file size?

I have an ACAD 2000 file consisting of 20 or so piping symbols each one a block consisting soley of lines, arcs, plines, etc. The file size is 537kb. When I copy a single block to a new file the file size is 513kb. If I reproduce the symbol and save it to a new file the size is 23kb. I have exploded a block and copied the resulting entities to a new file, ending up again with a file of 513 kb, likewise when using wblock. What is all the information that seems to "carry along" with each of the blocks? Just curious. Thanks Tim

delete any layer filters. They have been a notorious file size expander with little value for most users.
taiken wrote:
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537kb.
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Jerry, thanks for the reply. I know what you are saying about the layer filters, I've run into that in the past. The aforementioned file has no filters but the symbols are copies taken from a dwg file I downloaded at BellGossett.com and I'm sure the "baggage" originates with this file. I'm just curious why after purging, etc. That the little symbols remain bloated. Thanks again Tim

While layer filters are the most notorious file size expander, there are many similar items with similar issues. There are superpurge routines etc that can radically reduce this problem. The one I use is called ecln, but I forgot where I got it. Also try overkill to see if the simple objects were drawn by an automated process or external software that might draw coincident lines.
taiken wrote:
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Taiken, In the past I have used either one or both of these methods to "clean" a drawing of any un-seen and un-wanted data.
1) Open the drawing in question, and open a new unnamed drawing. Copy and Paste the blocks to the new drawing, save it and compare file sizes.
If there is no difference:
2) Open the drawing in question, at the command line type "-WBLOCK" <enter> select the file name you just opened, click save & answer yes to the file overwrite question, enter "*" at the command line, close the drawing WITHOUT saving.
Good luck, Rich
taiken wrote:
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An addtional note to Jerry's reply: The office I was in had a similar problem with files getting very large due to the layer filters, but there were literally thousands of filters and was too tedious to delete them individually (Standard 'purge' command doesn't get rid of them, and you can't select them all at once for deletion.) Our tech found a program: CDG Purge (2.0) (free download). it allows you to purge the whole 'layer filters' category (as well as others, individually). Sorry I don't have the link where it was found, but if you can't find it, 'reply to author' and I'll send you the zip file. We were running ADT 3.3 (a 2000 based format) and it worked great. Reduced files from 6MB down to 1.5MB. -Tom
taiken wrote:
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An addtional note to Jerry's reply: The office I was in had a similar problem with files getting very large due to the layer filters, but there were literally thousands of filters and was too tedious to delete them individually (Standard 'purge' command doesn't get rid of them, and you can't select them all at once for deletion.) Our tech found a program: CDG Purge (2.0) (free download). it allows you to purge the whole 'layer filters' category (as well as others, individually). Sorry I don't have the link where it was found, but if you can't find it, 'reply to author' and I'll send you the zip file. We were running ADT 3.3 (a 2000 based format) and it worked great. Reduced files from 6MB down to 1.5MB. -Tom
taiken wrote:
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