[freearchitecture] An open CAD file format

[Steve Hall]

Bruno Postle wrote:
 > On Mon 17-Feb-2003 at 12:04:34PM -0500, Steve Hall wrote:
 > >
 > > Hmm... we use Xrefs for layering plan info, not for blocks. The
 > > Architecture dept. maintains base plans (based on Structural
 > > plans) and Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing engineers
 > > xreference them. When we update, they get the changes
 > > automatically.
 >
 > :-)  It's funny how the restrictions of the software dictate the
 > working methods.
 >
 > The file-format (DWG) and storage format (network-drive) are
 > incredibly limited - To the absurd extent that only one person can
 > work on a drawing at any one time.
 >
 > The result is that different users have to maintain entirely
 > separate drawings so that they don't trash each others work.  They
 > then abuse a feature designed for modularisation and component reuse
 > to simulate a shared drawing.

AutoCAD's *blocks* are for modularization and components. Files are
best suited for logical sets of information like details, floor
plates, building sections, etc. Modularizing files and Xreferencing
them is more for organizational purposes than read/write restrictions.
(In fact, since AutoCAD 2000 an Xref is edited from within the
referencing file by a double-click, via URL, too.)

Even in a 3D model system, you might still want to use good ol' files
and directories to separate professional disciplines or major sets of
building information. Not that I'm unwilling to consider any new
paradigm, just that we find the existing one has sometimes too much
flexibility already. (If I have to deal with exported duplicate
information in blocks one more time...)


--
Steve Hall  [ digitect at mindspring.com ]

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