Export Entity Mapping doesn't work?

Hi all,

I've found that DWG export entity mapping doesn't seem to work in CE (and the later versions of v8i).

Has anyone else experienced this?

Regards 

Mark

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  • We have tested out your files and have confirmed that the entity mapping is working correctly and that all the elements attributes in AutoCAD are correct based on the save as options used.

     

    Linestring 2D =Polylne  This was confirm that using the Polyline option this was mapped and confirmed a polyline in AutoCAD as the line string is planar

     

    Linestring 3D=  3D polyline  This was not converted to a 3D polyline as the line string is an invalid element type for this option and is also planar so this mapped as a polyline as it should,  In order for it to map as a 3D polyline the line string would have to be on different elevations with at least 4 points.

     

    Mesh closed= Polyface Mesh  We do not have mesh support for entity mapping.

     

    Solid= 3D = 3D solid   This was confirmed that the solid attribute in AutoCAD was also a solid.

     

    Complex Shape= Polyface Mesh   This was confirmed also that the attributes in AutoCAD were a polyface mesh

     

    Shape (3D)= 3D polyline  This would fall under 3D Unfilled elements and under 5 or more sided polygons,  the options are polyline, polyline mesh and Region entity.  We do not have a 3D polyline option.  We have tested the first two options polyline and Polyline mesh and have confirmed  that both attributes  were correct.

     

    We are not sure what you were expecting or how you were determining that the mapping was not working.  By opening the file in MicroStation or did you confirm in AutoCAD that they were not mapped correctly ? The output would need to be confirmed in AutoCAD by commands List or Properties. When opening the file in MicroStation it should look the same as the .DGN and it did.


  • Hi Melissa,

    What I meant to say is that elements are exported to the AutoCAD entities above regardless of mapping. If you try setting an element above to anything but it's "default", ie. Solid for a mesh, polyline for bspline, etc. You will see it doesn't seem to do anything.

    Regards,

    Mark


    OpenRoads Designer 2023  |  Microstation 2023.2  |  ProjectWise 2023

  • There may be a confusion in terminology that needs some clarification.  A planar line string is a line string all of whose vertices lie on the same plane, any plane in any orientation.  XY-Plane is only one of many, or infinite to be precise, planes.  A line string that has only 3 points is always planar, because 3 none co-linear points uniquely define a plane.

    Shape by definition should be planar.  Intentionally making a shape non-planar is not recommended as some tools may not support it.  Entity mapping does not flatten geometry - it only re-maps an element to an entity, as it sees applicable.  When you created a shape or a complex shape that has vertices differ from its definition plane by a significant amount, mapping may pick a different object type which can keep the geometry correct.  Take your shape in your example file, I would expect it to become something like mesh in DWG, such that its vertices can stay where they are supposed.  Other folks have recommended some ways to flatten geometry if that is your intention.  Entity mapping does not flatten geometry.

    There is no option to map mesh to a different DWG object.  DWG has mesh.  There is no need for entity mapping.

    MicroStation native solids on the other hand can be mapped because DWG does not have these native entity types.  It only has B-rep objects.



  • Thanks Don, that makes much more sense.

    The only question I have left is, why have options for "Flattened" mapping if it can't flatten?

    Is there anywhere where this is documented in detail to clarify the confusion?

    Regards,

    Mark


    OpenRoads Designer 2023  |  Microstation 2023.2  |  ProjectWise 2023

  • The term "flattened", though confusing, is within the context of coordinate deviation - when a line string is supposed to be planar, but due to real value accuracy, or the tools unable to create points with high precision, the line string can be treated as planar.  Such an estimate does not change the geometry significantly thus hopefully causes no harm on design intention.

    When a line string is used to model a true 3D element, on the other hand, the save as process does not attempt to change its geometry.



  • Ok, and how can I force an DWG 3D polyline really in XY-plane to save as an flatten DWG polyline? (DWG-Workmode, CE06-Testversion).

    e.G.  AutoCAD 2019(de) LIST-command:

     POLYLINIE  Layer: "TP_LINE_3D-to2D"
                                Bereich: Modellbereich
                        Referenz = 23d23
                 Offen Raum
                  Fläche 297.70898438
                Länge 47.12771816

                      KONTROLLPUNKT  Layer: "TP_LINE_3D-to2D"
                                Bereich: Modellbereich
                        Referenz = 23d24
                  Raum
                   bei Punkt, X=2572634.72700000  Y=5452230.43100000  Z=0.00000000

                      KONTROLLPUNKT  Layer: "TP_LINE_3D-to2D"
                                Bereich: Modellbereich
                        Referenz = 23d25
                  Raum
                   bei Punkt, X=2572632.79900000  Y=5452239.61000000  Z=0.00000000

                      KONTROLLPUNKT  Layer: "TP_LINE_3D-to2D"
                                Bereich: Modellbereich
                        Referenz = 23d26
                  Raum
                   bei Punkt, X=2572643.54300000  Y=5452247.70800000  Z=0.00000000

                      KONTROLLPUNKT  Layer: "TP_LINE_3D-to2DG"
                                Bereich: Modellbereich
                        Referenz = 23d27
                  Raum
                   bei Punkt, X=2572659.35191123  Y=5452252.21693526  Z=0.00000000

                      KONTROLLPUNKT  Layer: "TP_LINE_3D-to2DG"
                                Bereich: Modellbereich
                        Referenz = 23d28
                  Raum
                   bei Punkt, X=2572662.68900000  Y=5452245.10600000  Z=0.00000000

                      ENDE DER SEQUENZ  Layer: "TP_LINE_3D-to2D"
                                Bereich: Modellbereich
                        Referenz = 23d29

    CE06 will always save this as 3D-Polyline, Why? It seems I did not understand all of  your good comments Don?

    Thanks

    Regards

    Frank

    since 1985: GIS, CAD, Engineering (Civil)  Senior Consultant : [Autodesk Civil 3D , Esri ArcGIS, VertiGIS: in previous days : Bentley MS V4 - V8i, GeoGraphics, Bentley Map V8i, InRoads,  HHK Geograf, IBr DAVID] :  Dev: [C, C++, .NET, Java, SQL, FORTRAN, UML]
    [direct quote by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmut_Schmidt]: "Wer Kritik übel nimmt, hat etwas zu verbergen"
    Wer Grammatik- und/oder Rechtschreibfehler findet, der darf sie behalten :-)

  • Are you trying to open a DWG file followed by Save or SaveAs and hoping to change entity types?  That is not what this workflow is designed to do.  A save or saveas to the same format, among other things, attempts to keep the same entity type.  If you save your DWG file as a DGN file, and then save the DGN as DWG again, your may see a difference.  Keep in mind, however, that such a round trip can change more than just geometry.



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  • Are you trying to open a DWG file followed by Save or SaveAs and hoping to change entity types?  That is not what this workflow is designed to do.  A save or saveas to the same format, among other things, attempts to keep the same entity type.  If you save your DWG file as a DGN file, and then save the DGN as DWG again, your may see a difference.  Keep in mind, however, that such a round trip can change more than just geometry.



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