importing cad in different file

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

is there a reason why you should import cad in a differet file and then link the file in your main project? the BIM manager I work with does not allow to bring ANY dwg into the main model, you need to import everything into another model and then link bacj that one, I can`t see any problmes in using imported dwg as reference for modelling things.

I appreciate any help,

Kind regards

Bianca Amerini

[RobDraw]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I can`t see any problmes in using imported dwg as reference for modelling things.

---

There are several reason why you shouldn't import .dwgs. The least of which is that it can be tedious and time consuming to eliminate all the objects and categories that importing creates. The workflow your manager is suggesting will get what you need for reference into the model. Does it really matter how it's done?

If you can't see why not, then I would suggest that you talk to your BIM Manager about it, so that he can give you the appropriate answer.

[barthbradley · Accepted solution]

Every company has it's own Standards. Yours states no CAD in Project Environment.  Ours does not.  Nothing wrong with it.   

[Anonymous]

Your BIM Manager doesn't know what they are talking about.. insert and explode and you will get all kinds of great object styles, patterns and materials than you know what to do with!!

[RobDraw]

---

@barthbradley wrote:

Nothing wrong with it.   

---

Importing .dwgs has it's uses but as a temporary reference, it is not a good idea because of the stuff that does not get deleted when the imported objects are deleted. Unless you know what is brought in with imports AND how to get rid of them when you are done, I would avoid importing and link the .dwg instead.

[barthbradley]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

.. insert and explode

---

???

You're not serious?  

[SteveKStafford]

The usual reason someone recommends this is that Revit does not complain about some errors when the DWG is part of another file. That doesn't mean those issues don't exist, it just means that Revit doesn't generate an error message in the primary model. For example, if the extents of the DWG generate an error message during linking then that message does not appear when linking an RVT that has that DWG loaded into it. The issues associated with DWG extents can still affect the host file (graphic display issues).

The word Import is often used for both Linking and Importing and in Revit that is two different things. Link = external reference and Import = Load Block to use AutoCAD terminology.

Importing a DWG opens the door to Explode, which is never a good idea, except in a quarantine file to clean up the result of it before adding the Revit only version of the exploded information to your live project.

Keeping DWG files to an absolute minimum in Revit is a good practice. File translation is never perfect and the subtle issues associated with that process can ultimately be less efficient than creating Revit only content, like details. Where the data is generated by someone else and only in DWG format then linking is far superior to importing because of the external reference style relationship, it makes it easy to refresh when changes occur.