DXF / DWG import dialog

Use this dialog to use a DXF or DWG model file as a background for modeling your structure. Backgrounds are especially useful if you want to define a 3D structure model based on a set of 2D projections from an architect for example.

Access

• Click FileImportDXF and DWG Backgrounds.

Layers tab

Show layers

Filters the list of layers available in the DXF or DWG file.

Import Table

Displays the list of available layers.

Use the Import column to select the layers that you want to import.

Note: Use the checkboxes at the top of the dialog to quickly select or deselect all layers.

Insert tab

Use the options on this tab to define the insertion parameters.

Units

Select which units are used in the DXF or DWG file.

Note: Select User-defined from the Units list if you want to specify another unit than the ones available.

Insertion parameters

The Insertion parameters refer to global directions expressed by perpendicular planes:

• Plane (XY, XZ, YZ) - Select in which plane you want to insert the background.
• Reference point: Enter coordinates to specify a characteristic point in the loaded background. This point is then used to determine the insertion point in the drawing area.
• Insertion point: Enter coordinates to specify the position of the reference point of the background in the drawing area.
• Position on X, Y, or Z axis (depending on a selected plane): a coordinate on the axis that is perpendicular to the selected plane. This coordinate defines a position of the background in the 3D projection and is the basis for defining an automatic visibility range of the background in projections.

Scale and rotation

Use the options in this group to scale or rotate the background.

You can also load a mirrored background. This option is convenient for example when you are loading the background of the elevation of a building.

Visibility in the projection

Use the options in this group to specify the visibility range.

• User-defined: Specify the values of the visibility range in the From and To boxes.
• Automatic: Limits the visibility range by story levels and structure axes. The position coordinate on the axis that is perpendicular to the background plane specifies the characteristic planes between which the background is visible in the projection.
• Unlimited: The visibility is not limited, it is independent from the specified coordinate.

Backgrounds in the Object Inspector

Backgrounds are displayed as Auxiliary objects in the Object Inspector pane. You can edit parameters of backgrounds in the properties table in the lower part of Object Inspector.

Use the options in the View dialog to toggle independently the visibility of all backgrounds in projections and 3D views.

To toggle the visibility of a background, select the General > On: Yes or No option in the background properties in the Inspector pane.

Useful information concerning work with a background:

• Find middle intersection points

  The cursor is located at the middle intersection points of 2 pairs of parallel lines (such as a wall corner). It lets you easily define walls that are drawn using 2 parallel lines on the background and defined in a model using a central line. Lines that are taken into account to specify central lines, are highlighted when the cursor is near the intersection of their central lines. To ensure that the cursor snaps to central lines efficiently, clear the Grid option in the Snap Settings dialog.

• Adjust wall thickness to backgrounds

  Use the Adjust to background option in the Walls dialog to automatically specify the wall (panel) thickness, if is defined using central lines. A new label is assigned the same material as for the previous thickness.

• Link option when a DXF or DWG file is loaded

  If selected, a background is automatically updated after making changes in a file. If a DXF/DWG file location changes, specify a correct path using the background properties in the Inspector pane.

  If Link is cleared, a DXF/DWG file is loaded to an RTD file and is not updated.

• DXF/DWG backgrounds are independent of the backgrounds associated with the lower and upper story that are created automatically based on objects on a story.