Import ACAD dimension styles?

Paul Walter
Paul Walter
in 2D Drafting

A client sent me a file with their ACAD dimension styles. These are named DIM_048.dim, DIM_096.dim etc.  Is there a

way to save these files in a directory and use them directly in Bricscad?  Or convert them somehow to use them in Bricscad?

Comments

  • Roy Klein Gebbinck
    Roy Klein Gebbinck

    If by "file" you mean a dwg, you could use this method:

    1. Open the source dwg with the dim styles.
    2. Create a dimension entity for every style.
    3. Create a Wblock from these entites.
    4. Insert this Wblock in the target drawing.

    A quicker method would be to just insert the source drawing. But depending on the content of that drawing that may not be a good idea.

    If you frequently work for this client it would of course be a good idea to create a template with these dim styles.

  • Yaacov Lazar
    Yaacov Lazar

    By "file" he means with an extention of ".dim". He gives examples.

    Apparently, Autocad can export dimension styles similar to the way Bricscad can export Layerstates to ".las" files.

    This is actually a good idea. 

    Maybe the Bricscad developers can add an option to each table (layers,views, etc.) in the Drawing Explorer to export the table to a file.

    In any case, if your client would send you a dwg or dwt  file with the dimension styles, you could simply open the file in Bricscad along with the file you want to use the dimension styles in, and then "copy and paste" the styles from one to the other using the Drawing Explorer.

    I love the Drawing Explorer!

  • Paul Walter
    Paul Walter

    Roy/Yaacov,  Thanks.  The client sent me a drawing file with all their dimension styles.  Used the Drawing Explorer to transfer the ones needed to my new file.  Drawing Explorer is awesome!

  • Jim Canale
    Jim Canale

    If by "file" you mean a dwg, you could use this method:

    1. Open the source dwg with the dim styles.
    2. Create a dimension entity for every style.
    3. Create a Wblock from these entites.
    4. Insert this Wblock in the target drawing.

    A quicker method would be to just insert the source drawing. But depending on the content of that drawing that may not be a good idea.

    If you frequently work for this client it would of course be a good idea to create a template with these dim styles.



    Open both drawings, and then the drawing explorer.   Your drawings are listed on the left by name.  Expand the tree for the source file, and elect the objects, lines, layers, dimension styles, etc. from the right pane.    Type "CTRL-C"  (copy).   Then select the destination file, expand the tree, and  paste the items you copied into the right pane.   It's not perfect, because if you select a bunch of stuff, and happen to  pickup a standard line style, layer, etc. with the things you are transferring,  the paste won't work for the others.
  • Roy Klein Gebbinck
    Roy Klein Gebbinck
    @ Jim:
    You seem to suggest that you can Copy+Paste different types of objects in a single action. I don't think that is possible. If you want to copy a textstyle and a layer two separate actions are required.
    Note that you can also Drag+Drop inside the Drawing Explorer. Using that method there is no need to expand the tree of the destination drawing.
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