Do you use the AECDWGSETUP command in Civil 3D?
Whilst this command is useful in Civil 3D, the additional settings, saved in the DWG file, can cause problems when using DWG files in plain AutoCAD that were created (or at least, last saved) using Civil 3D.
As long as you are aware of these settings and how to manage them, then you won't have a problem. However, the AECDWGSETUP command is not available in plain AutoCAD, but the settings that are managed by this command in Civil 3D are still recognised by AutoCAD.
For example: If I save a drawing in Civil 3D with the units set to metres using AECDWGSETUP, then AutoCAD recognises the drawing units as metres, which can be an issue when inserting content created/saved from Civil 3D into AutoCAD.
I suppose a good rule of thumb maybe to only create general AutoCAD content... blocks, templates etc. in plain AutoCAD, particularly for those companies that run a variety of Autodesk applications, plain AutoCAD and verticals like Civil 3D.
Anyway, with all that said... There is a problem in Civil 3D which has been there at least from the 2007 version of Civil 3D and maybe in earlier versions and certainly still exists in Civil 3D 2008.
The problem is with the Drawing Units values listed in the Dialog version of the AECDWGSETUP command, and the way the Drawing Units values are listed in the command line version of the same command -AECDWGSETUP.
This was noticed when I needed to run a script over a number of drawings to change/repair the Drawing Units settings in AECDWGSETUP.
AECDWGSETUP dialog version, lists the drawing units correctly...
-AECDWGSETUP command line version, lists the drawing units incorrectly, also showing "Meters" twice...
The Drawing Units listed in the command line version need to be corrected.
Anyway, if you do need to use -AECDWGSETUP from the command line or in a script, which I would assume to be a rare requirement...
Entering 3 will get you Millimetres
Entering 4 will get you Centimetres
The list should read...
Problem raised with Autodesk Support...
| Hi John The discrepancy between running AECDWGSETUP in a dialog box and AECDWGSETUP at the command line with respect to the unit values has been resolved in the 2009 release. Best Regards, Autodesk Support Team |
How about that for a quick response, I didn't even get a chance to post the issue to the weblog... well done Autodesk Support
Strange how aecdwgsetup was available in map 2006, but removed in 2008. You say I should look for it in Civil 3D 2009? Good news! Hopfully it will return in Map 2009 (currently also in Architecture 2008).
This command once set also helps with the insertion of blocks and xref attachments that may require scaling upon insertion.
Cheers
B
Posted by: Barry | June 18, 2008 at 01:22 PM
Hi Barry, thanks for the comment.
Unfortunately AECDWGSETUP has not made its way back into AutoCAD Map 3D 2009, which is unfortunate, as this is particularly useful when dealing with Civil 3D drawings outside of Civil 3D.
Best regards
John Benstead
Posted by: John Benstead | June 26, 2008 at 08:36 AM