Override someone else's settings when getting a drawing from someone else???

[ChristopherVol]

Is there a way to override settings from someone else's drawings?

I work for a surveyor.  We get design CAD drawings from other companies to use for stakeout.

When I go to work in them, sometimes many commands / settings I have created I cannot use.

When I open someone else's drawing I do an IMPORTSTYLESANDSETTINGS from a template drawing i have created.

I was working in one file from another user and I could NOT create points by Northing and Easting.  It would let me enter in all the data and after entering the last component (elevation) it would NOT make a point.  I could make points by MANUAL.  So I made generic points and then edited there Northings and Eastings.  I went into MY template drawing and I COULD make points by Northing and Easting.  So something in the other user's drawing was blocking that.

Then, after I made the points, I could NOT change their attributes/styles!!!! I chose to make the points in MY POINT STYLE (Traverse) and MY LABEL STYLE (Traverse text).  But it put them under another layer a previous used FENCE.  When I went to Properties of the point and tried to change those styles it would NOT let me!  I would click my TRAVERSE layer but it stay at FENCE.  No matter what layer I tried to pick everything was stuck in FENCE.

I then copied the entire drawing into my template drawing and I was able to make all changes.

Is there a way to override whatever lock another user has so everything I like to do works for me???

[Kevin_Gagne]

Is it possible that the point is created but not visible due to the drawings point group settings and styles?

[Anonymous]

Hi, have you ran apply descriptor key file to the points after you have updated your styles. That would or could update to the right layers you want to use. Or import all the points back into the dwg again, to get the points to use the descriptor key file that has the points and layers you want in from your template. I never use another engineering dwg to work in. I use my own template and build it back through use of the descriptor key file. Also, I make sure that you run LMAN and discard any layerstates, and in xref make sure you don't have garbage files stuck in there as well.

Mike

[ChristopherVol]

Yes, I realize I can do that.  But it has to be done manually every time.  The thing is, I don't always want to do that. Because in my construction drawings I bring in all my points under a specific date for all the work done that day.  So some BB / TB / GRD (bottom bank / top bank / grade) shots I want to stay under that day cause the client sometimes looks for a topo or whatever from a certain day.  Then I can isolate just that day's points under that day's layer.  I don't want all my BB/TB points from 10 different days to all go on the same "BB" / "TB" layer.  And because sometimes I need those same BB points from different days to be shown together looking different for comparison. (like pre/post to be at 30-degrees and 0-degrees slant).  So I only want to do it to points that I select and change layers for.  When I bring all BB / TB / GRD points in for say "01-15-18" I want to keep those on THAT layer with those settings.  But say if they add a new TRAV point that day.  I want to switch THAT point to the TRAV layer.  It does.  But then I have to manually change the properties.  If I apply Desc Keys it will change ALL my points. and I don't want that.

[ChristopherVol]

No, the point is visible.  It is under the "Z-FENCE" layer with "FENCE" symbol and "FENCE" label text.  When I try to change them to go to my "TRAV" symbol and "TRAV" label text I cannot change them.  ALL points are stuck in that layer.  When I created them, I created them under "TRAV" label styles.  But it create them under "FENCE" and they are stuck.

What I had to do is copy everything from their drawing into my template drawing and then I was able to work with them.  Is that something I am going to have to do with everything drawing I get from someone else?  Copy and paste into a new?

[mathewkol · Accepted solution]

The best way to do this is to start a new drawing with your template and then INSERT their drawing into your and explode. This way you get all of your styles and setting and all of their data. The Import Styles tool does NOT get all of your settings.

Copy and paste is fine too, but I believe this method is a little faster since you don't have to open Rhodes.

[ChristopherVol]

That's the thing I tried Friday and that did work.  I guess I will have to do that each time.
Will INSERT insert EVERYTHING?  Because with COPY I also have to remember to make sure EVERYTHING is ON/THAWED, or it won't copy.

Thank you!

[mathewkol]

Insert should bring everything from model space in regardless of layer state.

[Anonymous]

Ok, but you can deploy a descriptor key file to a point group alone. Yes, I can see the issue with what you want to do.
I would also suggest using a Layerstate to capture that day only. Keep your Point Group of the Day at top and No-Display just under it. Then take a
layerstate snapshot. You have a tough go on this one, but also do a dwg per the day as well. Harddrive space is cheap these days.

Mike