DWG Import Missing Layers - AutoCad Dynamic Components

ninomayda

@box said:

I know nothing in this scenario, but as an outsider when I import the file I get 6o something layers all fully populated without fiddling with your customers bits.

Thanks for investing the time on this. Sure, Layers "appear" to import on the dialogue window, but did you get the Fridge/Freezer Blocks in the kitchen? How about all the stair treads?

Nino

ninomayda

@jga said:

I saved the file back to 2010 DWG format & imported it into SKUP 2014 without a problem.
Note the Washer+ block on the Appliance layer is dynamic, so may be a problem. Using "+" in a block name may also cause issues.

PLUS Sign on a Block ! That sheds a whole lot of light on a potential culprit. Interesting.

Not finding any value on CAD software over SKP for the last 10-years, sorry to say I've not kept up with DynCompos on AutoDesk. Any feelers out there to pursue importing the DWG and seeing if you get the Fridge and the Freezer imported onto the kitchen?

Thanks for the lead. I might be rusty on DWG. Plus Signs on DC's or Block Names themselves is still a liability within SKP importing operations nonetheless.

Nino

KrisM

I could not get the fridge blocks to import. If you look at the window after the import has finished the dwg import, it says 141 anonymous blocks were not imported. These blocks include the fridge block. Sketchup doesn't like this block which has some attributes to flip it in Autocad. I exploded and redefined the fridge block in Autocad and then it imported fine into SU. My experience is that I rarely get a 100% perfect dwg import into SU unless I do some exploding , purging and cleanup in Autocad first. You may have to accept the fact that you're going to need to draw some elements yourself in SU if you're not able to do the cleanup in Autocad first.

TIG

So in the DWG...
Select All.
Explode All.
Audit [Fix==Yes].
Purge All [including Nested objects].

Import into SKP...

KrisM

My procedure -

Select All.
Explode All.
Explode All.
Explode All.
Audit [Fix==Yes].
Purge All [including Nested objects].
Purge All [including Nested objects].
Purge All [including Nested objects].

Import into SKP...

KrisM

Just ran my procedure and all the linework comes into SU. However, once in SketchUp, one of the problems with the dwg import presents itself. This is not a complicated plan yet it generates 226,000 edges in the SU model. This is why I take out all the extraneous objects, hatching etc in Autocad before importing. It's never a straightforward import.

ninomayda

@tig said:

So in the DWG...
Select All.
Explode All.
Audit [Fix==Yes].
Purge All [including Nested objects].

Import into SKP...

Yup, that would be the "big hammer" approach. Trouble is file balloons to 11MB and I loose control to turn unnecessary Layers on/off.

pbacot

I often explode all but keep the layers. I might group by layer so very few groups (blocks). Every block (at least in my CAD export) ends up a component in SU and I hate them cluttering the component window. It's mostly for layout, I import as little of the drawing as possible.

ninomayda

As usual, You All Gentlemen are indeed Correct. Challenge is that, upon "explode", entities fall off their respective Layers onto the Default (Current) Layer. Only option is to individually explode each of the multiple layers on their respective original layers.

Regards
Nino

JGA

You could try saving to an older DWG file format, such as 2004 which didn't have dynamic capabilities.
ACAD has a RENAME command to have a quick check & re-title block names.

TIG

Yes, the Save_As in the CAD app could go back, even to r2000, the DWG's geometry/layers etc imported into SketchUp will be unaffected by that... but newer things like DC's, which could break it, are not supported in those earlier DWG formats, so they are avoided...