Autodesk Trueview Xref

[Glynis Waughtal]

Icould swear i've seen an xref manager for trueview before but now that we are using 2015, I can't seem to find it anywhere. There use to be a binder clip on the lower right of the application window but now its gone. How can you find out more info about the xrefs in the drawing? Please help.

I think it was Trueview 2009 or 2010 where you could copy commands from Notepad into Trueview to access functionality that was hidden and not supposed to be included. That functionality (variables) however ceased from 2012... _en/qaID.asp?tip=6342

So here's the deal. I installed the new 2016 version of Trueview. My customer was using 2015. Once Trueview detects there's a missing xref, it'll ask if you want to resolve the path, like autocad. If you say ignore, it'll remember your selection and not prompt you going forward. When I was on my customer's computer, the prompt didn't pop up which is why we are now here. Not sure how to get the prompt back.

Anyways, when I installed the new version on my computer, the prompt came up, I chose to resolve the path and the xref manager came up! I docked it and so far it stayed put after opening multiple files.

I don't understand why this is so hard to find. There use to be a button that looked like a binder clip on the lower right of the application window in the status bar that you can toggle. Now its gone. It shouldn't be this hard to find the feature. Its critical info for the drawing.

I know this is old, but if the prompt doesn't come up to resolve the path to the xrefs, you can click on the up arrow on the right side of the command bar at the bottom to view a history of the commands. This should show the commands trying to load the xrefs which should give whatever the last path/filename was. Example:

Opening an AutoCAD 2000/LT 2000 format file.

Substituting [simplex.shx] for [hl-ld].

Substituting [simplex.shx] for [HL-LD].

Substituting [simplex.shx] for [HL-LD].

Resolve Xref "XREF1": P:\98134B\modelB1.dwg

"modelB1.dwg" cannot be found.

Resolve Xref "XR-A6": P:\98134\XR-A6.dwg

"XR-A6.dwg" cannot be found.

Regenerating layout.

Regenerating model.

Autodesk DWG. This file is a TrustedDWG last saved by an Autodesk application or Autodesk licensed application.

I keep running into the problem of getting autocad packages from engineering firms without the xrefs and aecc objects exploded. Its usually more of an inconvenience, because I just request a new file with the autocad objects exploded and they're happy to oblige. Sometimes they're timely, sometimes it takes a few days for a turnaround. The odd time when its a few day turnaround causes the project managers some headaches (and me looking like the bad guy.) I even got into it with one drafter who asked why I'm using such an inferior and out-of-date software and he refused to help me!

So my question is, what are my options for dealing with the autocad objects myself? I have zero experience with Civil 3D, the extent of my autocad knowledge is the research I did to find out why the objects won't work with business center. Getting Civil 3D isn't really an option for 2 reasons. Firstly I've grown to love Business Center and secondly I work for a smaller construction company and I just can't justify the cost of Civil 3D (and the learning curve) to explode the xrefs for 2 or 3 projects a year where this is an issue. Am I left to the mercy of the engineering firms?

From my research, I don't see an alternative to your current workflow, but I have contacted our TBC developers with Civil 3D expertise about your dilemma. If they provide any insights, I will post them here.

If you have an Engineer that will not reset these things for you, find a service provider that can do it for you - i.e. someone that has a copy of Civil 3D that for a fee would do what is needed to the file to make it readable.

At some point I will have a guy on my team that has such a license and would do that for you for a fee if you are interested - these things typically don't take long, but it is time, and sometimes it takes more than one step to get it right etc.

I don't know for sure if it is the same issue. I would get auto cad files from designers/engineers and they would send them as auto cad 2020 or last year 2019 version. TBC would have some issues with this new of a cad drawing. I would explain to who ever was sending the files if they could save the cad drawing as a 2014 cad file (might have to walk them through it) then send it to me. Other times if it is a surface I would ask that they export out the LandXML file out and send that separately from the cad ( once again I would walk them through how to export an XML file).

No, I don't think that's the problem. The text file that accompanies the export package says the file was converted to autocad 2010. Maybe they didn't have to go that far backward though. Its beginning to look like gaining some Civil 3D knowledge would help me along.

I think Alan had a good suggestion and this is a service that is really needed among TBC users. If the fee was reasonable and could be converted by someone who was familiar with TBC it would be even better.

Note that you can visit the autodesk civil3d forum and find all kinds or folks happy to help. I still recommend a paid relationship with people you trust. You will need some back and forth as complex stuff requires focus and time/money.

I'm happy to see so many people willing to help! It's greatly appreciated! So am I asking for a lot when I ask to be able to see the objects? Or is it something that maybe someone new to Civil 3D would have a hard time with? Is it a lot of work, or maybe something that not many drafters would be familiar with? My company does 10 - 12 projects a year, and I may have trouble with only 2 of them. Particularly one drafter it seems.

To the OP, the talk of setting proxygraphics to 1 seems like potentially missing the mark to me. It may be perfect if you just need contours or basic linework. I live in the Autodesk/Bricsys world (yah, its both companies now), and would sum up the workflow like this:

2) If you just need linework derived from the c3d data, use the trueview to explode the c3d objects so you get native dwg stuff to pull into TBC. You do not want TBC trying to read proxy objects (given that trueview is free,take the low fruit..)

The point is, I don't think you can properly interact with a c3d based team without either having c3d and knowing it, or being able to talk to the team that sent the c3d items, and having them landxml things or set the styles as needed in the dwg so you can trueview explode them.

I can say our company, Hunsaker & Associates, strives to provide the data in format needed to contractor and surveyor. No client should be happy with an engineer that doesn't. I can only apologize for the civil3d mess. The autodesk technical people are top notch, no question. Its the business end that stopped things short of where they should be. Hang in there.

As Alan stated trueview doesn't do any cleanup but I use the 2019 version all the time to convert drawings and AEC objects so TBC can clean it up. Once you add the file into DWG convert you just need to go into the conversion setup and change the settings to the format you want and if AEC objects are present you can have it convert them also. It saves me a lot of time and headache not having to explain what I need done. hope that helps.

OK now I thought I heard 2 different answers here to the questions of dealing with AECC files. Alan says original C3D files must be saved as proxy set to 1 to be imported into TBC because TrueView can't do it. Mike says TrueView 2020 CAN do it by adjusting settings and by saving to a legacy version of ACAD.

AutoCad has Civil 3D object enablers that you can download and install into AutoCad LT. I have been using them since I was with another software for about 9 years now. Once installed, you would bring in the CAD files into AutoCad LT, and do an explode all. The object enabler at that time converts all the objects to standard line types. You would then save the file as a 2010-2017 DWG. Import into TBC and you should be all set.

Something to note here - proxy objects are not great. When custom objects like AECC items are in a dwg, and the object enablers are not available, acad and bcad show them using the original entities the custom entities were derived from.

I never want that though. I want the entities from exploding the fully read AEC objects. That is much better, as sometimes there is no display of AECC objects if OE's are not available.

Based on Mike T video - it looks like Trueview 2021 actually does something here that helps - thanks to Mike for the video - I will try that next time I get one of these - may save you all from getting access to a license of Civil 3D or using a service to process your data.

James, the Civil 3D objects that I'm referring to are mostly the ones used to represent municipal services, such as watermain valves, curb stops, manholes, etc and I'm responsible for that layout. The work my company does is 2/3 sewer and watermain and 1/3 earthwork. So the placement of the symbols isn't a priority, or to be able to interact with them really, I just need them to be visible.

Communicating with the engineers CAD department was difficult up to this point, mostly because of my lack of Civil 3D knowledge and their lack of construction knowledge. Since I've taken it upon myself to learn more about C3D it's becoming easier now that I can speak more of their language. They still don't know much about construction, and I doubt they've bought a pair of work boots yet, but it's getting easier thanks to everyone here!

I've dealt with all of those, and regularly perform 3d utility and road modeling services for contractors and clients, which means getting all that into alignments in my tools, which are proprietary since C3D is really not suitable for...so many things.

Then just wait til you get large surfaces from Carlson software, as landxml. Keep a few of our names handy, as typically the answers are easy, but knowing what the answers are NOT, is half the trick. Normally for me, batch converting the drawings before looking at in C3d is not an answer. Its the second thing you do once you understand the data being provided.

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