Modify Utility Drawings as an expert
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URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=11787
Printed Date: 01.Jun.2026 at 00:58
Topic: Modify Utility Drawings as an expert
Posted By: somaya123
Subject: Modify Utility Drawings as an expert
Date Posted: 28.Apr.2016 at 12:54
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Hi, I have an existing utility drawings, we need to do new version with some changed. Please help on that as I am beginner: 1. How I can present the new drawing properly and in professional way: May I use the old drawing as overlay (like revit and show it with bright color) and the changes with clear or how?? 2. I heard that O may use a topobase (I don/t know what is that and how I can use it) 3.I have an overall composite plan for (electricity, sewar, sanitary, pipes ), all in different layes and colors, how I can show for example the changes in water line , I turnoff other layers? or how I can manage that as an expert CAD user? Thank you. |
Replies:
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 28.Apr.2016 at 15:18
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You could bring the old drawing into the new drawing as an xref. Typically you want to distinguish between what is "existing" and what is "proposed". Back when these types of drawings were done on the board existing utilities would be shown using a thin lineweight (ex. - 0.3mm) and proposed utilities would be drawn using a heavier lineweight (ex. 0.7mm or 0.9mm). We would even go as far as to use different fonts for "existing" versus "proposed". Yes, you could set up different layers for all the utilities then switch to a layout and utilize multiple viewports displaying only a single utility in each one by using the VP Freeze column found in the Layer Properties Manager. ------------- "Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance." <<AutoCAD 2015>> |
Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 01.May.2016 at 13:42
Thank you John, please correct me: I did open a new drawing window, xref the existing utility plan, turned off some layer and kept the first discipline to modify it using fading as required. the first problem that I need to use the exact layer properties fir water line as the existing but will be bold and the existing same properties but bright, shall I create a new layer uses the same properties? if yes that mean a lot of work as there as many layers in the project or there is a way to copy the layers or advise? Secondly: I tried to look at a tiny windows, from layout window I preview the plot of specifics area with changes, I found that it is not distinguished and all layers lines are the same (clear and bold) did I miss something? is there an easier way to work on that? |
John Connor wrote:Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 07:23
| Would you please answer me :) |
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 11:31
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Your explanation is somewhat confusing. Without access to the existing drawing I cannot answer your question. ------------- "Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance." <<AutoCAD 2015>> |
Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 14:06
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Here in this pic I just draw random lines as it is the changed, under it the existing drawing as an xref. http://www.mediafire.com/view/23mp5snw2onb4aq/1.png I took a snap shot only to say here what I need the drawing looks like, distinguished between the existing and changes while here when I tried to plot that previous view it appeared that all one drawing and there is no difference between the existing and new. http://www.mediafire.com/view/40bg5ae7urybzm5/2.png How I can fix that |
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 14:12
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Pictures are useless. Actual drawing files are best. ------------- "Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance." <<AutoCAD 2015>> |
Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 14:33
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I can not send it here,or in public could you send me your email please? |
Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 15:28
| arc_somaia skype |
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 15:42
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I don't give out my email nor do I use Skype. ------------- "Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance." <<AutoCAD 2015>> |
Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 15:59
| so how can I show you the drawing |
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 16:05
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Upload it to a file sharing website like Dropbox and post a link to it here. ------------- "Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance." <<AutoCAD 2015>> |
Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 16:40
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Here we go http://www.mediafire.com/download/9vv44vzbefgt0v0/Drawing4%282%29.dwg i opened a new drawing, xref the electrical drawing. As you see, I just draw random lines, 3 white. first problem. when I need to plot the change from layout view it gives me the xref and reference as not distinguished. What I need to show the drawing distinguished. other problem for me, How I can extend the red line for a certain length show the old one with bright red but the new bold red, I tried to use the same color in layers but it was frozen and if I edit the xref in place that mean the changed will show as existing, how I can handle that and I hope mt explanation is clear. |
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 02.May.2016 at 17:08
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Basically you uploaded a drawing with six random lines in it and nothing more. It's pretty much useless. Just as a test on my end I opened a new AutoCAD drawing and attached, as an xref, our master site plan that shows water lines, gas mains, sanitary sewers, storm drains, underground electrical conduits, underground telephone and fiber optic lines. Next I froze all the utility layers EXCEPT the one showing the water mains. I changed the color of all visible layers to a light gray. I created a new layer called Proposed Water Line then drew a new water line down the center of our site using a polyline and gave it a nice bold width to distinguish it from the existing water lines. After I did this I went to Layout1, created a viewport and zoomed in on a small section of the site plan showing both proposed and existing water lines and their proximity to the surrounding buildings and tank farms. It was all pretty straight forward. The only thing I have yet to figure out is how to decrease the polyline width of the existing water mains. However, even if I could not change it I doubt that anyone would have trouble distinguishing between existing and proposed if I were to print the light gray colored 50% screened and the proposed in solid black (or another color).  ------------- "Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance." <<AutoCAD 2015>> |
Posted By: somaya123
Date Posted: 04.May.2016 at 12:35
| Many thanks JOHN |
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 04.May.2016 at 14:34
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I may have come across a custom lisp routine that will change an xref's color, linetype and lineweight. It's being tested as we speak. ------------- "Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance." <<AutoCAD 2015>> |