DWG file from Civil 3D does not display correctly

[azusaa]

We are having a graphic issue linking DWG file, which came from a consultant who uses Civil 3D.

We use "Link CAD" command under Insert tab. (Revit 2017) I use "Current view only", "Black and White", "Layer/Levels" is "Visible Only", "Import Units" is "feet" (whatever reason, it never auto-detects), "Positioning" is "Manual - Center". Then, the DWG comes in like this.

All zigzag and cannot figure out which line is what. Then, if I zoom in/out, the line shifts.

Above are all same inlet...

Civil consultant exploded the items, so these are all lines or polylines. No proxy.

I also tried without "current view only" and same result.

Interestingly, If I print this out, it looks correct. Below is screen shot of the preview.

I thought this could be a graphic card issue (machine is not powerful enough to process the civil data). So I used our rendering machine which is much powerful than my machine, and actually it got worse. I did not see majority of the lines, even though I linked the DWG file using same setting.

We tried everything we can think about (exploding, deleting unneeded object etc.) but cannot figure it out.

We asked around and it sounds like this is an issue specifically to this consultant. We also found out that another architectural firm who works with this consultant has same issue and has not been able to solve it.

Any input will be much appreciated.

Thank you,

Azusa Allard

[azusaa]

Good Monday Morning!

Just an update. I checked with my civil people, and yes, they are using export command, not save as.

Also, Steve was kind to take a look at the file (I got okay from my PM). He could not find specific cause so far.

Well, any further input will be much appreciated. Thank you!

[Viveka_CD]

Nice thread folks!

Hi @azusaa

Please let us know how this goes and update when you hear back from the consultant.

If you find posts have solved your problem, please click on 'Accept as solution' to help others with similar questions.

Thank you!

[azusaa]

Viveka,

In spite of all the helps (thank you again, guys!), I have not found the solution yet.

If you have any insight as an Autodesk Technical Support Specialist, let us know. It will be much appreciated.

Thank you!

[Viveka_CD]

Hi @azusaa

Sorry to hear that. 

You are welcome to share your files with us to test further.

Please post a journal and a screencast of what you are experiencing?
Revit - Collecting and sending diagnostic data to Autodesk Technical Support

I can send you a private upload folder. Let me know your preference.

Regards,

[Anonymous]

@azusaa You can try sending me the file...or allow Steve to share it with me.  I have Civil 3D too so I can see what it looks like there.

[azusaa]

Thank you Michael! I will send you the link as a private message.

[azusaa]

Viveka,

I would be happy to create the screen cast and journal. When I am ready, I will let you know so that you can give me the private upload folder. Thank you!

[cbcarch]

Have you tried:

-Linking the "flattened/purged" cad file into a New Project?

-Try Creating a Site Master File, then link in your Main Revit file which contains the linked Cad. file.

( the "container" Revit file trick".) This will allow you to "ignore" the coordinates of the cad file as it is nested

into the container file.

[Anonymous]

So what I originally mentioned about the site being more than 20 miles from the origin?  Um...your site is 3123 miles from the Autocad Origin.  I moved a corner of the site to 0,0.

Up the view scale a bit for the linetype.  In the pic left is Revit and right is Autocad.

Oh...so I still got the error about stuff being over 20 miles away... I didn't turn on all the layers before moving everything.  But bringing in the DWG by origin brought it right on top of the building I am working on.

[azusaa]

So, solution is, grab all I need, move to 0,0,0, (in the same file), save, and insert origin to origin?

I used wblock and I thought my block origin is 0,0,0, but maybe not so? It did not give me the 20 mile warning either...

I will try it ASAP and let you know.

[SteveKStafford]

Btw, I did find that elements assigned to layer C-UTIL-STRM-PIPE-BP3 (by deleting everything assigned to it) specifically generated the warning about failing to import some elements. With that layer's elements removed a different warning about extents appeared.

[SteveKStafford]

No, all (nearly) survey files are far from origin. That's not the issue. Revit distorts the graphics when elements are far from its own origin.

Nothing I've done so far gets the contour polylines to look exactly the same as they do in AutoCAD, regardless of all the other stuff, which doesn't look that different.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Yep...I usually open it, move everything, then save as revit_sitename.  That way if something got hosed I still have the original to fall back on.  Also helps if I get a new version and have to do the same thing....save over the old one and then just reload in the Revit model.

[SteveKStafford · Accepted solution]

Fwiw, I was able to make the contours look better in Revit. The issue is the linetype assigned to them in AutoCAD. It's not ByLayer so we can't alter what they look like in Revit. Change them to ByLayer and I can assign a better dash pattern. The jagged issue is actually where large dashes are so they look broken. Here's one contour isolated.

[Viveka_CD]

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@azusaa wrote:

Viveka,

I would be happy to create the screen cast and journal. When I am ready, I will let you know so that you can give me the private upload folder. Thank you!

---

Hi @azusaa

I've shared the private folder link.

Please upload your files, journals, and data-set for diagnosis.

Please let me know if the recommendations by the experts helped with the issue.

Regards,

[azusaa]

Michael,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Your solution together with Steve's (changing all AutoCAD colors to "By Layer") solution, I can actually see the CAD link right!

I thought I tried this early on, but I must have saved as v2019 and did not work (of course) and lost the track of it....

Again, thank you for your patience going through this. You made my and my structural engineer's day!

[azusaa]

Steve,

As I wrote above, together with Michael's solution, now I can see the lines much better! No more "where this is going????" lines!

Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Truly appreciated!! (So does my structural engineer 🙂 )

[azusaa]

Viveka,

Steve and Michael solved the issue for me, so that I do not need to send you the journal or screen cast.

Thank you and have a wonderful day!

[azusaa]

Michael,

Just one more question. Is there a way for the civil people to export to DWG, moving the origin to say, corner of the building? Is there a command/check box/ setting etc. like that on Civil 3D? You said you have Civil 3D, so that I thought you might know...

[Viveka_CD]

@azusaa

No worries, happy to hear that your issue is now resolved, and the expert recommendations helped!

Let us know if you have additional questions in future.

Regards,