[Matt Kraft]

OK, I am an idiot in CAD, so I need someone to explain this to me.

I have a .dwt file that I pirated from another shop, slightly modified for my use. Actually, I have two, one for in-house solid surface work, one I email to our Silestone fabricator. It has some cool fonts and such that are saved in that .dwt that are not in other drawings if I start from scratch or a digitized file, or a PhotoTop .dxf etc. It is set up to print nice and cleanly and all that jazz.

Why when I save a file – looks fine, print that file – looks fine. But close that down, go to open the dxf and all my fonts and dimensioning and all that BS goes to defaults and all my beautiful spacing created to make the drawing easy to read is all gone?

Somebody walk me thru what I need to do to fix this, and treat me like I am a six year old because that is what it takes sometimes.

[Travis Rodecker]

Matt,

In order to save the information you are wanting, you need to save your drawing as a dwg. The dxf files are used for transfering information between two different types of software, therefor is saves the file in as generic form as possible and also uses much more space than a dwg. You can save the file again later as a dxf if you need to transfer to a CNC type software. Hope this helps.

[Matt Kraft]

Travis,

I haven’t quite verified this fixes my issue, but it sure sounds like it will. Makes perfect sense.

Thanks for your help.

Matt

[Jeremy Bowlin]

Matt Kraft wrote

OK, I am an idiot in CAD, so I need someone to explain this to me.

I have a .dwt file that I pirated from another shop, slightly modified for my use. Actually, I have two, one for in-house solid surface work, one I email to our Silestone fabricator. It has some cool fonts and such that are saved in that .dwt that are not in other drawings if I start from scratch or a digitized file, or a PhotoTop .dxf etc. It is set up to print nice and cleanly and all that jazz.

Why when I save a file – looks fine, print that file – looks fine. But close that down, go to open the dxf and all my fonts and dimensioning and all that BS goes to defaults and all my beautiful spacing created to make the drawing easy to read is all gone?

Somebody walk me thru what I need to do to fix this, and treat me like I am a six year old because that is what it takes sometimes.

Why is it that you need to have it in a .dwt format? If your wanting nice spacing, you can achieve that in a .dxf format as well. Are you trying to print shop ticket type drawings, w/ your drawing, as well as customer data, ect? What program did you use to create the .dwt files?

[Matt Kraft]

I didn’t make it very clear, sorry.

The .dwt file is a starting point for all shop drawings and will print fine and all that good stuff. Everything I send to the router gets saved as individual dxf’s. Problem I was having is when saving multiple tops (an entire job) as one file with all the headers with job info etc, I was still using dxf format. When you went back to open, you lost all the fancy stuff.

Started saving the entire drawing as a .dwg and individual cuts as dxfs inside of the dwg. Problem fixed.

[Robert Abbott]

Hopefully someone will read this since the thread stopped in Jan.

I was curious if anyone had AutoCAD templates that they would be willing to share. I currently have one but I wanted to see what else people are using and maybe make one out of those that fits my needs and I like also, or maybe there is on out there that already fits my needs and I like. Just curious, trying to make my life less complicated.

Robert

[Hilary Adkins]

Are you looking for layers, linetypes ect… or just the header in paperspace? We use 7 Dif. layers, 3 linetypes, and one Dimension style and text. We do all dimensions and labels in paperspace. Our title block has Date, P.O. #, Material type, Color, Thickness, Customer name, lot #, Draftsman name, job type, sink model, & cook top model

[Tom M]

Matt,

Can you “convert to curves” so that all you save is the math?

That should transfer fine, I would think.

But I’m an idiot too, so who knows?

Tom

[Robert Abbott]

I am not looking for any particular thing. Just curious about what other templates and options were being used. The current template I use is set-up in layers (TOPS, DIM, TEXT, ect.). It also has a header with job#, color, material, designer, ect.

Robert

[Travis Harper]

Ok this may sound dumb but I am with Matt. Treat me like I am 3 so mayble I will catch on.

What is paperspace and how do you create a template with all of the other jazz on the paper side?

[Seth Emery]

Robert,

I can’t send you the template I use since I’m not an owner and don’t have permission to, but we use a lot of the same attributes in the title block as H.Adkins. We also have our logo in the bottom right-hand corner. I really don’t use many of the notations, etc. in the template drawing, because I insert the notations with custom AutoCAD commands. I usually plot residential drawings in 1/2″=1′ scale with a detail for the edge profile, but draw a thru section (usually plotted in 3″=1′) for commercial jobs. I do use paper space occassionally, but have found it much easier to just plot in model space while using different size borders for the different scales. I mostly use paper space when making shop drawings for the architect’s approval. This is normally the only time that I need to show objects in differeing scales on the same page. As far as layers go, I use plenty of them since our CAM program is based on layers. I just use Layer 0 for everything other than machined layers most of the time.

Travis,

Paper space can be a very useful tool if you need to have several objects/views on the same page with differing scales (Ex. commercial vanity with plan view, thru section, and isometric view on the same page). Because of this, a lot of architects plot all of their drawings in paper space. The largest size paper I can plot/print on is 11″x17″, so it isn’t as beneficial to me to plot in paper space because I usually can’t fit more than just the plan view on one page and a thru section on another. Architects use huge sheets of paper, so they can fit many objects/views on a page. About using paper space, it isn’t too hard to learn once you get a few basics down. On the bottom of your AutoCAD window, there should be a tab that reads Model and one that reads Layout1. If you click on Layout1, that will bring up paper space. You will need to set the margins,etc. for whatever size paper you are using and copy your title block over from model space. You can use copy (Ctrl+C) between model space and paper space. I’d create a new layer just for viewports, and make it non-printable. I would also make it some funky color, so it is easy to distinguish from drawing objects. Viewports are the areas that will contain the specific objects/views. You can make circular viewports, but most of the time, you only need to use rectangular viewports. Type in vports while you are in paperspace and click on single and ok. You will be creating a viewport rectangle, which can be stretched, scaled, and copied just like a normal rectangle. You can also use lines, text, etc. in paper space just as you do in model space. Double-click inside of the viewport that you have just created. Your AutoCAD window still shows you the paper space view, but you’re in model space within the viewport. Scroll your mouse wheel and zoom in on some existing objects in your template or create some new ones. Enter z for zoom, then enter 1/24xp . This will make the scale of the viewport be 1/2″=1′. You would enter 1/4xp for 3″=1′, 1/2xp for 6″=1′, and 1xp for full scale. Well, that should get you started if you’re interested in using paper space. Like I said, I don’t use it everyday, but there have been times that I would have been lost without it. It is very helpful for plotting isometric views.

Have a nice evening,

Seth

[Matt Kraft]

Umm…… Seth, please don’t take this as a negative comment. It is actually a compliment.

Your posts always have a way of making me feel like an idiot.

Thanks.

[Seth Emery]

Thanks Matt. I’m sure that is just because I normally only post on topics that I specialize in. You guys, you and other business owners and managers, wear many more hats than I do and can’t spend all of your time focusing on CAD and CNC programming. I’m amazed by how proficient you and many other owners have become in these areas with the little time that you have to put into them. Believe me, I feel the same way about a high percentage of the other posts. I’m just trying to suck up as much knowledge as possible so I can better myself in my current position and be prepared if an opportunity ever arises in management within my company.

Have a nice day,

Seth

[Author]

Posts