Reducing file size

[sloth4z]

I was looking at saving all my drawings as e-drawings to save space. I have over 350 files to save and each one is about 500KB. I won't need to change the files after they are made but I need to print them out from time to time. The problem with e-drawings is that I can't get it to print out correctly. It prints it small. Is there a way that I can print it out so that it looks the same as a normal drawing, size and everthing. Or would you recomend a different file type, like dxf or dwg? I tried those but the're even worse.

 

[TheTick]

If you only need 2D data, perhaps save your drawings as PDF.

All this machinery making modern music can still be open-hearted.

 

[SBaugh]

If you have over 350 files at 500kb a piece I don't know how you could complain about file size. Those are some pretty small files! I have multiple drawings on here and they are very basic drawings and they are like 1MB a piece.

Why don't you just use SW viewer to print with? It works the same as SW accept it doesn't load the files..it's a view only...works for parts and assemblies to.

You could use Rapiddraft for your 2D drawings. See the help on converting your drawings to rapiddraft and for creating new RD drawings.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[ctopher]

Just a note....
If you have a part or assembly that is a very large file, a trick is to create a sketch and extrude a box around the entire part/assy. When it is time to use the part/assy, just suppress or delete the box feature.

 

[SBaugh]

That's a great trick for emailing files but, if you have to open a drawing using that same part or assembly you won't like the outcome. If you open the drawing up before that part or assembly. Then all your dims become dangling and they may not go back to the way they were before even after you unsuppress the extrusion.

ctopher suggestion might work if you used the SW viewer.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[ctopher]

Thanks SBaugh...your right.
It does work great for e-mailing.

 

[djw2k3]

remember there is always "Eco-squeeze", a nice programme that cleans out non-essential SW file information.

Am running SW2001+, you may want to check that it can be still used on newer versions.

djw

 

[SBaugh]

Eco-Squeeze is just another form of Unfrag and again isn't recommended by SW. It is a use at your own risk. I have seen some files corrupt more often when using Unfrag or Eco-squeeze than not.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[MrPickles]

SBaugh,

Can you clarify your statement: "I have seen some files corrupt more often when using Unfrag or Eco-squeeze than not"

I have "seen" one file that I think may have been a corruption from Unfrag. The part itself was non-openable, it just did something to where its Mates in every assembly it was in was "invalid".

Don't care about getting into this/that debates. I know that SW does not endorse using Unfrag or EcoSqueeze, and some of us shouldn't promote them.

However, the fact that they work a vast majority of the time, and throw out many bits of information (temporarily), warrants the question why doesn't SW do something remotely similar when it saves the file?


-----------
Mr. Pickles

 

[MrPickles]

MORE COFFEE.......

The part I referred to was NOT non-openable, which means it was openable and every feature, etc. was there. Just the Mates in assemblies was hosed...

AHHHHH, Coffee.....



-----------
Mr. Pickles

 

[JNR]

Interesting... your idea of large files and numbers of files seems trivially small to me. It's odd how we all see things differently. Of course we happen to have lots of CPU power, RAM and disk space. The RAID array for our SmarTeam (PDM) server is mind bogglingly huge!!! Every now and then we tell IT that its getting full and they just jump up and add gobs more. In future I will try to be more appreciative of how lucky we are.

Having said that, we do use eDrawings for some purposes and have had no issues in printing (nor have customers and vendors who we have sent them to). So I'm puzzled by your problem - it must be something simple but elusive. We also use PDF's with equal success. The EDrawing advantage is mostly in the additional 3D capabilities. BTW: SW2004 has built in PDF output!!! Yeaaaaaa SW!!!! (Currently we do it via full-up Adobe licenses at $200 a pop! - though it does work for ANY windows application.)

3/4 of all the Spam produced goes to Hawaii - shame that's not true of SPAM also.......