Layout to DWG/DXF: can it really be done?

JQL

I'm having some trouble with paperspace as I need to xref my drawings for doing "demolished vs new" drawings.

Apart from the background being white I see the same issues...

Probably text makes more sense as they might be at correct scale, but they still have a style overriding global style, they are still off place, slightly off, or not on the right place on leaders, dimension texts over dimension lines are still not as they should, etc...

Linestyles are still impossible to read and entities are still neither styled by layer nor colored by layer.

And juxtaposed viewports in hybrid mode, are simply... not working. Sketchup is exporting a PNG image for every viewport and juxtaposing it on top of each other. This works in Layout as PNG's have transparency but not in CAD where PNG's alpha isn't working right and the PNG background Layout sets up is black.

What Layout should do is merge images that are juxtaposed so they are exported as a single image.

At the very least, Layout could assign a white background to PNG's as Layout's DWG exports only work on white backgrounds. This way we could send images to back, and they would work as a background no matter you exported to model space or to paper space, and the raster information from our sketchup projects would be handy in CAD...

Bottomline, Paperspace or Modelspace, both are too unuseable for me. I still think it's easier for me to use Model space as at least I can XRef my CAD files.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time Nick. All the best and good luck on your book!

Are you using some custom text?

sonder

I use simple Arial. I used to use AvantGarde, but it causes issues as well. The font you are using may be a cause for text alignment as well. If they do not have the font, then alignment with leaders will be off depending upon which text is used to replace it.

I don't use hybrid mode. The benefit of using vector linework is the ACAD export is perfect. Only the raster viewport exports as an image.

So far no issues with Surveyors, Civil Engineers, Sprinkler designers Etc.

JQL

@unknownuser said:

I use simple Arial.

...

The benefit of using vector linework is the ACAD export is perfect.

Yup! I imagined you'd say that!

What I do is erase the exported images... I get the vector lines and it's easier than rendering everything in vector inside layout. I use hatches inside walls a lot in my workflow.

In what concerns Typefaces, I also considered using standard fonts, but I usually prefer not to. (Even if I know CAD exports fail.)

I simply use 2 perfect type fonts that are not standard. One of them is great for writing on top of drawings. The second is all capitals.

The fact is that I use those two fonts for everything in my office...

I prefer a bad CAD export than not having those on my Construction docs and all other stuff I do.

However CAD export should be flawless as PDF's are.

aikibrown

I would agree with most here. The task of providing dwg format drawings for consultants, although workable is far from perfect and really needs to be addressed by Trimble.

The following process works for me:

Before exporting from layout, ensure all viewports are reset to vector rendering. There is no point using the Hybrid render setting. I found that hatches and textures
Created in Su or the raster hatching in LO will not be exported in a format that can be editable or of any use in CAD. Therefore, consultants receive a usable dwg but with no hatching. This is not ideal, but they can refer to the full pdf version.

2.In LO switch off the layers containing the title sheet line-out and title sheet text. I have instead created a standard CAD dwg template with title sheet, layers, line width and colouring already set up.

In LO, export drawing to paper space in dwg format.
Open the exported dwg file in Draftsight. Then cut an paste the drawing papers pace entities into the separate template dwg file and save as a new drawing. In paper space my background colour defaults to white and so all drawing entities are visible.
Select all drawing entities and change their properties. Set colour to default white or black so that visibility is ensured regardless of CAD background colour.
Now I simply move all line work into model space and scale to full size. Tip-Draw a couple of lines in paper space as reference points for positioning new viewports. Turn off all layers containing dimensions, leader lines and text. Then select all that remains visible in paper space and hit Ctrl x. Switch to model space and hit Ctrl V. All your line work should now appear in model space. Use the scale command to make everything full size in model space.

7.Switch back to paper space and create viewports as required, scaling and positioning them using the reference marker lines that you Hopefully left in paper space. Turn back on all the layers containing text, dimensions and leader lines. Leaving these in paper space is less of a headache than trying to rescaled them in model space.

This process takes me about 10 mins per drawing but gives consultants a usable drawing. And saves countless phone calls and emails asking how to sort out problems with drawing formatting. Yes, it is tiresome on large projects and has to be repeated for drawing revisions but I'm all ears if there is a quick method.

Hope that helps some.

JQL

I simply export from Layout and erase the Images Folder from the CAD location. No need to change from hybrid to vector.

Also, if you use only left justified text on Layout and vector graphics for your logos your export will mostly work without the need for having it pasted into a CAD template file.

It will never be perfect and the background must be white, but it's passeable.

People that afford loosing time modelling their projects to be solids should really think of exporting using skalp.

sonder

The way I have been doing it works fine for all my consultants. I don't get any calls or issues, so I'm not sure what you folks are running into? Here are my steps:

Create an "ACAD" folder that has sub-folders based upon drawing type exported....floor plans, elevations etc. Inside those folders are sub-folders labeled Mspace and Pspace. You only do this once and re-use the format for all projects.
Export .DWG from layout to the appropriate Pspace folder.
Export .DWG from Sketchup of your scenes to the appropriate Mspace folder.

This gives your consultant an organized export of each plan type. A typical project can be exported in about 10-15 minutes.

congellous

Any updates on this with SKP 2017
I have to transfer drawings to Micro-Station and ArchiCAD as DWG's

Dave R

There haven't been any changes in LO2017. It's late enough in the year that I wouldn't expect any updates to 2017 but instead look hopefully to LO2018.

zooen

Je ne comprends pas, mon post a disparu ?
I do not understand, my post is gone?
New SketchUp 2018

juju

Probably because information was made public that was not meant to be public at that time, what do you think?

zooen

Yes, it's true,It was just a prediction (no information), we call it the French flair! .Well, the new version of SketchUp pro and Layout brings us a lot of good things and especially for DWG imports/exports.

cordially