File Sharing

Since it has been fairly convincingly established that consultants won't share their CAD files because of "liability issues", I got an A4 scanner & everything which doesn't matter much gets scanned & traced - quick & dirty but that's what you get for nothing. I don't give a bugger if your building is drawn all wrong as long as my ductwork fits & I just might have to withold as constructed CAD files because of "liability issues".

The very few drawing by hand
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I can't see the difference between supplying a paper copy of a drawing and supplying the digital version, as far as litigation is concerned. If there is a design error, it will show up on both, so why the problem of providing the digital info?
Keith Civil Solutions (UK)

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Neither can I but we have had this many times and it has become almost universal that they won't hand over the files. I am sure some use it as an excuse but whatever they have it and you want it & they call the tune. One possible problem I can see is, because of translation problems between some software/versions, information could possibly be lost or become obscure - like ttf's and odd linetypes. Another reason for a universal file format.

Their problem is that it's digital data that you can measure it
People think that CAD information on it is going to be right!!!!
Some Architects I've worked with don't know how to draw accurately how oftern do you check string dimensions on an Architects drawing and find out the overall dimensions don't add up with the sum of the sting dimensions.
When I asked a good CAD Architect why this was he told me "Tradition"
There is a lot of sloppy CAD work out there. If they give you a paper copy and there are not enough dimensions for you, or you don't find their mistakes in dimensioning for them, then they can always say you should not have scaled the drawing you should have asked.
A common note on old manual drawings "Dont Scale Ask"
Copies of drawings like any photocopy / copy process stretch the drawing. Plus when draing by hand a small amount of not quite to scale was acceptable. Pick up a 1:50 scale rule and measure a drawing, its an estimate of size. Are you measuring from outside to outside of line? Center to Center ? does it depend on if it's an internal or external dimension?
In the old days lines were drawn in thin pen thickness and crossed at the corners then they were thickened up to show the room. Measuring was done between the thin extensions at the corners for more accuracy.
Many more bad drawing practices are highlighted in a document on my web site called "How To Draw"
Regards
Alan http://www.cadalot.co.uk
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I'm doing a planning application in England ATM.
Blastered all over the advice they give you is that drawings marked like that will be dismissed out of hand.
DJE
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................ That's right, but BC they used to trace paper architecturals on the board and either risk inaccuracies or check important areas. No one wants to send ductwork or instal chillers in a plantroom which won't fit. It's just the perception of cad info being better than paper, promoted largely by the computer/software industry's own trumpeting. Other features such as structural & hydraulic often matter more and very often not dimensioned. Many dwgs don't carry the "do not scale" note but that would not remove responsibility from someone who did. I had one client who wanted to make me redraw his old building accurately as part of the mech service contract because the paper architecturals we received were very inaccurate and lacked dimensions - there was never any suggestion of me prosecuting him for supplying inaccurate dwgs although it caused some grief, just as I think you would agree I am not obliged to fix his architurals.

On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 22:27:30 +0000 (UTC), in
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How's this for a fun way to deal with that: Draw everything at precicely 1:1 (as it *should* be in CAD) and simply leave off all of the dimensions when sharing the CAD files. It would totally befuddle many folks, while (unknown to them) giving them all of the information.
-- "Who we are and who we become depends, in part, on whom we love." -- "A General Theory Of Love" Thanks, Mom ______________________________________________________________ Glen Appleby snipped-for-privacy@armory.com <HTTP://www.armory.com/~glena/

Just put it on the board a do your work. Seems it would be faster than redrawing.
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