AUTOCAD Question
03-22-2002, 07:59 PM
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AUTOCAD Question
Hi, I don't use AutoCad (I use a program I was given called Drafix Cad). my program works nice enough for me. only problem is, I don't have a plotter. so when I'm ready to do nice output.....i can't do that.
so I exported my drawing to .dxf format and brought it over to the architecture school on campus (I work at a university) and tried to get some help loading it in autocad and plotting it out.
one kind soul tried to help, but here is what we ran into. when importing it, autocad asks us to specify a "shape" file (which he didn't have any idea about). we searched for shape files on disc (I believe they were .shx files) and picked one. that allowed us to open my drawings.
However, when i tried to plot them it fails with a fatal error.
Any idea what a shape file is? any idea what to do to get around this problem?
thanks, David
Tampa, FL.
so I exported my drawing to .dxf format and brought it over to the architecture school on campus (I work at a university) and tried to get some help loading it in autocad and plotting it out.
one kind soul tried to help, but here is what we ran into. when importing it, autocad asks us to specify a "shape" file (which he didn't have any idea about). we searched for shape files on disc (I believe they were .shx files) and picked one. that allowed us to open my drawings.
However, when i tried to plot them it fails with a fatal error.
Any idea what a shape file is? any idea what to do to get around this problem?
thanks, David
Tampa, FL.
03-22-2002, 11:09 PM
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AUTOCAD Question
Ah the joys of AutoCad. Microstation does not ask for such things when importing a .dxf file. It will even open a .dwg file directly without the need for a .dxf. Sorry, I am not that familiar with AutoCad to offer any help. Our vendors that we use at work use AutoCad, and that is the format the drawings come to us in. I just open them as .dwg's and save them as Microstation .dgn's. I understand that both Microstation and AutoCad will be migrating to a common graphics format in the very near future.
Vince
Vince
03-23-2002, 01:41 AM
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I think....
Puke.....
SHP and SHX files are in two formats. One is for text and the other for hatching patterns. Thus you may have a ROMAN.SHX- being roman text, or you could have ANS010.SHP which would be fine parallel lines making up a hatch pattern within an ittregular figure.
In converting the drawing file over to some non-autocad file you need to "EXPLODE" all or any hatching shapes, and then do a PURGE upon reopening. Surprizing that Drafix did not recognise the format. I smme to remember that Drafix would take in directly Autocad DWG format files. If upon entering the Drafix the file still does it, use CANCEL, at each question, and it will eventially default all text to some very computer style. You shouldn't loose anything.
The fatal error, is because your Drafix is still trying to locate the text or hatch information, and thus cannot continue. Make sure you use the earliest version of DXF-out too, as there are some variations since 1998 that other systems do not understand. They all understand pre-1998 language. Thee is some non-compatibility between True-type fonts and Autocad SHP, fonts, but your error message leads me to believe it is maybe hatching related.
Wm.
SHP and SHX files are in two formats. One is for text and the other for hatching patterns. Thus you may have a ROMAN.SHX- being roman text, or you could have ANS010.SHP which would be fine parallel lines making up a hatch pattern within an ittregular figure.
In converting the drawing file over to some non-autocad file you need to "EXPLODE" all or any hatching shapes, and then do a PURGE upon reopening. Surprizing that Drafix did not recognise the format. I smme to remember that Drafix would take in directly Autocad DWG format files. If upon entering the Drafix the file still does it, use CANCEL, at each question, and it will eventially default all text to some very computer style. You shouldn't loose anything.
The fatal error, is because your Drafix is still trying to locate the text or hatch information, and thus cannot continue. Make sure you use the earliest version of DXF-out too, as there are some variations since 1998 that other systems do not understand. They all understand pre-1998 language. Thee is some non-compatibility between True-type fonts and Autocad SHP, fonts, but your error message leads me to believe it is maybe hatching related.
Wm.
03-25-2002, 03:17 PM
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AUTOCAD Question
CoosBayLumber - thanks for that info. that helps.
I didn't make it clear though, I am saving it in .dxf from drafixs cad and trying to open that in autocad.
it is the open in autocad where it asks for the shape file and then the subsequent print from autocad is where it blows up.
i don't think i have any hatch patterns. it may be a fonts problem.
any idea how to proceed? is there some way to pick a more "common font" which might not have the problem? or can I tell autocad somehow to substitute what it likes as a font?
any help would be appreciated......
thanks, David
I didn't make it clear though, I am saving it in .dxf from drafixs cad and trying to open that in autocad.
it is the open in autocad where it asks for the shape file and then the subsequent print from autocad is where it blows up.
i don't think i have any hatch patterns. it may be a fonts problem.
any idea how to proceed? is there some way to pick a more "common font" which might not have the problem? or can I tell autocad somehow to substitute what it likes as a font?
any help would be appreciated......
thanks, David
03-26-2002, 01:54 AM
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Try this.....
Buzzard:
That sounds more familiar. As I remember, Drafix most often used to write files in/out in Autocad R-13 formats.
You may need to be using Autocad R-13, R-14 or later for it to accept the file. The files, and program format after R-13 were Windows 95 basis. If you are attempting reading it in R-11 or R12, It may very well give you an error message. The files in R-11 or R-12 were for the better part DOS 6.2 driven. Autocad will permit you to back-date file formats through the "Save-As" command in Windows. I cannot remember if Drafix has this option or not. Thus you may only be able to go more recent, not earlier. You need to figure out the version of Autocad you are using.
However, in the versions up to R-13, upon loading up the program the from the disks, there were numerous options available. One of such was to place all the font files in either a Windows directory or an Autocad directory, or elseplace. Do a search of your hard disk for directories containing BOTH the x.SHP and the xx.SHX files. If a directory is found containing only one half of these, it may not work, depending upon who loaded up the disks. Then, when you locate all the files, note it down. Now, on my system, there are SHP files which came preloaded onto each Autocad disk. However, you could also purchase disk fonts from a third party. So do not be surprized if two or three directorys reveal such.
Then go through the Autocad DXFIN routine with your Drafix drawing. A box should appear, again stating the missing SHP file. There ought to be a few options, do not use CANEL or IGNORE. Instead, it ought to ask where to find the SHP file. You then need to type in or browse to where those SHP files were found at. If it then accepts, and re-asks the question, the text format got separated. You may be getting asked the same question for as many lines of text are within the job. 60 lines of text, sixty questions, and sixty times of telling it where to find the SHP files. Autocad will then be correcting the new drawing, so that it's driver will understand what is happening. Make sure to match up the types by name as best you can, so that spacing comes out correct. The default font is TXT, but better to use the proper.
Wm.
That sounds more familiar. As I remember, Drafix most often used to write files in/out in Autocad R-13 formats.
You may need to be using Autocad R-13, R-14 or later for it to accept the file. The files, and program format after R-13 were Windows 95 basis. If you are attempting reading it in R-11 or R12, It may very well give you an error message. The files in R-11 or R-12 were for the better part DOS 6.2 driven. Autocad will permit you to back-date file formats through the "Save-As" command in Windows. I cannot remember if Drafix has this option or not. Thus you may only be able to go more recent, not earlier. You need to figure out the version of Autocad you are using.
However, in the versions up to R-13, upon loading up the program the from the disks, there were numerous options available. One of such was to place all the font files in either a Windows directory or an Autocad directory, or elseplace. Do a search of your hard disk for directories containing BOTH the x.SHP and the xx.SHX files. If a directory is found containing only one half of these, it may not work, depending upon who loaded up the disks. Then, when you locate all the files, note it down. Now, on my system, there are SHP files which came preloaded onto each Autocad disk. However, you could also purchase disk fonts from a third party. So do not be surprized if two or three directorys reveal such.
Then go through the Autocad DXFIN routine with your Drafix drawing. A box should appear, again stating the missing SHP file. There ought to be a few options, do not use CANEL or IGNORE. Instead, it ought to ask where to find the SHP file. You then need to type in or browse to where those SHP files were found at. If it then accepts, and re-asks the question, the text format got separated. You may be getting asked the same question for as many lines of text are within the job. 60 lines of text, sixty questions, and sixty times of telling it where to find the SHP files. Autocad will then be correcting the new drawing, so that it's driver will understand what is happening. Make sure to match up the types by name as best you can, so that spacing comes out correct. The default font is TXT, but better to use the proper.
Wm.
