Merging Reference Files and Retaining all Level Symbology

Hello Gang!!
I recently had a client that wanted me to merge all of my reference
files into one file and send them. I had used level symbology on the
reference files and the plot file. Can someone tell me if there is a
way to retain your level symbology setting upon merging reference
files in Mstn J? I would appreciate any suggestions or clairification
of whether this is even possible. Common sense tells me "no"...but
thought I should consult the wiz kids of this group to be sure.

Thanks in advance!

Liz Swadley
Thomas-Hutton Engineering Co.
Savannah, Georgia

 

Hi Liz,
Geesh, the first step is to educate the client (part of our jobs):
merging reference files creates one un-Godly mess, mostly uneditable by
the recipient in the future. They're only good for plotting, and if
that's the goal, PDFs and even HPGL/2 plot files are a FAR better
choice. My choice would be PDFs, as these are nearly guaranteed portable
to any recipient.

If security is the issue, I would argue that PDFs would work fine for
this too (they can be password protected for viewing and/or printing).

If you still run into a brick wall (I suspect you will), there's a tool
from Axiom that promises to do exactly this, but expect to pay mucho
$$$. There may be other ways, such as moving all the reference files a
fixed distance, merging them, then adjusting the element's
color/style/weight, then moving them inside a fence back to the correct
position. Good project for a macro, if you're so inclined.

HTH,
Simon

 

Hi Liz,

We do quite a lot of work that requires us to merge reference files
and maintain the level symbology that is set in the reference. Axiom
have a product that will do this - RefMerge, but Corporate Montage
here in Australia have also developed one which use - DGNmerge. Very
quick and quite easy to use....Also honours any clips/masks


www.corporatemontage.com.au....

should be a link to contact page there

regards

Darren D

 

Liz
try keying in "mdl load refmerge" and click in a view with your wanted
looks.
It will produce a file name.rcd.

Don't remember, but I think it used the levelsymbology. Very unfortunately
it is dropped in v8.

If your references are cliped+rotated+scaled and you use cells+linestyles
you might loose some cell that is clipped.