Working with very large CAD files
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I created a pretty large CAD file. It's a 100 acre planned unit development, and I have drawn everything down to the nearest curb cut. All of which I want to show in Sketchup. I have done everything I can think of to simplify the CAD file: binding xrefs, exploding blocks, deleting unnecessary layers, changing all lines to continuous, as well as removing blocks from the CAD file that can be turned into separate sketchup components and added later.
I have a brand new computer with a Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor and a NVIDIA 8500 GT graphics card. However, it is still taking FOREVER to work with this sketchup file. I was hoping it would be faster to move around the file, and I have not even created anything yet except for a few polygons. Any ideas?
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My guess is that your going to have to split the file up to be able to work on it easily in SU. 100 acres is a very large site (for SU) and it sounds like you want a lot fo detail in your model, so i reckon youd be safest splitting it.
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I have already separated out the landscape plan from the site plan. In the landscape plan, I simplified all plant symbols so that they are just a simple cross-hatch. I also deleted out all the foundation landscaping for 280 of the 300 single-family units. These 280 units are model homes (I have about 25 models, so these will be separate sketchup files to be created and then inserted into the main sketchup file).
Do I just split up the AutoCAD file even more? I can probably divide the file by the matchlines in AutoCAD so that each CAD file is just what appears between the matchlines on a given sheet in paper space. This way I might have 8-10 smaller CAD files, which equal 8-10 smaller sketchup files. But they will still need to be inserted into one larger document. The other concern I had with this was with layers. I have about 30 layers in both the overall site plan and the overall landscape plan combined. If I divide this combo file into 8-10 smaller CAD files, I could rename each of these layers within a smaller file. For example, the overall layer "curb cuts" would now be "curb cuts, file 1", or "curb cuts, file 2". I could do it this way so that when I am showing aerial views, I could turn off whole sections of the drawing that will barely be viewable without turning off ALL of the curb cuts, for instance. However, now I have 240 layers instead of just 30, so I don't know if that will really be helping anything.
If I have all of this data, would a different program such as Revit or 3Ds max be any quicker? I could probably e-mail the CAD document and you can judge for yourselves.
Thanks-
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Check out Daniel Tal's presentation on SketchUp & AutoCAD from 3D-Basecamp. http://sites.google.com/site/3dbasecamp2008/all-sessions-2008
He gave lots of great tips to simplify your CAD file and set it up once you get it in SketchUp.
Wyatt -
One thought, make sure that your model in SketchUp is near the origin. This alone can cause more grief than almost anything........ If the model is not near the origin, like miles or hundres of miles off the origin, then SU REALLY behaves badly, including jumping, clipping, slow, crash, etc.
To counteract this, I generally make a mark in my cad file, like a big X. Then everytime I export something from autocad, I include that mark. When I import to SU, I don't keep the model's origin. There is an option for this on the import options. So the cad file comes into Su in the wrong spot, BUT I've got the X so I line it up with the rest of my model. At this point, it lines up perfectly and I continue from there.
There is also an x-ref manager which I have not used, but I understand others use it and like it. It just does X-refs in SU, so you can work on buildings as other files, then update them as xrefs in your main file.
And do everything Daniel says in the video link above (especially if it contradicts what I've said). He knows a lot about large landscape models.
Chris
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another thing that I always do is simplify blocks, a tree for example full of lines and other entities becomes into a simple X, blocks with unnecessary entities I'm sure you'll find. this will help you a bit more, specially with landscape models.
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Remember turning profile edges OFF before you import the CAD file!
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@nrschmid said:
Any ideas?
have a thorough look at the "Cooking CAD" threads posted to the @Last forum in those days too.
Norbert
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