Converting 3D to 2D (again....) 1

[AaronH]

As if this hasn't been hashed enough... I have a 3D plant layout for one of "the big three". It shows columns and machines and such in 3D utilizing Factory Cad, Arch Desktop and who knows what other evil things. What I would like to do is get simple 2D drawings (Front, Top and Right side views would be great) from this 3D file. I read an earlier post of a similar topic that suggesed WMF format. I tried that, and frankly it worked amazingly well, except the scale is all wrong. Is there a way I can get the WMF procedure to work and maintain the proper scaling, or perhaps another procedure that will produce the desired results? Thanks in advance.

 

[AaronH]

I should mention that I am using Acad 2004.

 

[IFRs]

From my experience, if you open a drawing in Autocad and create a wmf file, it is dependant on the size and shape of the AutoCAD window. So, if you zoom and pan until what you want to show fills the screen, the wmf will show just that. Then, determine the zoom factor (scale) and when you visit other views, make sure to zoom to that scale. I use Zoom C pick any point and it tells you the current "height". Use that "height" for the other views also. If in addition you keep the Autocad window the same size and shape, your wmf pictures should be the same scale.

 

[DemarEngr]

Can you create a viewport and use the SOLPROF command?
That would be the easiest way.
Everything ends up on the same layer, but it is 1:1
and correcting the layers usually isn't that bad.

 

[AaronH]

This file was created with Factory Cad and Arch Desktop so I don't think all of it is solids, in fact some is already 2D. I'm messing around with Solprof now. After you run the routine, what next? Is the entire model supposed to be 2D now, or just the viewport? I used the move 0,0,1e99/0,0,-1e99 trick and it seems to work, although took some frogging around because you have to explode blocks first. Plines loose their lineweight as well. The WMF method produces a moew realistic result, but not reliable as far as accuracy and scale.

 

[Exxit]

AaronH,


what about the "flatten" command from ExpressTools V1-9?

Lothar

ADT 2004
ACAD 2002

 

[cfee]

Get a book and learn ALL about SOLDRAW. You'll learn about 3D to 2D viewports, scaling, layer control, dimensioning, etc. Its VERY POWERFUL !
I have some detailed posts on this very subject, but you'll have to search this site for them as the most recent I think is about 2-3 wks ago.
Good Luck!
C. Fee

 

[schuepany]

Hello
I think since Autocad 2004 the best way to do this, is a dwf file. All other methods need a lot of time. Look to Autocad website.

good luck
f.schuepany