Argghh!! Nick Pyner. We will not fix all misfunctions on our professional system, and, BTW, certainly some additional efforts could open up our minds.
Nick Pyner wrote:[The lack of an AEC Viewer engine actually 'encourages' our users to translate from our native format into this allien DWG format, which transmutates each new year.]
...This is skating round a presupposed need. It's we who do the translating and the question is how much do we need to translate. The only translating to DWG I do is for DWG users. If there is a need for them to see what I can see, they get a PDF too. The problem here is DWG <> AEC and a viewer doesn't make it easier to use the latter. If the recipient doesn't want to use the DWG then QED, a PDF will do.
I suspect you have not all the experience in the visualization area, Nick. I'll give you an example: our local municipal office for building and urbanistic authorizations, uses a viewer called AutoVue that can 'see' DWG or DXF format, but don't recognizes DC5 or AEC format. And more, it can compare among two drawings, and measure areas for authorization purposes if the drawing is in DWG format. So, It's not only a matter of wish to convert or not. We are
demanded to make it, unless we have no interest to require faster examination for the building projects.
But this is a situation on a big city, which has funds to afford a half million dollar investment on a process like this. What to say about small towns ? They barely can have a license of AutoCAD LT, and certainly will make easier the life of the Autocad pirates. DataCAD's not included, of course. With a DataCAD Viewer we can make available to every Municipal Organ who deals with drawings, and make better figure to our customers.
[Also the official financial organs which only want to be able to understand the projects, require drawings made in digital format. It is .DWG, of course, from our familiar companion.]
...No it isn't. All local government needs to do is reduce the paper storage problem. They are getting you to do their microfilming.
Microfilming is been made around here for the last 30 years, Nick. And it is done from blueprints. No one requires digital files to make microfilming. The digital drawing are to make additional interventions that can't be made with microfilmed drawing sheets.
Want another example ? Georreferencing. Everybody is paying attention into this area, and vectorial information must be introduced into the general area database. When this is decided we are demanded to convert into DXF or DWG format to be introduced into the whole database.
[How many of them do accept DataCAD's .AEC or .DC5 format ? I'd be surprised if any.]
...So would I, for the reasons above, and one more. The last thing the local authorities want is another format they aren't going to use , that merely makes a bad situation worse.
Not agreed at all. You are considering that DWG format will survive
above the times ?
Definitely Not. Ask Autodesk or read their inbetween lines. They do changes all the time and will be doing until the end. Not everybody accepts to be dependant from a single company which don't respects the user needs.
And yes, I bet they don't want a free AEC viewer either, I've tried that with o2c. Give 'em a video - fine - but expecting them to actually use a viewer is just fanciful, even if it's free.
Sorry Nick. I can't get your point. o2c will never replace AEC. It a natural impossibility. Each one has its unique destinations and utility.
All they want to do is look at the plans, and what they quite rightly expect to see digitally, is just what they would see if you gave it them on paper.
Good old times Nick Pyner! Worthed nothing the above discussed ?
The same can be said for the finance authorties you allude to. The idea of an accountant twiddling with a CAD viewer is just dumb and giving them a CAD file is irresponsible, as it is likely to cost your client, and don't even think of giving his lawyer one, your career path is likely to be very short if you do.
I can't know how does it works in Australia, but in Brazil the bigger official finance authority has a legion of more then 1,000 engineers and architects to fully examinate any project submitted. They are very very far from 'dummy' accountants.
[Addditionally, the many independent reprographics companies that today requires .DWG format files for making external plotting services]
...Really? Why would they do that if there was any chance of avoiding it? All DWGs mean is hassle and potential trouble. The three biggest outfits here, OfficeWorks, Quick, and I believe Kinko's, won't accept anything other than PDF, and I think the right philosophy here is that if a repro demands DWG only, it is definitely time to look for some other outfit that is a bit more up-to-date. You will probably save a lot of money.
I suspect to be not wrong if I state that 80% or more of Autocadders never made a Plot File, nor they have available a PDF printing exit.
In our town there are near 60 reprographics shops. Almost no architect or engineer has it own plotter. He needs the external service, and depends on it.
I think Blanchard's question above needs re-reading..........
I am sure that Neil is reading this as well!
Thanks, and sorry for any misunderstanding.
Miguel