Where, or how do I get started?

[Milt-Fitz]

Where, or how do I get started with using this software? Right now I've been asked to place devices into the drawing.

In order for me to do this, I first have the Naviswork file change into a AuCAD dwg file. I open up the drawing (in AutoCAD) get the "Alert" message saying this application was not created by Autodesk and continue. Though regular "AutoCAD" using 3D tools, I locate, and place my items into the drawing, and save my file.

What I'm asking to do, or to find out is simply this; "Is there a way to do this without going back and forth between the two software packages?"

Any help, or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Milt (a.k.a: Drafter1981)

[Patrick_Aps_9121 · Accepted solution]

You need both the packages:

In Navisworks you cannot draw anything. You need a CAD packet for this, AutoCAD, Inventor, whatever package..

Think of Navisworks like Adobe PDF for paper drawings: with Adobe Acrobat you can merge all kind of documents to PDF and then anybody can view this with Adobe Reader. But you do not write, calculate or draw anything in Adobe itself.

Navisworks(Review or Simulate or Manage) can open any CAD file and append all other files to present them together, so you can evaluate if these items fit together well and do not clash.

Also you can change the appearence (color, material, move objects in time, create movies)

Then you can publish them to a single NWD file, that can be viewed in 3D with the free Navisworks freedom.

[Milt-Fitz · Accepted solution]

Thanks Patrick.

That totally make sense, because everyone involved on this project seems to be clueless as to why we can't make changes to some of the drawings.

My original solution was to just export the information we needed into AutoCAD, make the changes and then re-save the drawing back to Navisworks. A few of the personnel was under the opinion that we would need to do ALL of our changes directly in Naviswork and shouldn't need AutoCAD but it seems that not the case if we need both programs to create coordination drawings.

I guess this is the reason why I was only able to find a limited amount of editing commands in the user guide.

I was looking for a "One Stop" application to use for my customer, where I could update or "redraw" my device locations without having to go back an forth between the 2 programs.

Anyway, thanks again for your input.

Milt (a.k.a.: Drafter1981)

[Patrick_Aps_9121 · Accepted solution]

With the commands in the Review toolbar you can add numbered tags and draw "on top of the 3D" your comments what has to be changed. When you use tags it automatically creates a saved viewpoint.

These comments are saved into your NWF. We create them while we are reviewing the design in a meeting with our customer who ordered the design.

At the end of the meeting we create the Export -> Viewpoints HTML to have a meeting report (we open it in IExplore and then print that to PDF)

And we publish to NWD so that the client can take the status of that design with him.

In between meetings the CAD operators can make the changes in design that were asked for.

The next meeting, when you re-open the NWF, it reloads the current CAD models. You only have to go from one viewpoint or tag to the next to see with the customer if the changes made are as he requested.

So the users of both packages can be different: CAD operators for 3D AutoCAD,

sales representatives of project managers use NavisWorks. To get them involved, simply give them the Freedom version and a NWD file so that they can play and look around in the model. As they cannot save with Freedom, they cannot mess up anything.

[Milt-Fitz]

Thanks again Patrick.

Now to you  and or anyone else regarding saving back to AutoCAD.

I'm pretty sure during the installation I asked for the "Full Version" to be installed (not the typical) since it seems that I usually get to do the odd ball things with these software packages. Anyway, as it turns out I had to go back to add the ARX Plugin for the AutoCAD Exporter. After going through all of the steps, re-booting twice etc.,etc., I still do not see where the "Export" or "Saveas" function to AutoCAD exist.

If anyone could point me in the right direction to use this AutoCAD converter that would be great.

Thanks again.

Milt (a.k.a/: Drafter1981)

[dgorsman]

The plug-in allows users to export an NWC file from AutoCAD, not a DWG from a NavisWorks file.  If you aren't familiar with the work process it can be a little confusing.  NavisWorks is intended to be an endpoint where all the projects models are collected together for review.  Comments can be added inside NavisWorks, and they can be communicated back to the designers in a number of ways, but the designers should already have the models to work on.  Those comments can then be used by the designers to make changes as necessary.  Models go "forward", review comments go "backwards".