Help me get acquainted with Layout (few easy questions)

errror404 · 3 Oct 2011, 14:49

Here is the deal, we have a project (existing building) that requies elevations and the company that I'm working with doesn't want to spend the time drafting the existing elevations in AutoCAD.

However, I already created a Sketchup Model that has enough details to work as existing elevations.

I opened up Layout for the first time, and got stuck right away as I didn't find a way to import a .dwg title block.

I was planning to do the entire page in Layout, but now I'm wondering how the export feature works... perhaps I could bring it as lines in AutoCAD and finish it there.

Q1- How do you guys bring autocad blocks (like a title block) into layout? do you re-draft it?

Q2- Can you export the layout views as 2D dwg lines? (I don't have layout in front of me so I can't check the export features)

Thanks
leo

Gaieus · 3 Oct 2011, 15:51

@errror404 said:

Q1- How do you guys bring autocad blocks (like a title block) into layout? do you re-draft it?

Yes, re-draft. Or import to SU and send it to LO and you can then put it on a layer displaying on each page. But a re-draft would be nicer IMO

@errror404 said:

Q2- Can you export the layout views as 2D dwg lines? (I don't have layout in front of me so I can't check the export features)

From LO 3 (with SU yes, you can.

errror404 · 3 Oct 2011, 16:05

Thanks

@gaieus said:

@errror404 said:

...Or import to SU and send it to LO and you can then put it on a layer displaying on each page....

... then could I draft on top of it in Layout and create a component "title block"? (can you create components in layout?)

thanks, I still don't have layout in front of me

Gaieus · 3 Oct 2011, 16:31

Well, with object snap on, you can use LO "primitives" (line, rectangle whatnot) to "trace" it around. You can also insert images and all. It should not be hard. Then you can group all (no components in LO) and place it on a layer that's on every page (this will repeat it and if you edit it, it will change on each page - just like a component in SU). You can then lock this layer to prevent incidental editing. That's how title blocks generally work in LO.

errror404 · 4 Oct 2011, 20:38

@gaieus said:

@errror404 said:

Q2- Can you export the layout views as 2D dwg lines? (I don't have layout in front of me so I can't check the export features)

From LO 3 (with SU yes, you can.

I'm finding a problem exporting to DWG

Layout becomes non-reponsive as soon as I try to switch from Raster to Vector lines

I really need this to work

bjanzen · 5 Oct 2011, 19:30

If the model has a lot of edges, switching to vector will take some time, depending on the model. I wouldn't panic for at least 30 minutes.

b

errror404 · 12 Oct 2011, 15:46

@bjanzen said:

If the model has a lot of edges, switching to vector will take some time, depending on the model. I wouldn't panic for at least 30 minutes.

b

Thanks I never updated my last reply.

I did one by one and it took forever, but I was able to bring it to AutoCAD and finish the elevations there.

thanks a lot

pbacot · 12 Oct 2011, 19:35

@unknownuser said:

Q1- How do you guys bring autocad blocks (like a title block) into layout? do you re-draft it?

Can you save the title block in an image format? Attached is a LO composition with a title (little thing in the lower right corner), which I inserted int LO as a pdf saved from my CADD program. The picture is direct from SU for this test exported at lower resolution without the shadows and PP I made previously--so pls. be understanding in that regard.

Peter

title.pdf

Gaieus · 17 Oct 2011, 09:16

Since we, puny Windows users cannot insert PDF's into LO documents (or SU models as a matter of fact), I am just guessing here but please, anybody with an accurate knowledge correct me if I am wrong; your PDF file may come in as a raster file (i.e. no better than if you inserted an image file: while the resolution is reasonable, no problem with output but when you enlarge, quality is lost).

What would happen (just for testing purposes) if you started with a large paper template and inserted a PDF file that way? What I would expect (if my suspicion is right) is that LO would convert your PDF file into a much bigger image therefore it would be much nicer in quality (at least in case your PDF file is in vector format if it contains graphics).

(It "converts" SU viewports of the skp file into png's as well)

pbacot · 17 Oct 2011, 16:16

Now I am dealing with a similar problem.

While I am able to insert a small title block into LO (see above).I had trouble inporting a good looking pdf file....

EDIT: Trying again on another day the pdf file came in clear without loss of resolution. See post below.

Also why does LO produce such big files? My output pdf file was 8 MB for this project ( 1 raster SU window). Any way to fix that?

Peter

Gaieus · 17 Oct 2011, 16:19

Well, I have no idea what my idea was since (as I wrote) we cannot do anything with PDF's on Windows.

pbacot · 17 Oct 2011, 16:22

Gai,

Today it works as I would expect. The pdf file comes in clear, with a surprise. The background is transparent instead of white. That's nice. So what was happening before? I am going to edit my previous post.

Still does not come in at the correct size, but has to be re-sized (Hey Google team! ).

And if I update the pdf file (save in same name from my CAD file) LO will do the update at the size I have made it in LO. This is just one step from updating direct from my CAD.

Thanks for the idea, Gai! Although changing the paper size did not affect the insert size.

For window users including OP, you can do the same with .png, just save at a high enough resolution. Your background might not be transparent so put it on a bottom layer. It will also update.

Peter