IDW to AutoCAD DXF with Bitmap

[shastu]

I am not able to successfully get a bitmap that is in my idw titleblock to come across in the dxf conversion.  Does anyone know of a way to make that happen?

[Anonymous]

what verision of Inventor?

what version of DXF are you outputting?

[shastu]

2010

2004 dxf

[Anonymous]

try saving out as a 2010 DXF, I think I've noticed that it does work with that format, but not with others.

Then maybe save back as 2004? I haven't tested that, but it's worth a try.

[shastu]

No, that didn't work either.  No matter what version dxf I try to save to the bitmap is just a black blob the size of the original bitmap.  The only exception is the R12 dxf which doesn't show anything where the bitmap was.

[Anonymous]

When I save as AutoCAD DXF 2010, 2007, 2004 or 2000 to a folder called E:\888\Test

it places the DXF in the Test folder and a copy of the logo bitmap from the titleblock in the 888 folder.

When I open the DXF in AutoCAD the bitmap is found and displays as expected.

If I rename the bitmap and then open the DXF, the path of the bitmap is displayed where the image was before.

When I save as R12 format (which is what I generally do) no bitmap is exported.

Share the settings you're using during the export (or screen shots) and maybe someone can offer some suggestions.

edit: also it just occured to me that it very well may be an AutoCAD setting, so posting some example files or testing on different machines may help you determine that.

[shastu]

Interesting.  I tried the exact same thing as you but didn't get anything in the 888 folder.  Attached is the example that I am using.

[Anonymous]

I got the black rectangle for the logo when I tried with your file.

Looking at the titleblock it looks like you have the file linked as opposed to embedded.

When I deleted the image and reinserted as an embed rather than a link, then it worked as expected.

[shastu]

That is terrible, I have thousands of drawings like this.  What do I do about it?  Can you give me more specifics on the linked versus embedded?  What exactly step by step did you do to embed it?

Thanks,

Shawn

[Anonymous]

To embed rather than link, simply edit your Tblock and delete the image. Then insert it again, and uncheck the Link checkbox in the insert image dialog.

Now save the Tblock as a new name (such as ANSI A.1)

Test this to ensure that using this new verision does indeed fix the issue.

Close Inventor and go to:

Start > Program File > Autodesk > Autodesk Inventor 2010 > Tools > Drawing Resource Transfer Wizard

You can use this wizard to select a source file with the new updated file, and then select all of the files you want to replace it in, and batch replace the Tblock in one fell swoop.

Beaware, that if you use prompted entry in your Tblock you will loose those fields (that's why they always suggest using iProperties rather than prompted entry in Tblocks and Sketched Symbols, etc.)

Alternatively, you could do the Tblock replace in AutoCAD. And you can likely find a lisp routine to batch replace the Tblock block for all DXF's.

[shastu]

Truth of the the matter is I want it linked.  What happens if we decide to change the bitmap?  If it is linked, it will automatically update.  If it is embedded, it won't.  Is there really no way to get the bmp to translate to dxf or dwg?

[Anonymous]

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@shastu wrote:

 What happens if we decide to change the bitmap?  If it is linked, it will automatically update. 

---

I understand wanting to have it linked. It also keeps the file size for each drawing smaller that way. I chose to embed a small version of our logo in our Tblock, due to a host of other reasons. I noticed your logo was much larger than it really needs to be for the Tblock, which isn't a big deal when linked, but you'd probably want to make a smaller version if embedding. If at some point our logo changes, I'll use the Transfer Wizard to swap it out in all of our old drawings.

---

@shastu wrote:

Is there really no way to get the bmp to translate to dxf or dwg?

---

There may be, I'm not sure. The link vs. embed is where I noticed the difference in behavior, and so I stopped there and reported that to you. I assume you've tested it there to ensure that you're seeing the same thing. I'd suggest you continue troubleshooting, maybe with another image file, etc. to ensure that what I found in my troubleshooting is really truly the issue. It may be just some quirk with that image file. Keep testing and report back what you find.

[Anonymous]

update:

I decided to test for myself using a different image file ( I used a small version of our logo), and was able to sucessfully save out a DXF from an Tblock that had a linked logo in it. This seems to point to some issue with your image file.

[Anonymous]

Nice tip. I have been playing around with bitmaps in idw's for a bit now. I recently tried what you suggest in an effort to update some templates but the bitmaps print out of size, aspect ratio etc. They go into the idw fine and look good, but once printing they take up half of the sheet. I have even had them flip on me.

The original ones that were done in Inventor 2010 are still fine. These ones, that are done in Inventor 2011, are not working at all, and I have done nothing different other than uncheck the "Link" box, so I am thinking that it is a glitch in the 2011 software.

Anyone else encountered similar?

[scottmoyse]

i think i have read about this problem somewhere, there might even have been a hotfix for it, have you checked the downloads support area on the autodesk website?

[Anonymous]

Checked the Autodesk website, downloaded the patch, installed it, and am now a happy man again. Bitmaps in idw's are fine. Thanks for the heads up.

[scottmoyse]

glad i could help. Shame they dont have a few more hotfixs

[Anonymous]

Here's the link to the hotfix mentioned above, in case some one runs across this in the future:

(for Inventor 2011)

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=15192521&linkID=9242019

[Anonymous]

It never seems to end however;

Now that I have my bitmaps embedded rather than linked I cannot save as to an AutoCAD dwg or dxf. It just crashes out Inventor...fun and games...