FAQ: How is an Advance Steel model opened in pure AutoCAD®?

Note: The answer is referring to version 2015. This information may differ on other versions.

To open an Advance Steel DWG model in pure AutoCAD®, you need to explode the model to ACIS. Prior to this, all the elements that cannot be exploded need to be manually deleted. For easier selection, use the Quick Select function.

To delete the elements that cannot be exploded

"Object type" drop-down list: select the type of elements you want to delete

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1. Open the "Quick Select" dialog box: Tools Utilities (Quick Select).
2. Make the following settings:
   • Object type: Select the type of elements you want to delete.

     All the types with names containing the "AST" prefix are Advance Steel objects. You need to keep the following types: ASTGRID, ASTBEAM, ASTBEAMFEATURE, ASTPLATE, ASTSCREWBOLTPATTERN, ASTPLATEFEATURE, ASTBEAMHOLEPATTERN, ASTPLATEHOLEPATTER. All the other Advance Steel object types must be deleted manually.

   • Operator: Choose Select All.
3. Click OK to select the corresponding elements in the model.
4. Press the Delete key to delete the selected objects from the model.
5. Once you have deleted all elements that cannot be exploded, select the remaining elements in the model, right click and use the "Explode to ACIS" command.
6. Save and close the .dwg file.

To delete Advance Steel objects from external dwg

1. In a new dwg file, use the function "Delete all AS objects from external dwg".

   

2. Select the .dwg you want to explode and click Open.
3. Close Advance Steel.
4. Open AutoCAD®.
5. On the command line, enter "demandload" and set the value to 2.
6. Open the exploded DWG file.
7. Save it, then re-use "demandload" command and set the value to 3.

The file can now be opened in pure AutoCAD® on any computer and it cannot be rolled back to the Advance Steel model.