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ACAD QUESTION

IMERC | Posted in General Discussion on July 26, 2003 08:21am

I have ACAD 14.

Lately I ran into a problem with others not being able to open the .dwg drawings and schedules that I handled. I have been trying to reformat these to a .gif or like and have been unsuccessful.

A supplement to ACAD is available but at 24.7MB I have been unable to capture it with dial up. I can’t download faster than 1 or 2kb. (phone line interigity) No broad band available or DSL.

Help.

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Replies

  1. Piffin | Jul 26, 2003 08:38am | #1

    I don't have acad but is there a way I or someone could download and save to floppy and mail it to you? I am assuming it might need to be someone with a reistered installation to be able to get it for you

    .

    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. User avater
      IMERC | Jul 26, 2003 08:55am | #2

      I think this is the correct link. It's a freebie.

      http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=837403

      Email me please.

  2. DennisS | Jul 26, 2003 09:16am | #3

    IMERC -

    What is the error message at the receiving end? That is, when the recipient tries to open the .dwg file, what error message does Acad throw?

    Are they opening the file with the same version of Acad? Have they tried "recover" to restore a corrupt .dwg file?

    I've had good success opening corrupted .dwg files with IntelliCAD (from http://www.cadopia.com) which is a 'trial' version available for download. Unfortunately it's a rather large file as well.

    If you can post some more detail on the problem I and others may be able to provide more assistance. Also, feel free to send me one of the problem files and I'll take a look at it to see if I can diagnose any obvious problems. ([email protected])

    ...........

    Dennis in Bellevue WA

    [email protected]

    1. User avater
      IMERC | Jul 26, 2003 09:34am | #4

      They haven't got ACAD or compatible software. There are 3 at the moment. They can handle .gif. I had to go around the block to get a file converted so that a take off could be done and now I have 2 sets of drawings for approval. The take off set has been resolved and I don't anticipate any futher problems. However these other two.......... 

      I sent the link to the 3 them and only one complied. The others (drawing approval pair) said they were too inept too deal with it.

      So, to cut out some the BS, I was trying to send them a .gif instead of .dwg or .dwf.

      All I want to do is convert my .dwg's to .gif or something of the like so that they can be on their way. I couldn't find a way within ACAD to do this. Thought that there had to be a way, I was only missing it. It feels, after hours of trying, I became only more brain locked.

      Looked into Chief 8/9.0 but the bank account isn't quite full enough for that. Especially after how much is in ACAD.

      Thanks Dennis.

      PS..... Probably can't tell that I'm becoming frustrated.

      Edited 7/26/2003 4:33:05 AM ET by IMERC

      1. DennisS | Jul 26, 2003 10:13am | #5

        IMERC-

        Have you tried WMFOUT in AutoCAD to creat a .wmf file format? This can be imported into a Word document. Almost anyone has MS Word these days. WMF is more of a vector format than .gif or jpeg meaning that your drawings aren't converted to mere pixels and withstand zooming much better.

        The native wmfout command in AutoCAD isn't very robust, however. There's a program called 'better wmf' that (I think) installs as a Windows system printer and offers better control of the output. I use the McNeel PlotPack driver for Acad which includes a .wmf output option but unfortunately PlotPack was discontinued with the release of Acad 2000. I don't have a pointer to 'Better WMF' but a web search should get you some sources.

        Another option would be to purchase Adobe's PDF writer software. This would allow you to creat a .pdf file and most of the computer world these days has the Acrobat reader which is free for the downloading from the Adobe site if they don't already have it. The writer installs as a system printer as well.

        I routinely share/send files in Acrobat .pdf format. You can configure it to the larger sheet sizes associated with architectural and engineering drawings. The Acrobat writer installs as a system printer. With R14, plotting to this printer driver is considerably easier than Acad 2000 and beyond. I find any kind of raster export from AutoCAD to be woefully poor quality.

        Be sure to post any questions about this stuff and I'll do my best to help.

        ...........

        Dennis in Bellevue WA

        [email protected]

        1. User avater
          Luka | Jul 26, 2003 10:41am | #6

          I think that what Imerc is actualy after is a very simple way to convert his dwg files to .gif.

          The method he has at the moment...

          He sends the file to me.

          I open it using a free dwg file viewer.

          While open, I use Paint Shop Pro to do a screen capture. (Several, actualy, because the pics always seem to be bigger than my screen. LOL)

          I then crop those screen captures, paste them together into one big graphics file, then save that file as a .gif.

          As he said... around the block.

          Waaay around the block.

          It sure would be nice to simply open the files, then save them as .gif right away...

          But the only price for a piece of software, that is "right", is free. A fact of life, not cheapness.

          : )

          A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

          Quittin' Time

          Edited 7/26/2003 4:24:29 AM ET by Luka

          1. FastEddie1 | Jul 26, 2003 05:43pm | #7

            If you're just trying to let them view the files, there is an Autocad viewer available for free I think.  Otherwise, export the dwg then open it in Irfan and convert to jpg.

            Do it right, or do it twice.

          2. FastEddie1 | Jul 26, 2003 05:50pm | #8

            See if you can view this drawing.  I exported from Autocad as a wmf (the only option) the opened in Irfan and converted.

            Do it right, or do it twice.

          3. User avater
            BillHartmann | Jul 26, 2003 06:57pm | #9

            It is viewable, but not readable.

            It is too small on my 17" monitor to read the text. So I loaded it into ####graphics program to zoom in on it. But the text, no being bit maps are just garbage when blown up.

            PDF I think is really a good way to go.

            I am not sure where the VOLO express comes in, because you are not the one that needs it, the other end does.

            But anway you can buy the full blow Volo Viewer on CD for $49.

          4. User avater
            IMERC | Jul 26, 2003 10:17pm | #11

            Proposed floor finishes.

            That's the answer. I have Irfanview. TADAA!!

            Thank you.

          5. User avater
            Luka | Jul 26, 2003 10:41pm | #13

            Keep in mind that .gif is much better for line drawings than .jpg...

            : )

            A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

            Quittin' Time

          6. Joe_Fusco | Jul 26, 2003 11:32pm | #19

            IMERG,

            I believe the PDF option is the most viable to you at this time. I use the PDF writer called FinePrint pdfFactory Pro. I can print directly to it from Auto2000. They have a trial version you can download and try. I've attached a PDF made using it. Works great.

            View Image

            File format
          7. User avater
            IMERC | Jul 27, 2003 12:24am | #21

            28 minuets to down load the EE version.

            My part, I hope, is taken care of.

            Thanks Joe.

            I was going to go on a fishing exchursion yesterday till tomorrow night. Some how the priorities got changed. I'm gonna go hurt the clown that sets the priorities around here. Now maybe I can get a few hours of R&R in. Trout and Elk for supper.

            I have a disease that's worse than the Black Plauge.... It's called Fishin'itis.

            Thanks 

          8. Joe_Fusco | Jul 27, 2003 01:57am | #23

            IMERG,

            Anytime.

            View Image

      2. Piffin | Jul 26, 2003 08:28pm | #10

        It is frustrating to deal with recipients who want the files but are unwilling or unable to do the necessary work to open and view them. It should be so easy for them to download Voloview and look at your work!

        I really think that the print to PDF is the best solution for you because it preserves scale and quality. Many blueprint services can print from PDF files.

        There are free programs that will create PDF files other than the expensive acrobat that I have. PDF995 is one, I believe, if you google under free and PDF, you can find several. use PDF writer and not distiller. Distiller can distort some drawing files or lose quality. The pdf writer installs in your printer folder so that when you go file>print, you can then choose which printer. When it goes to the PDF writer instead of to the HP920 or whatever, it is only a digital print that you can then open or send or coopy or print directly from.

        PDF is great for preserving copywrtie protection and preventing other's from changing your work.

        I know that this is all dependent on your being able to download. If you just can't do it, I'll be glad to burn you a copy of something or other, as long as it's legally copyable..

        Excellence is its own reward!

        1. User avater
          IMERC | Jul 26, 2003 10:35pm | #12

          Thanks for the offer Piff. I going to head into town and see what is on the shelf.

          The respose inside and out side of the box has been over whelming.Thanks people.

          HP5000ps :)

          This is not the first time time I have to deal with the instant gradification crowd. Unforunally won't be last, I'm sure....

          PDF writer software is what I'm to look for then. Suggestions as this will be off the shelf.

          Thanks Pif.

          1. User avater
            Luka | Jul 26, 2003 10:44pm | #14

            The problem, as I undestood it, was that they didn't want to download a free .dwg/.dwf viewer.

            If they don't already have a .pdf viewer installed, don't you think they'll balk at that as well ?

            A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

            Quittin' Time

          2. User avater
            IMERC | Jul 26, 2003 11:29pm | #18

            One client said straight out... "I don't need any more of that garbage on my computer." It doesn't run very well as it is.

            Then the rant starts about the games (a lot I gathered) not running right, stalls, crashes and music down loads take for ever and yadda yadda yadda..........

            They didn't miss a beat berateing the 'puter mfg for building such a piece of crap and so on...

          3. User avater
            Luka | Jul 26, 2003 11:51pm | #20

            Sounds to me like someone who believes the computer is supposed to be smart.... so they don't have to be.

            Games not running right. Music downloads taking forever. Stalls. Etc.... Symptoms of spyware.

            Get them to download AdAware and run it. I know, I know... Just beat them about the chops until they actualy DO it.

            My son was complaining about the same thing. Seems the computer used to be a lot faster. But now it was slow as molassess in January.

            Also seems I'm just an old fuddy, and he is the smart young computer savvy stud. I couldn't possibly know more than he about computers. So my advice to use AdAware was ignored.

            Until the day when he couldn't even get the thing to boot. I talked him through a couple possibilities and he got it to boot again. Hmmmm, maybe the old man does know something about computers, after all. But man, I wish it wasn't so slow.

            I told him to use AdAware for that. Expected to be ignored again, but this time he did it. When finished, he found 83 or 84 running spyware progs. Had AdAware delete them, rebooted, and MAN ! This thing runs fast now !! What other programs would you recommend. LOL

            An aside... He took a look at the programs. His comment was, "but they don't take up much of the ram". I explained to him that it is not occupying ram that slows his computer down, it was that every one of those 83 programs, no matter how small they were, were making calls to his processor chip. Every time he hit a key on the keyboard, 83 different calls were being made, to watch that keystroke. Every time he made a move on the web... again... 83 different calls on the processor... His processor was being overloaded.

            He was on the right track with the ram, though. In a way... Truth is that if you want a faster machine, the best thing you can do is buy more ram. A faster cpu will only take you so far. If you don't have a lot of ram, and/or if you end up with spyware on your machine, you are wasting your money.

            You want a faster machine, get AdAware. Upgrade it religiously, and run it weekly, at least. And buy as much ram as you can possibly afford. <--The best bang for the buck !

            A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

            Quittin' Time

          4. User avater
            IMERC | Jul 27, 2003 12:33am | #22

            To tell these people that it's operator error and you could find your butt being climbed all over.

            I have AdAware and use it. My friends the same. As for RAM this here "puter has it out the wazoo.

            These people have a "handle it" attitude. Drive on. All the begging, pleading and arm twisting in the world won't help.

            To each his own.

          5. Piffin | Jul 27, 2003 02:10am | #24

            I've got one with a "...solver it yourself. I just want it done..." attitude.

            Send me the bill...

            I don't know if he ever even looks at the bill. The money gets transfered to account..

            Excellence is its own reward!

          6. CAGIV | Jul 27, 2003 04:36am | #25

            I'll second Luka's suggestion, ad-aware is worth the download, and more.

            Thanks again for the help of computer guru luka ;)

            Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.

          7. User avater
            IMERC | Jul 27, 2003 01:51pm | #26

            For the life of me I can not figure out why I would want to go all the way to Conklin, NY to work on a 'puter. Ruskin, FL is definately out of the question at this time of the year too.

          8. User avater
            Luka | Jul 27, 2003 01:54pm | #27

            I wouldn't either.

            Nor would I suggest that.

            ; )

            I guess I should have put a bunch of disclaimers in there about generic "you's" and "they's". LOL

            : )

            A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

            Quittin' Time

          9. Piffin | Jul 26, 2003 10:55pm | #15

            My box is labeled Adobe Acrobat 4.0

            I think they've got a newer version out. Runs a couple hundred bucks for it. Contains both writer and distiller.

            There was a thread here not long ago about PDF files - if you can find it

            Luka, good perception on the human nature side of this thing. Many browsers already have PDF viewers built in now so chances are good,...though it wasn't long ago that I PDFed a financial report to somebody who reported that they couldn't open it and asked for it in Word. I declined and mailed the darn thing with a real signature. Let'm wait if they don't want to get up to date and actually USE the computer!.

            Excellence is its own reward!

          10. User avater
            IMERC | Jul 26, 2003 11:19pm | #16

            "Found" a copy of Adobe 5.0.

            That saves me a 140/50 mile round trip and 5 or 6 hours to boot.

            Back to the learning curve...

            Mailing out of here is not "that easy." the PO is almost an hour away. There are "limits" but I was going to bill the client for all this of or at least a part of it. I'll help you with your lazyness. How many commas you have in your check book?

          11. Piffin | Jul 26, 2003 11:28pm | #17

            LOL

            The bank lets me play with a coma every now and then, but I have to give it back when I'm done with it..

            Excellence is its own reward!

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