Author Topic: Select Similar?  (Read 3967 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

craigr

  • Guest
Select Similar?
« on: January 09, 2015, 09:47:19 AM »
At times, the only floor plans we can get for project have been scanned to a raster image .pdf.

I then use a program called 'Print2CAD' to convert it to a CAD dwg. I then grab a door and scale the entire drawing to 36". - This is not very accurate but is the closest way we can come up with.

Anyway, once I get this 'set', I have to go about 'cleaning up' the dwg. When the 'Print2CAD' prg converts the pdf to CAD, it places almost all lines, text, etc. on ONE Layer. I then have to separate the items into our standard layers, 'Floorplan', RoomNumbers & Furniture.

You can imagine how tedious this can be. AND, it leaves us with a Floorplan that is not accurate on size, which can end up biting us when ordering equipment.

Other than individually selecting the lines one at a time, do you know of any 'tricks' to select them?
I discovered the 'select Similar' option this morning and tried it on what was originally a Hatch, but is now just a bunch of small lines. The 'select similar' ended up selecting every line in the dwg. Is there a way to select which properties 'select similar' uses?

craigr

Rob...

  • King Gator
  • Posts: 3824
  • Take a little time to stop and smell the roses.
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2015, 09:56:35 AM »
I've been doing the same type of thing for many years. (In fact, I am generating architectural backgrounds for a mutli-floor project right now.) I dropped trying to convert anything to .dwg and just draw it from scratch. I found that it takes just as long to try to manipulate bad CAD into something usable as it does to do it myself. Making changes after the fact is easier when I've done it myself and can rely upon accurate geometry. I insert the image and make it the right size and trace over it. It helps accuracy if you have a longer known dimension. The longer the better. As I am drawing, I round off most measurements to the nearest inch.
CAD Tech

mjfarrell

  • Seagull
  • Posts: 14444
  • Every Student their own Lesson
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2015, 10:00:05 AM »
At times, the only floor plans we can get for project have been scanned to a raster image .pdf.

I then use a program called 'Print2CAD' to convert it to a CAD dwg. I then grab a door and scale the entire drawing to 36". - This is not very accurate but is the closest way we can come up with.

Anyway, once I get this 'set', I have to go about 'cleaning up' the dwg. When the 'Print2CAD' prg converts the pdf to CAD, it places almost all lines, text, etc. on ONE Layer. I then have to separate the items into our standard layers, 'Floorplan', RoomNumbers & Furniture.

You can imagine how tedious this can be. AND, it leaves us with a Floorplan that is not accurate on size, which can end up biting us when ordering equipment.

Other than individually selecting the lines one at a time, do you know of any 'tricks' to select them?
I discovered the 'select Similar' option this morning and tried it on what was originally a Hatch, but is now just a bunch of small lines. The 'select similar' ended up selecting every line in the dwg. Is there a way to select which properties 'select similar' uses?

craigr

It pretty much wont work with any file that has been 'converted' and most conversion software in no way honors or respects layers.
Be your Best


Michael Farrell
http://primeservicesglobal.com/

craigr

  • Guest
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2015, 10:01:42 AM »
I ask the Salesman that when possible, please get a hallway or ??? measurement, like you said, as long as possible for accuracy. BUT, I make sure they understand that it is till a 'guess' on my part without an actual CAD Dwg.

Believe it or not, there HAVE been instances where I have received an actual CAD dwg that was scaled down to fit on their titleblock!!  I.E. - A 300' Hallway scaled to fit a Arch E1 paper.

I just figure it is someone new to CAD that didn't understand what they were doing.

craigr

craigr

  • Guest
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2015, 10:04:43 AM »
- Michael,

Yes, sadly I am aware of that. I am simply hoping there was a 'select' option or ??? that I am not aware of that could speed things up.

There are so very many CAD Options that I am yet aware of. I am pretty much self taught with CAD, other than the help that you wonderful folks have taught me.

craigr

mjfarrell

  • Seagull
  • Posts: 14444
  • Every Student their own Lesson
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2015, 10:05:44 AM »
I ask the Salesman that when possible, please get a hallway or ??? measurement, like you said, as long as possible for accuracy. BUT, I make sure they understand that it is till a 'guess' on my part without an actual CAD Dwg.

Believe it or not, there HAVE been instances where I have received an actual CAD dwg that was scaled down to fit on their titleblock!!  I.E. - A 300' Hallway scaled to fit a Arch E1 paper.

I just figure it is someone new to CAD that didn't understand what they were doing.

craigr

OR

The logic path was....

hey lets stop printing from Model space and scaling our title blocks, you know that math is so confusing!

Yea, lets take the model and scale it to fit the sheet size instead!

Brilliant!!! 
Be your Best


Michael Farrell
http://primeservicesglobal.com/

Rob...

  • King Gator
  • Posts: 3824
  • Take a little time to stop and smell the roses.
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2015, 10:05:49 AM »
There is also the design vs. as-built issue, too. I've started with design CAD files that were not even close to what was actually out in the field. Even as-builts can be really inaccurate. Like you mentioned the drafter that is inputting the take-offs may not be so good and may take some "liberties".
CAD Tech

craigr

  • Guest
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2015, 10:06:57 AM »
One other thing worth mentioning....

I HAVE received pdf files that were printed from CAD to pdf WITH the layers still intact. For these, I used Corel Draw to convert the .pdf to a dxf, then use CAD to save it to a dwg.

So, not all pdfs are worthless.

craigr

mjfarrell

  • Seagull
  • Posts: 14444
  • Every Student their own Lesson
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2015, 10:07:10 AM »
There is also the design vs. as-built issue, too. I've started with design CAD files that were not even close to what was actually out in the field. Even as-builts can be really inaccurate. Like you mentioned the drafter that is inputting the take-offs may not be so good and may take some "liberties".

Or the guy taking the as-built measurements can't read a tape!  Yes it happens.
Be your Best


Michael Farrell
http://primeservicesglobal.com/

mjfarrell

  • Seagull
  • Posts: 14444
  • Every Student their own Lesson
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2015, 10:08:43 AM »
One other thing worth mentioning....

I HAVE received pdf files that were printed from CAD to pdf WITH the layers still intact. For these, I used Corel Draw to convert the .pdf to a dxf, then use CAD to save it to a dwg.

So, not all pdfs are worthless.

craigr
I said 'conversions', most are.

However even IF or when tracing or converting PDF to DXF there is a loss in fidelity (accuracy), as I'm sure you have noticed.
Be your Best


Michael Farrell
http://primeservicesglobal.com/

Mark

  • Custom Title
  • Seagull
  • Posts: 28753
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2015, 10:09:51 AM »
How about quick select.
TheSwamp.org  (serving the CAD community since 2003)

craigr

  • Guest
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2015, 10:10:47 AM »
Yes, sadly, the AsBuilt issue has bitten us before - almost regularly.

Our guys have taken my dwgs that I got as CAD floorplans, and planned on hanging equipment in an Electrical Room only to find that the room is no longer there because the unit has been remodeled and their CAD was never updated. So, our guys mark my dwgs with how the walls / doors moved as best they can and when I do our AsBuilts, I 'punt' as to the exact measurements are.

craigr

craigr

  • Guest
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2015, 10:12:27 AM »
How about quick select.

The problem with QSelect / Length is that if a line in a hatch is 2' long, QSelect will select EVERY line that is 2' long!!! even those that have nothing to do with the Hatch lines.

Mark

  • Custom Title
  • Seagull
  • Posts: 28753
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #13 on: January 09, 2015, 10:13:46 AM »
How about quick select.

The problem with QSelect / Length is that if a line in a hatch is 2' long, QSelect will select EVERY line that is 2' long!!! even those that have nothing to do with the Hatch lines.
Yep! Or you can use a window.

just throwing stuff out there.
TheSwamp.org  (serving the CAD community since 2003)

craigr

  • Guest
Re: Select Similar?
« Reply #14 on: January 09, 2015, 10:14:53 AM »
Keep 'em coming!!

It sounds like I am not the only one battling this demon.

:)