Civil Project Workflow, Base Files, Proposed Linework and As Builts-How do you handle it?

When working on specifically (but not limited to) civil site projects, like a residential or commercial site design (waste water, potable water, drainage, etc.), I have used different types of workflows or standard to manage our data.  In the past the places I worked at created a base file for all linework involved.  I have also worked where we create two separate base files; proposed line work and existing conditions.  You can also include into that any survey linework as a separate, or combined, base file.  I don’t want to go into any software specific discussion here, I just want to look at a general workflow process for the life of a project.  How do you do it?  How should it be done?

Can’t Detach an AutoCAD Reference File

I ran into an issue today where I was not able to DETACH a referenced DWG file from one of my AutoCAD files.  I went to work on a file that somebody else had been using.  It had survey information in it that I need to use as a starting point for a new project.  It also has several other files referenced into it.  If they were set up as overlays I wouldn't have minded so much but they were attachments.  I did not want to be forced into carrying over those files every time I needed this file.  I copied the file into my own directory (yes I still call folders directories) to use as a base file to be referenced in a few drawing files.

There was one reference that I could not DETACH.  When I tried to detach it through AutoCAD’s Reference Manager Pallet I received this error message:

“Xref CCPMastRKP has multiple references. Not detached.”

CCPMastRKP was the name of the stubborn file.  I turned ON and Thawed every layer in the file and found that the reference had been copied several times.  I deleted them and tried to detach the reference again.  Same error message.  I shut down AutoCAD.  Counted to five and restarted it.  Opened the file and tried once again to detach the offending file.  Same results still.  I double checked that every layer was visible, preformed a Zoom Extents.  Nothing.  It’s not in the file even though AutoCAD is telling me it is there multiple times.

GRRRR.

I had an idea.  Maybe the reference was also saved in the file as a block??  All “circular reference” and such. I didn’t see a block with the same or similar name as the file itself but there were many blocks with a name that started with A$.   I purged those from the file and was able to detach the reference.
I don’t know.  I wouldn’t think it would happen this way but it did.  The point to this is that if you have trouble detaching a file make sure that there aren’t multiple instances of it in the file.

Quick TIP - Open an Xref

In AutoCAD, you can open a file that is referenced into your drawing file very quickly, even if you don't know what or where the file is. In your working file, select any part of the xref'ed file, it could be a line, text, or any object. Right click, then select the OPEN XREF option. This will open the referenced file.

Very quick and easy.

Or, open the XREF Manager. Select the desired file and right click. Then select the OPEN option and there you go.

Happy CADDING

AutoCAD 2009 - Fit and Finish

Fit and Finish items are small enhancements and additions to the AutoCAD 2009 that help to complete the package. These little details are not enough to demand an upgrade, but they sweeten the pot! Collectively they help to make the upgrade to AutoCAD 2009 well worth it. Lets take a look at these new features:

M-Text now has automatic spell checking! Well duh!! Why hasn’t this been in there from the beginning? Everything else has it? I would often forget to go back and spell check a drawing, now I don’t have to, Mtext will do it for me. Yes, I get lazy.

ETransmit is a great way to get your drawings to somebody else. ETransmit allows you to send everything your client, vendor, best friend (whomever) needs to open and read your AutoCAD files. In AutoCAD 2009 eTransmit, you now have the option to save or not to save a drawing before you pack it all up, AND you can purge too.

Dynamic Xclip updates. This is one of my other favorite enhancements in AutoCAD 2009. It used to be that in order to update an xclip you had to generate the polygon, edit the polygon, then update the clip which involved several steps. Now, generate the polygon and grip edit it!! Xclip is instantly updated. This one is real nice.

Export Layouts to model space. At first I scratched my head, and said “huh?” You can import a layout into another layout, but now you can export a layout tab into the model of a different file.

Geographic Locations. Now you can set the geographical location in a file. The command geographiclocation sets the longitude, latitude, and north direction in a file. You can import this information from a .KML or .KMZ file, from your current Google Earth location (very nice), or enter the location values yourself. Here is the dialog box in case you enter the information yourself.

Find and Replace. I failed to mention earlier that the Find and replace will also now look for text in blocks and in an xref. Now that’s handy.


The Fit and Finish enhancements are a part of what makes upgrading to AutoCAD 2009 a good idea.

Happy CADDING


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Quick Xref Tip-2 - attachemnt or overlay?

We have all referenced a file at some time, perhaps. Maybe you haven’t yet. I recommend it. It can help to keep drawing data current and accurate across a drawing set.

If you haven't, well I posted another tip on x-reffing (my spell check is going crazy with the red squiggle on x-reffing) a few days ago that provides a few tips on opening files that are referenced. Check it out: X-Ref Quick Tip

Let’s assume that you are referencing files. Good for you. How do you do it? What do you mean “how”? (Yes I am talking to myself. It’s ok, I do it all of the time.) What I mean is do you reference the drawing as an attachment or an overlay? HUH???? (Again, it’s ok that I talk to myself.)

In AutoCAD, when a drawing is referenced, there are two different ways to connect it to your drawing file. One way is as an attachment. The other is as an overlay. What’s the difference? Good question.

Attached files are just that. The data in the file will go with the drawing file it is attached to. On overlay is like Las Vegas, what happens there stays there. Let’s try to clear that up. I have a DWG file, it is file aa.dwg. It is my model file. I need to reference it in my drawing file, file name draw.dwg. I open file draw.dwg. I start the reference manager. I reference my model file (file aa.dwg) to show the linework in my drawing file. I have the choice of making it an attachment reference or an overlay reference.

When the model file is an attachment reference in my drawing file, that information goes with it if I reference the drawing file into another file. If I reference the model file into my drawing file as an overlay, and then reference my drawing file into a different file, that overlay file will not go into the third file. Clear on that?

Why would I choose one over the other? Best question yet. I would reference a file as an attachment if I need those two files to go together, everywhere. If I only need the data from the model to show up in the drawing file, but nowhere else, then an overlay. This will prevent circular references when attaching files and it helps in file management or drawing management procedures. It is often the case that I only need data from a certain file, but in order to create that file I needed the data from a third file.

Think about it. You might be saving yourself some work if you attach or overlay a file.

Happy CADDING!

Quick Xref Tip

Here is a quick tip to use when working with xref's. How many times have you been working with a drawing file that is referencing another file only to find that you need to edit that file? Follow me? Example: I was working on a site plan for a small project that was adjacent to another project we did several years ago. To provide background information I referenced a file in the older project.

Well, that older file needed some updating due to a revision to the design. I wanted to open it and make these changes. There are several options to take. I can select the referenced file, right click and start the REFEDIT command. I can also start the REFEDIT command, then select the object.

I could select and then right click the object to select the open file option in the short cut menu. Or I could, FILE, OPEN< then browse. What I did was open the xref manager, right click the file, then select the open option.

Any of these methods works great. The shortcut menu option is probably the quickest, unless you have the option turned off.

Just a quick tip I wanted to share.

Happy CADDING!!