Content in DXF/DWG file placed differently when saved from ArchiCAD and from PlotMaker

Written by László Nagy

There is a phenomenon known to ArchiCAD users exchanging files in DXF/DWG format: the drawing content in the DXF/DWG file will be at a different location when the file was saved from PlotMaker than in case it was saved from ArchiCAD. For example, when the file was saved from ArchiCAD, the Project data was located near the Project Origin in the resulting DXF/DWG file. When the Layout or a placed drawing was saved from PlotMaker, it was placed somewhere else in the DXF/DWG file. Usually it was shifted horizontally to another location within the drawing. Some were a bit confused about why this is or whether this is actually a bug.
The reason for this way of working lies in differences between ArchiCAD and AutoCAD, and their differing philosophies.
In ArchiCAD, there is no such thing as PaperSpace. There are similarities between a PlotMaker Layout and AutoCAD's PaperSpace, but they are not the exact same concept.
Now, the problem is, how to save a PlotMaker Layout as DXF/DWG when there are many drawings placed on the Layout. What we found a solution is to create a DWG where the drawings are in one Model Space (otherwise they would not be in the same file) but not in their original location. Instead, there are saved in such a way so that they are placed, one next to the other (if you look at the DWG file - you can see first, there is the Layouts' drawing frame, then right to it the first drawing, then right to it the next and so on.
In addition to this, a Paper Space is created in the DWG file so it shows how the different portions of the ModelSpace are located on the Paper (just as it was in PlotMaker - if you switch to PaperSpace in AutoCAD, you can see it).

Placement of drawing on PlotMaker Layout

Result in AutoCAD's PaperSpace - looks just like on PlotMaker Layout

Result in AutoCAD's ModelSpace - contents of drawings are placed next to each other

This is why the Origin of drawings can never be in the same location when saved from PlotMaker as when they are saved from ArchiCAD.
But from ArchiCAD, the resulting DWG file contains only one drawing, but the DWG file saved from PlotMaker contains several, which each must be visible, and must be placeable on AutoCAD's PaperSpace, hence the above solution.

Page last updated: Thursday, September 16, 2004