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Re: CadKey -vs- AutoCad

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Posted By<" ">Tony Sforza on August 27, 2002 at 13:09:46:

In Reply to: CadKey -vs- AutoCad posted bySteve on July 31, 2002 at 11:14:46:

Funny - My co-worker and I were just working this problem out... Unfortuantely, we did not have the luxury to have both softwares in the same location (one at work and the other at home). But here is some things we found if it is of any use:

First of all, you must consider what it is that you need to convert. If the data is a simple 2D drawing layout, I believe CadKey v19 exports directly to DWG, and does so nicely. Text remains text, dimensions remain associated dimensions, etc. However, be sure that when doing so, on the resulting DWG file, check that all the layers are turned on/thawed when opened in AutoCAD, otherwise it may seem if information is missing (I guess this is a known bug in CadKey).

Now as for a 3D solid model, we found it best to export the item(s) to an ACIS (*.sat) file from CadKey and insert it into AutoCAD (we have r2000). It seemed as if we lost some entity associations when it was exported as DWG from CadKey. So the ACIS seemed the best way to go.

We happened to be dealing with a complex CadKey file that had multiple solids in its modelspace* along with titleblocks, dims and annotations on multiple layouts* (*-not sure of CadKey's terminology for these - AutoCAD guy here). So with a little bit of work, we were able to take those things we did, as mentioned above, and insert the ACIS file into AutoCAD's modelspace and then copy the exported DWG files and paste them into the Layouts of that same file. With a little bit (okay, quite a bit-which is alway necessary) of touchup, we were able to result in a well constructed AutoCAD file from which to work from, not just some simple conversion, "so-we-can-view/print" file.

But this is what we needed - if you just need to do the "view/print" thing, I'm sure a simple CadKey DWG export will do.

If anyone has anything they can add or perhaps an entirely different way to do this - I would be happy to hear it. Otherwise - I hope this has been helpful.

Tony Sforza

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Subject: Re: Re: CadKey -vs- AutoCad

Comments:: Funny - My co-worker and I were just working this problem out... Unfortuantely, we did not have the luxury to have both softwares in the same location (one at work and the other at home). But here is some things we found if it is of any use: : First of all, you must consider what it is that you need to convert. If the data is a simple 2D drawing layout, I believe CadKey v19 exports directly to DWG, and does so nicely. Text remains text, dimensions remain associated dimensions, etc. However, be sure that when doing so, on the resulting DWG file, check that all the layers are turned on/thawed when opened in AutoCAD, otherwise it may seem if information is missing (I guess this is a known bug in CadKey). : Now as for a 3D solid model, we found it best to export the item(s) to an ACIS (*.sat) file from CadKey and insert it into AutoCAD (we have r2000). It seemed as if we lost some entity associations when it was exported as DWG from CadKey. So the ACIS seemed the best way to go. : We happened to be dealing with a complex CadKey file that had multiple solids in its modelspace* along with titleblocks, dims and annotations on multiple layouts* (*-not sure of CadKey's terminology for these - AutoCAD guy here). So with a little bit of work, we were able to take those things we did, as mentioned above, and insert the ACIS file into AutoCAD's modelspace and then copy the exported DWG files and paste them into the Layouts of that same file. With a little bit (okay, quite a bit-which is alway necessary) of touchup, we were able to result in a well constructed AutoCAD file from which to work from, not just some simple conversion, "so-we-can-view/print" file. : But this is what we needed - if you just need to do the "view/print" thing, I'm sure a simple CadKey DWG export will do. : If anyone has anything they can add or perhaps an entirely different way to do this - I would be happy to hear it. Otherwise - I hope this has been helpful. : Tony Sforza

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