Advise on file linking

[G]

Heres one for you all.

 

What is your prefered meathod for file linking?

i have a lot of blocks in autocad that are multi layered. eg chair with chrome legs and plastic seat. majority of my autocad modelling is done using blocks. so what would you recommend to link drawings in as, layers or entity. at the moment i am linking them in as entity but it is very time consuming trying to isolate components and assigning mapping channels to meshes.

 

any tips?

 

Thankyou

 

G

[Craig Ramsay]

To be honest I never thought the file link utility was very good. I always import objects from autocad directly as a DWG instead of using the file link.

 

Craig

[sgee]

There is no better way than using the file link if you are working on a project with lots of changes. If it is an active design project, it is best to use the file link manager if you are doing all your modeling in AutoCad.

 

However, if possible I prefer not to use the file link manager, if possible, as I have found it highly unstable. For example: a reload can take upto 3 times as long as the initial load, some faces come through in the first load, then not in the reload, the link will only work in Viz and cannot go to Max, even if you bind the drawing.

 

But all this said the for productivity in an office where there are lots of changes, it is the best.

 

To answer your original question, if all your modeling is done in ACad, load by layer, which become your materials. If something changes, apply changes to your Acad model and reload.

 

You have to identify and stick to your process. No changing mid-way without any complications.

[G]

Thankyou for your imput.

 

I guess its going to be a task of working out whats best for the job. We design Exhibition displays and there is a degree of change involved.

 

Thank you, this forum is making my learning curve so much easier.

 

G

[stefkeB]

The file linking is usable but can be problematic with larger files...

 

Other then suggesting to upgrade to ADT2004 (with included VIZ Render) I suggest to prepare to use layers for your materials.

 

Color is another solution. You can use the chart included with VIZ where you have pre-set materials connected to the 256 AutoCAD colors. Then setting up some multi-sub-object materials is not that hard to do.

 

If you use the AEC elements from ADT then this is the recommended way of working, since all the material assignments have allready take^n place from the display styles.

[G]

Thank you all for your help.

 

I have used "by Entity"but there were problems with this meathod.

I have since found that "by Layer"option works much better for the type of work we do.

 

The feild that im in doesnt justify using ADT. it would be more suited to Inventor, but theres no way we are moving over to that.

 

Quite happy with vanilla autocad with some sprinkles of customized menus and lisp routines.

 

G

[HeDaCoM]

File link is wonderful. I link all as layers. Each layer being a material. for ADT objects.. a multi sub material works perfect.

 

I don't like the new VIZ render at all. very limited. only for rendering. and can't model or touch anything. Fortunately next version of MAX will read the new ".drf" files.