/recover. No layers are locked, all thawed.

Are there some other system variables that might be affecting this?

Thanks.

Anonymous · ‎12-18-2013

Nope. I'm still having the same problem. No viable solution yet.

Anonymous · ‎12-18-2013

Hi

I wanted to help out with this so I downloaded the posted C3D DWG..

http://www.screencast.com/t/548HPje7

First to correct an earlier post ... MicroStation will definately open a Civil 3D DWG.

Second ...MicroStation does Not need to "Import" or "convert" to do this. We run True DWG libraries and the civil 3D object enablers as a subset of MicroStation.. (i.e. we limit full MicroStation functionality to work with dwg)

The reality is you really cannot rely on AutoDesk support of DGN. At best you will get a "hack" conversion to Dwg on import, or a suspect DGN on export.

As another user pointed out you may want to send the Dwg to the MicroStation user to convert. The only issue here is Autodesk changes formats so often the MS user may be running an older version of TRUE DWG.

There are so many reasons why every AutoDesk shop should own no less than one license of MicroStation... This post simply touches on ONE of those reasons.

Regards

Mike Barkasi

Bentley Civil

Anonymous · ‎12-18-2013

Thank you for the response. I appreciate you taking the time to look at this issue, because I haven't been able to get it fixed. You actually touched on another issue we encountered as well - our consultant was working in older version of Microstation (2004 v8), which was not compatible wiht a 2012 file, but they recently upgraded to v8i. Hopefully now, they will be able to work with the 2012 cad file and convert it without my sending the dgn.

Thanks again.