Topic: Odd request: how to almost mess up a *.dwg (serious)

[cmwade77]

I would definitely not mess up the drawings; however, I would agree that exploding blocks before sending is probably the best bet. Alternatively get you company to switch to Revit, then this wouldn't matter.

[Krushert]

I would definitely not mess up the drawings; however, I would agree that exploding blocks before sending is probably the best bet. Alternatively get you company to switch to Revit, then this wouldn't matter.

How so?

As for messing up the drawing.  Read your contract carefully and like others said sit down with your client.  We have in our standard contract that the dwg is owned by us and remains in our posession.  When asked for, we have a standard waiver that must be signed.  We supply only the files asked for and sometimes we charged for them. We will typical make a phone call to the requesting party to ask their intentions to see if DWFs will work instead. I will say it again; Read your contract carefully.   BTW way it is never too late it revise your contract for the next project.  We just did a major overhaul.

[Hangman]

This is whats going on:

My principal (cliënt if you will) always receives the drawings on paper (by old fashioned postman) and also digital as *.pdf. Some of them ask for *.dwg and I have no problem with that.

But, I know there are a few amongst them that keep asking for the *.dwg version of whatever I make.  ...

 ... but in some cases I would like to say NO, I will not send you the *.dwg.  ... But since I am no boss around here, and it is still the cliënt...

Here's my two cents, for what it's worth.
First, I agree with Alan (alanjt) in regards to who is paying the bill.  If the 'client' has in the contract to receive *.dwg's, then as the others have mentioned, it is probably best to send them the *.dwg's.
On the other hand, if there is no agreement in the contract, and they call you or ask over an email, tell them there are proprietary elements in the drawing that constitute copyright infringement if you send them the drawings.
Talk it over with your Boss.  Let him/them know you are uncomfortable sending out the office's proprietary information.
Lastly, if you really need to sabotage a drawing, write a simple LiSP that will delete (or just make invisible) all of the blocks and leave in the blocks place a text line that says "Proprietary".

I would prefer invisible, then have another LiSP that will make them visible again so you can continue to use the drawing.  Of course there is the risk of "them" figuring that part out.

[Daniel J. Ellis]

Although not a draftsman, I completely agree - your reputation and client relationship will be severely tarnished should you send improper drawings.

I agree entirely.

Drawing exchange is just the normal way to operate for us:
We'll receive survey drawings, standard working drawings, Ordnance Survey data, civil engineering design work.  All of these are either essential to us doing our job at all (especially survey drawings, or civil design drawings if we need to tie-in to a new road junction, for example) or extremely useful (receiving standard working drawings dramatically reduced the time needed to produce our site specific planning housetypes and footprints).
We will then send out (always) our planning housetype drawings (useful beyond words to the people producing the site-specific working drawings) and very often our site layout as well if another firm is doing the civil engineering.

I know in the past we've stopped working with firms because their drawings are difficult to work with.

dJE

[deegeecees]

Explode/Purge as necessary then, Wblock out the drawing, and MINSERT it into a new drawing with the following criteria: 1 Row, 2 Columns, set the Distance between Columns to Zero. (had to look that up since it's been a while since I've done it).

The client won't be able to explode the block, therefore making modifications to it (virtually) impossible, and you'll still be sending it in DWG format. I think this would be a good solution for you save for a couple others that have been thrown out here (PDF, DWF, etc.).

[Keith™]

I just had an evil thought ... why not corrupt the drawing with an educational block ... but you had better be careful or you will end up corrupting your entire drawing library ....

[alanjt]

I just had an evil thought ... why not corrupt the drawing with an educational block ... but you had better be careful or you will end up corrupting your entire drawing library ....

[Lee Mac]

I just had an evil thought ... why not corrupt the drawing with an educational block ... but you had better be careful or you will end up corrupting your entire drawing library ....

How does that actually happen? Does inserting an educating block make the drawing you inserted it into educational also?

[alanjt]

I just had an evil thought ... why not corrupt the drawing with an educational block ... but you had better be careful or you will end up corrupting your entire drawing library ....

How does that actually happen? Does inserting an educating block make the drawing you inserted it into educational also?

From what I've heard, it's like a virus.

[David Hall]

use BURST to explode your blocks, that way you keep your attributes as text

[David Hall]

Lee, short answer yes.  It adds stuff to the database that cannot be purged out via normal means.  It can be removed through a very long process of export and import, but its a huge pain.  Any dwg corrupted will infect any dwg its inserted into.  very nasty

[Lee Mac]

use BURST to explode your blocks, that way you keep your attributes as text

And for keeping invisible attribs invisible, I'll just plug my program  

[Lee Mac]

Lee, short answer yes.  It adds stuff to the database that cannot be purged out via normal means.  It can be removed through a very long process of export and import, but its a huge pain.  Any dwg corrupted will infect any dwg its inserted into.  very nasty

Ahh, gotcha - so if you have an educational drawing, opening/viewing is fine, but problems stem from inserting it into other drawings right?

I'm only checking all this cause I'm using an Educational Version of course... not that I have any drawings to post anyway..

[alanjt]

use BURST to explode your blocks, that way you keep your attributes as text

And for keeping invisible attribs invisible, I'll just plug my program 

[GDF]

Yes the lock can be undone...
This is want we do, explode the drawing and lock it using:

=====================================================================
                    New Free Functions/Tools
=====================================================================

Drawing Modification Deterrent

   This free tool creates an anonymous minsert of a selection set of
   geometry.  This is a strong deterrent to prevent changes (by
   others) to the drawing because it can’t be exploded or refedited.

   Be careful to use only on a *copy* of your drawing you intend to
   to send to others!

   DETER.VLX in the Free Stuff section of http://www.dotsoft.com.