Topic: Cross sections

[jonesy]

I have 45 sheets of cross sections to prepare for tomorrow oops, sorry its never going to get done in time.

We use a design software from Bentley (MX), which spits out these cross sections in a crappy format, then I have to spend time changing the fonts, heights, layers, linetypes (well pretty much everything except the profiles of the lines). Then these have to be pulled into layouts, and all the sheets have to be numbered etc.

Is there a quicker way of doing this (there must be!)

Any advice, hints, tips on how any part of this can be automated, or sped up in any way shape or form would be very, very much appreciated.
(Sorry to say we are stuck using MX, so the translation is always going to be there )

[MP]

Is there a clear procedure you go thru every time you 'convert' to the desired format? If so, that is it can be lucidly documented, one should be able to automate the whole shebang. OT: A well defined / described procedure frequently becomes the actual pseudo code for a program.

'Course, this is a lot easier to determine with examples in hand.

Why am I posting before having my first coffee?

/2¢

PS: Bentley? I feel your pain.

[Mark]

You've got to be kidding!! Why don't you guys go to something like C3D?

The only thing I can think of is maybe automating the "changing the fonts, heights, layers, linetypes" part. Should be fairly simple using an ssget and entmod.

[MP]

Is it possible to map a conversion, i.e. line/pline objects on this layer go here, text objects with this style get mapped to this style, this height, this target layer etc. or do you have to do a lot of manual selection?

[Dinosaur]

Would it be possible to make all of the changes necessary to one drawing after importing the MX file and using this file as a template.  By leaving all of the MX layer and style names unchanged in the template all of the elements should all come in with the desired properties.  If you are lucky with how the text heights have been established, they may come in correct as well.

EDIT

The MX elements might have properties hard coded so they would still appear incorrectly at first so you may have to change layers and linetype to "by layer" manually.

[jonesy]

Thanks for your input guys, I havent had time at work today to do much but just glance in theswamp every now and then. When this job is completely finished I will be able to look into it a bit further. (and no doubt ask questions about how it can be done)

One thing that really bugs me tho' is that everything comes in as proxy objects, and to be able to do anything to them (except moving them) I have to explode them - I am sure there must be a better way of doing this, but until now I have not found it!

It has took me 3 hours yesterday, and 6 hours today (with more work needed tomorrow) to create sections suitable to be submitted for tender.

Boy oh boy I'll be glad when this week's over

Many thanks

T

[Dinosaur]

Did you ever start using Land Desktop?  If so, you should also have MAP installed.  That program will allow you to import a DGN file and may give you more flexibility in manipulating the objects.

[jonesy]

Nah, the company here uses MX (Bentley). :realmad:

[MP]

Thanks for your input guys, I havent had time at work today to do much but just glance in theswamp every now and then. When this job is completely finished I will be able to look into it a bit further. (and no doubt ask questions about how it can be done)

One thing that really bugs me tho' is that everything comes in as proxy objects, and to be able to do anything to them (except moving them) I have to explode them - I am sure there must be a better way of doing this, but until now I have not found it!

It has took me 3 hours yesterday, and 6 hours today (with more work needed tomorrow) to create sections suitable to be submitted for tender.

Boy oh boy I'll be glad when this week's over

Many thanks

T

If you can Tracey example drawing(s) would really help, in particluar before / after if possible. I've not see too many things that cannot be automated;  some 100%, others the 90% that is most dreary / repetetive.

[jonesy]

Thanks MP for that. Will try and sort out when this jobs gone out for tender.

[jonesy]

You've got to be kidding!! Why don't you guys go to something like C3D?

Up until 2 or 3 months ago my workstation had ADT3.3 on it. When I first started workin there my computer would only partially load a drawing, before the blue screen all it was fit for was using as a door stop somewhere. They didn't/don't generally get the right equipment for the right job. We ended up with ADT because we are a multi-disciplinary company, part of the office was Architects and they wanted ADT, but the company didn't want to get 2 verticals, so... ADT it was. Thats all history now, and things are changing.

The only thing I can think of is maybe automating the "changing the fonts, heights, layers, linetypes" part. Should be fairly simple using an ssget and entmod.

I hope you dont mind if I pick your brain about this when I have a bit of spare time.

Many thanks

T

[Tom]

Using 2004 you can create standards for the following named objects:

Layers
Text styles
Linetypes
Dimension styles


I have not used this much myself (only the layer changer)
But if you look into it it might be what you are looking for

[jonesy]

Thanks Tom I'll look into that.

Not sure it'll work on this file cos this last load of sections the existing and proposed were ALL dumped on one layer :realmad: and I already put it into the relevent clients template file.

I keep asking if they can create a translation file at their end, but always get no answer.

Thanks for your help, it will come in hasndy for other things too.

T

[jonesy]

Yeeee Ha!

Cross Sections complete, within 5 minutes to deadline Phew!

Just got to do the long section now (thats in the same mess - I mean, I've a lot of work to do on that one too!) :pissed:

As for the translation file, I was just told today when I was less than 1 hour to go, that they could have done "all that" at the MX end. Not a happy bunny :realmad: :realmad: :realmad:

Catch you later

T