Previewing or Plotting Certain Layouts Makes AutoCAD HANG!!

By R. Kamalathasan, Assistant Manager (Projects), The Magnum Group

We experienced another strange problem in AutoCAD this week.

THE PROBLEM

We received a base plan file from our client with several layouts and xref files to attach.

After finishing work on the drawing we tried to plot the file and found that…

AutoCAD hangs during previewing or plotting certain layout tabs!

WHAT WE DID

When we tried the ‘Audit’ command on the base plan file, we found 2 errors and repaired them. But when we tried to preview that particular layout tab, AutoCAD still hung.

Then we tried the ‘Recovery’ option on the same file. This revealed 2 more errors, which we repaired. But AutoCAD still hung during previewing or plotting that particular layout tab.

We decided to unload the xref file attached to that particular layout tab and again tried previewing the layout tab. The preview worked fine!

So the problem was due to the particular xref file attached to the base plan drawing. We decided to drill down into it.

When we tried the ‘Recovery’ option on the xref file, we found 21 errors! We fixed all of them, loaded the recovered xref file into the base plan and tried to plot the layout tab.

It worked great!

CONCLUSION

Please make sure that all the xref files as well as your working file are error free before plotting.

This will save you a lot of time and avoid getting into a nerve wracking situation if you are in a hurry to submit the drawings!

© 2006 - 2008 The Magnum Group. Reproduction of our content in any form without prior, specific written permission is prohibited.

Learn more about our Engineering drafting and architectural drafting services

CAD Services: All Shapes and Sizes

There are myriad CAD services worldwide and no two are the same. To make sense of this diverse landscape, here is a classification system.

Small, Inexpensive
This is the one or two-man show which is how many CAD services start off. The advantage of such a CAD drafting firm is that prices will be very low. The disadvantage will be low reliability, because of no labor redundancy… i.e., if one of the drafters falls sick, there is no one to take over and finish your drawings on time. Also, being small, the vendor could very well disappear overnight. This would happen if, say, the drafters were offered high-paying, risk free full-time jobs by a larger CAD services .

Medium, Moderately Priced
Here we’re talking about a CAD service with 50 – 100 people. This could be your  best bet. The advantage is there will be contingency staff to stand in when drafters suddenly take vacation; also, such firms usually have engineers and architects to supervise the work knowledgeably. The disadvantage is that prices will be higher than those of small firms.

Large, Higher Priced
These are CAD services with 100 – 1000 people working in them. The advantages are the same as in a medium-sized firm. Additionally, because the firm has deeper pockets, you may receive better discounts if you are a large engineering or architectural firm. Also, the service is likely to specialize in many CAD software platforms apart from the mandatory AutoCAD: they may have experience drafting in MicroStation, Pro-E or Solid Works, for instance. The disadvantage is that if you are a small customer, they might not be very interested.

When all is said and done, evaluate several CAD services carefully, making as few assumptions as possible.

Good Luck!

© 2006 - 2008 The Magnum Group. Reproduction of our content in any form without prior, specific written permission is prohibited.

Learn more about our Engineering drafting and architectural drafting services

Ever Needed CAD Drafters?

Hesitating to add CAD drafters to handle peak loads?

You should be..  because you will have to keep paying them during non-peak periods. That can put a huge drain on  your cash flow… apart from paying salaries, you wil also have to pay workmen’s compensation insurance, health insurance, retirement benefits, social security, rent for office space, hardware and software costs.

What you need to do is outsource your work to an experienced CAD drafting provider. You need to find someone who:

• Responds to your email in 24 hours
• Meets deadlines 99.9% of the time
• Has engineers and/or architects on their full time staff
• Produces highly accurate drawings
• Is reasonably priced

We satisfy all these requirements and more. We communicate with our customers as people… customers know us by name and relate to us as friends. We don’t behave like a government office: we’re not impersonal, inflexible and bureaucratic; we’re “just plain folks“!

Try us once an see how different we are from other CAD drafting providers… you’ll wonder why you hadn’t come to us earlier!

© 2006 - 2008 The Magnum Group. Reproduction of our content in any form without prior, specific written permission is prohibited.

Learn more about our Engineering drafting and architectural drafting services