Expert: Paul Jordan - 7/25/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear sir, I have Autocad 2008. When I try to open a .dwg file
with a open command the in the Select a file window, I see some blocks (Grey color)under heading preview, below red and white Electric lines but these can not be seen in opening the file in autocad. I tried to open all layers by but I could not see/open blocks for buildings / roads under the other lines. Please suggest the necessary command

ANSWER: It sounds like you have xrefs in the file that are not set up correctly.  Go to your xref manager and see if there are any xref's that haven't been loaded or can't be found.  Find out where they are and reset your path to them.  Then they should show up.

Hope that helps.

Paul

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sir, I have a scanned layout of an autoCad work. How I can convert it in .dwg format to work on it in autocad.

Answer
Shashi,

In short, there is no easy way to convert a scanned image into Autocad format.  There are numerous programs available that will attempt to convert a scanned image to .dwg format but, they have to try to interpret the original lines into what the software thinks it might be.  It would be like you taking a black and white scanned image of a Picasso painting and trying to make it look like the real thing.  You might be able to get the thicknesses of the lines in the painting correct but, you wouldn't really know where say a chair ends and the flooring begins.  

Autodesk has one of the better programs for converting but, it will take some time and effort on your part.  Check out a trial copy of Raster Design.  It does take some time getting used to it.

What I usually do is just re-create the drawing using the dimensions from the original.  If there aren't any dimensions, then you'll definitely have to use something like Raster Design.

Hope that helps.

Paul