Topic: Layer Issues

[cmwade77]

Ok, first let me explain the situation:

We have three offices, one in the U.S. and two in the Philippines. Each office has their own server (due to internet issues in the Philippines we have currently chosen not to have them work directly one our server here in the U.S., to avoid data corruption). So, here is our procedure when we send them work:

• The U.S. office sends notice to one or both Philippine Office(s)
• The Philippine office(s) Archives what they have on their server and downloads the files that they need to work on from the U.S. via FTP
• Make DWFs of the files that they have worked on.
• The Philippine office(s) upload to another dive on the U.S. server the files that they have changed.
• The Philippine office(s) send notice to the U.S. when the work has been completed and uploaded.
• The U.S. Office Archives the files on their server.
• The U.S. copies the files on the separate drive and overwrites the files on the main server drive.

This process normally works well and flows smoothly; however, in our Civil department when we get the files back all layers end up getting turned one. We know that they do not appear this way when there, as the DWFs are correct. They did not appear this way here before sending the files either. Please note that our Civil files can have 30+ xrefs, nested up to 15 deep.

I am wondering if anyone has any ideas on what the problem might be? I force visretain to be set to 1 for every drawing, so I know that is not the issue.

[mjfarrell]

send me one of the file (less the XREFS nested or otherwise)
if when I open it all layers are NOT on...this would indicate you have something in your startup suite, or acadlsp.doc, or other that is at play...we can start there

[jbuzbee]

Do a search for "jbLayerStates".  I use a remote "standards" file to save and restore layerstates.

[cmwade77]

send me one of the file (less the XREFS nested or otherwise)
if when I open it all layers are NOT on...this would indicate you have something in your startup suite, or acadlsp.doc, or other that is at play...we can start there

I will work on finding an example that does this that I can send, but I do know it's not something in the startup suite, because it only happens on files that we transfer over and then back. We have determined that this only happens when we send to our Manilla office as well. But everything looks correct when they save the files, because both the previews and the DWFs that they make are correct. It is definitely strange.

[cmwade77]

Do a search for "jbLayerStates".  I use a remote "standards" file to save and restore layerstates.

Thank you for the suggestion; however, this appears to use VBA and we are using 64-Bit systems for the most part here and have found VBA to be extremely slow, we don't even install the VBA software anymore now that it is seperate.

[mjfarrell]

send me one of the file (less the XREFS nested or otherwise)
if when I open it all layers are NOT on...this would indicate you have something in your startup suite, or acadlsp.doc, or other that is at play...we can start there

I will work on finding an example that does this that I can send, but I do know it's not something in the startup suite, because it only happens on files that we transfer over and then back. We have determined that this only happens when we send to our Manilla office as well. But everything looks correct when they save the files, because both the previews and the DWFs that they make are correct. It is definitely strange.

is your 'transfer' process using anything other than an FTP application to move files from Folder Here to Folder There?
otherwise, it leaves the question of how is the file being opened, and the layers being turned on (by say a filter being applied, or a Layer state being restored) without someone know why or when the layers are being turned on, if they were left otherwise?
Does hitting F2 after the drawing opens show any clues of any command(s) activity being performed on the file prior to the user being shown a command prompt?

[cmwade77]

send me one of the file (less the XREFS nested or otherwise)
if when I open it all layers are NOT on...this would indicate you have something in your startup suite, or acadlsp.doc, or other that is at play...we can start there

I will work on finding an example that does this that I can send, but I do know it's not something in the startup suite, because it only happens on files that we transfer over and then back. We have determined that this only happens when we send to our Manilla office as well. But everything looks correct when they save the files, because both the previews and the DWFs that they make are correct. It is definitely strange.

is your 'transfer' process using anything other than an FTP application to move files from Folder Here to Folder There?
otherwise, it leaves the question of how is the file being opened, and the layers being turned on (by say a filter being applied, or a Layer state being restored) without someone know why or when the layers are being turned on, if they were left otherwise?
Does hitting F2 after the drawing opens show any clues of any command(s) activity being performed on the file prior to the user being shown a command prompt?

We simply use FTP to transfer it from point A to point B and sometimes point C, then back to point A. The paths remain the exact same, no matter what location they are at, we even have every server using the same name, so the UNC paths should remain identical in all three locations. These drawings have no saved layer sates, [rant] despite me instructing the drafters to create one once they have the layers the way they want them, as this would prevent the issue all together, they claim it's just another unnecessary step, yet I would think of it as an insurance policy as so many things can go wrong with CAD and it takes a matter of a few seconds to create one. [/rant]

Unfortunately hitting F2 shows nothing out of the ordinary (i.e. nothing different than when opening other files that do not exhibit these problems).

[mjfarrell]

could be the solution is to reprogram the save button...and make it save layer states before they can exit the file...

I still want to see one of these layers all ON that shouldn't be files.

I'm guessing this impacts both Model Space and any an all Layouts as well?

[cmwade77]

It appears to be that way, unfortunately, the last file that this happened with was corrected and saved, so I can't readily send it to you, but the next time it happens I will do so.

[craigr]

XRefs nested 15 DEEP!!!!!!

Holy Cow!!!

This sounds like an Awful mess to work with or undo if needed!!

Is this done often?

[mjfarrell]

XRefs nested 15 DEEP!!!!!!

Holy Cow!!!

This sounds like an Awful mess to work with or undo if needed!!

Is this done often?

sure it does...

and it really isn't that difficult to manage...consider that in the end the "Sheet" file will have at most, some layout tabs, a few notes, and view ports...all the model data is modeled in the correct file (standards are not optional), and edits are done only by the originator, etc.  So one is rarely working with all that data other than to plot; or in this case figure out why it's so hard to get their end users to create some layer states.

[cmwade77]

XRefs nested 15 DEEP!!!!!!

Holy Cow!!!

This sounds like an Awful mess to work with or undo if needed!!

Is this done often?

sure it does...

and it really isn't that difficult to manage...consider that in the end the "Sheet" file will have at most, some layout tabs, a few notes, and view ports...all the model data is modeled in the correct file (standards are not optional), and edits are done only by the originator, etc.  So one is rarely working with all that data other than to plot; or in this case figure out why it's so hard to get their end users to create some layer states.

Yes, it happens a lot and we have NO control over it. These files are from other people (other consultants, surveyors, landscape architects, the architects, etc.), so we have no control over the standards either. Some stuff is drawn in paperspace (that we actually need for some departments, such as room names and apartment numbers), the xrefs are overlaid into the "sheet" file (this wouldn't be bad, but they are numerous unit plans combined together to make an entire building), everything is drawn on one layer, things are drawn at a 1/4"=1'-0", they use ArchiCAD, Microstation or other semi-compatible programs. Now not all of this happens every time, but every last one of these things have happened and add this layer mess into the mix and you can imagine the grief that I get.

All of this creates a major mess most of the time that I as the CAD Manager am supposed to fix without the people doing the actual drafting expending any extra effort to even save layer states. Although, I think I have finally convinced them to use layer states (I made it easy via shortcuts for them, takes 20 seconds to save, 20 seconds to restore, we shall see, they are resistant to change though).

[jbuzbee]

That version used VBA GUI - the engine is all AutoLISP.  Would you like to see an updated version?

[craigr]

We sometimes get dwgs with nested XRefs and need to combine them all into one fille for our own in-house work.

This can be difficult at times and I sometimes wonder if the XRefs are nested back and forth more than a couple deep. Sometimes it can take quite a while to get them into ONE file.

I understand the concept, even tried them here, but they aren't practical for our use.

Admittedly, I have little experience with them. (don't like em).

craigr