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ALCADMY CADL/DXF Bi-directional Translator Version 3.1 Copyright 1988,1989 The CADAMA Design Group and the program authors have no liability or responsibility to the user or any other person or entity with respect to any liability, loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by this software, including but no limited to, any interruption of service, loss of business or anticipatory profits or consequential damages resulting from the use or operation of this software. This software is distributed at no charge by CADKEY, Inc. in cooperation with the CADAMA Design Group. Updates to this documentation will be made and incorporated in future editions. Direct questions/comments to: CADAMA Design Group 831 Turnberry Cv S. Niceville, Fl 32578 Please register your ALCADMY copy with the CADAMA Design Group for update announcements. Include a return address and/or a telephone number in all correspondence. ALCADMY is a trademark of the CADAMA Design Group. CADKEY and CADL are trademarks of CADKEY, Inc. AutoCAD and DXF are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Suggested System Set-up . . . . . . . . 2 OPERATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Input Notation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Loading ALCADMY . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Translation Selection . . . . . . . . . 3 System Set-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 File Naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CADL to DXF TRANSLATION. . . . . . . . . . 8 Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Input Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Entity Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Linetypes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Temporary Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 System Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . 14 Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 DXF to CADL TRANSLATION. . . . . . . . . . 21 Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 DXF Sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Header Section . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Table Section. . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Linetype Table. . . . . . . . . . 22 Layer Table . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Style Table . . . . . . . . . . . 23 View Table. . . . . . . . . . . . 23 UCS Table . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Vport Table . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Dwgmgr Table. . . . . . . . . . . 23 Block Section. . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Entity Section . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Entity Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Linetypes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Temporary Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 System Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . 30 Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 ADDITIONAL USES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 1 INTRODUCTION ALCADMY is a CADL-DXF bi-directional translator providing an easy method of moving data between dissimilar CAD systems. Most PC CAD systems are capable of storing and retrieving data in one of these ASCII formats. Few, however, are able to handle files in both formats and still preserve enough of the original drawing to be considered a transparent conversion between the CAD systems. ALCADMY provides this transparent conversion. It is a self-contained, executable package requiring no support files or system overlays. ALCADMY is currently based on the CADL and DXF definitions as specified in CADKEY version 3.5, and AutoCAD Release 10, respectively. As these format definitions evolve, ALCADMY will be updated to incorporate changes. ALCADMY is designed to operate on the IBM PC/XT/AT series or compatible computer. Minimum memory requirement is 640K. 2 INSTALLATION Because ALCADMY is capable of translating source CADL or DXF files of a potentially unlimited size into the target format, it is suggested that it be operated off of a hard disk system. This is not, however, a requirement, as the actual file size limitation is dependent primarily on the available disk space. ALCADMY does generate temporary working files to the default disk and should therefore be provided sufficient space in which to operate. Other system requirements and file structure limitations are detailed in the individual translation descriptions. Suggested System Set-up The following operating suggestions for various system configurations are supplied to minimize the possibility of any I/O errors due to lack of disk space. The set-up should provide the maximum amount of storage space available on your system, should it be required by ALCADMY. These are only suggestions and are made under the assumption that the files to be translated are large. Tailor them to fit your system configuration based on your file sizes and storage capacities. The temporary file requirements are discussed in the translation descriptions. 1. Single floppy disk system Load ALCADMY and then replace the ALCADMY disk with a disk containing only the source file. 2. Dual floppy disk system Select drive A as the default drive, then load ALCADMY. After ALCADMY has been loaded, place a formatted blank disk in drive A, and the disk containing the source file in drive B. The destination of the target file may be specified as either drive A or B. 3. Hard disk system Insure the hard drive is the default drive. Load ALCADMY. Source and target files may be to either a hard or a floppy disk. 4. RAM Disks Designating a RAM disk as the default disk drive for temporary file usage will accelerate the translation process. The user must allocate sufficient memory on the RAM disk to hold the temporary files. 3 OPERATION Input Notation Square brackets [] Do not enter the brackets. The brackets define the information contained within them as optional and should be entered only when required. Drive designation d: Enter the desired drive letter followed by a colon. ALCADMY is not case sensitive. Pathname path Enter the desired directory(s) to access the desired file(s). Loading ALCADMY Load and run ALCADMY as you would any other executable program. Since it is a self-contained package, there is no requirement to set paths or access levels to reach support or overlay files. The command: [d:][path]ALCADMY is all that is required. Additionally, the translation selection (CADL-to-DXF or DXF-to-CADL), source file(s) and target file(s) information may be input on the command line. The command line input format is then: [d:][path]ALCADMY [selection[/source[/target]]] where the selection, source, and target parameters may be separated by a slash (/) or a space. The parameter formats are defined below. Translation Selection ALCADMY's main menu offers a selection of: A - CADL to DXF translation B - DXF to CADL translation E - Exit to DOS. To make your selection, press the appropriate letter (A, B, or E). If a translation is selected, ALCADMY will then provide a short description of ALCADMY and its operation. The description will appear only once each time ALCADMY is run. 4 System Set-up Once a translation direction has been chosen, ALCADMY will then supply the necessary prompting to receive the source and target filenames, as well as offering control features to the translation direction selected by the user. These features are detailed in the section describing each translation direction. At any time when supplying the filenames or selecting the initial control features, the user may elect to abort the translation process by pressing the ESCAPE key (ESC). In doing so, ALCADMY will immediately terminate the present translation process and recall the main menu described above. File Naming After the translator description has been displayed, the ALCADMY operating screen displays the source and target file types, and requests the file names to be used for the translation. Enter a valid drive designation and/or directory information along with the file name as shown below. File names do not require an extension to be added and any filename extension used other than the one shown in parentheses will be stripped off and replaced with the displayed extension. ALCADMY will use the preset DOS PATH while searching for the given source file name, however it is recommended that the user supply this information directly. As with normal DOS file naming conventions, file names cannot exceed eight characters. This limitation applies to the file name and does not include the drive designation, directory information, or the extension. The file names are input in the form: [d:][path]filename[.ext] If batch processing of a particular file type is desired, the source file name supplied may contain the DOS wildcard character (*) for file name selection. ALCADMY will then translate all the files which meet the wildcard parameter and will use the same user supplied control features that are supplied for the first file of the translation. When the wildcard character is used, ALCADMY automatically uses the source file name as the target file name. Under these conditions, the user can only control the target drive designation and path. 5 Messages When displaying errors/problems to the screen, ALCADMY will also use the colors red or green text for the message. The red messages may be considered errors and the green messages as warnings. Red messages indicate a situation which may seriously affect the translation validity of the target file being written. Green messages indicate the detection of a situation which should pose no problem to the translation process. These green messages may be generated by the omission of some data, ALCADMY being unable to understand the data it is being passed, or a situation which ALCADMY can correct for internally. 1. File [source file] not found ALCADMY will check for the existence of the specified source file. If it is not found, the above message is generated. Possible causes are: a. The file named does not exist. b. the file named exists on a different directory. c. ALCADMY is not able to access the disk drive specified. SOLUTION: Enter correct drive, path, and filename of the desired source file. NOTE: ALCADMY will then generate the following message in the information window: Enter the drive and/or path containing the file(s): [A] Supply the desired drive and directory information where the source file(s) are located. A null entry will result in the use of the default drive (A:). If the drive supplied is not an assigned drive, ALCADMY may be terminated by the operating system. Once receiving this information, ALCADMY will then provide a directory listing of the files with the expected source file extension (.CDL or .DXF). After supplying the directory listing, ALCADMY proceeds back to the source file input line and is waiting for another source file name to be entered. 2. Illegal [source or target] path given: [path supplied] ALCADMY verifies the directory path given for the source and target files. If an error is found during this verification, the above message is generated. Possible causes are: a. Incorrect directory information supplied. b. Incorrect drive designation for the supplied path. 6 SOLUTION: Enter the correct directory information along with any necessary drive information to access this path. 3. No file name specified: [source file information supplied] ALCADMY must be given a name after any drive and/or directory information. If all files are to be translated, the wildcard character (*) should be used. Without any source file information, ALCADMY cannot access the appropriate file(s). A possible cause is: a. No source file name string was supplied. SOLUTION: Enter a legal source file name. NOTE: If no target file name is supplied, ALCADMY will automatically use the source file name as the target file name with the appropriate target extension. 4. Unable to open [target file] An I/O error has occurred while initializing the target file. Possible causes are: a. The name given is an illegal DOS file name. b. ALCADMY is not able to access or write to the disk drive specified. SOLUTION: Enter a valid filename to a drive that will support it. NOTE: ALCADMY returns to the target file input line and is waiting for another target file name entry. 5. Unable to access default drive Prior to translating any files, ALCADMY checks the accessibility of the default drive. If an I/O error results during this check, the above message is generated. Possible causes are: a. The default drive is not physically accessible. b. The default drive is full. c. The default drive is write protected. NOTE: ALCADMY will then generate the following message in the information window: Designate a new default disk drive by letter (A-F): [A] Supply the letter of the desired default disk drive in the range A to F. Any other entry will result in the use of drive A. If the letter supplied is not an assigned drive, ALCADMY may be terminated by the operating system. 7 NOTE: To use a drive outside the A to F range as the default, that drive must be designated as the default drive prior to executing ALCADMY. SOLUTION: Supply ALCADMY with an assigned, accessible default drive letter with sufficient space to hold the temporary and possible source and target files. 8 CADL to DXF TRANSLATION Overview ALCADMY will translate all of the CADL data primitives listed below into a DXF representation. Not all of the data primitives will directly translate into the standard DXF format due to either being defined in a view other than the overhead view plane and the DXF format chosen cannot understand any out of plane definitions, or there is no equivalent DXF data type. Therefore, these entity shapes will be estimated with a series of short line approximations. These approximations may either be defined as independent lines, or grouped into a DXF polyline definition. Control over this output is detailed below in the Features section. All text entities are assigned the DXF STANDARD font. This alleviates the necessity of requiring the font definition files to be available when loading the file onto a DXF system. Text entities with multiple lines of text data will be broken into individual DXF text entities for each line of text and will maintain their proper position in the drawing. Additionally, all view dependent entities (GENDIM, LABEL, LEADER, TEXT, WITNESS, and XHATCH), not in the overhead view plane, may be translated into the DXF file. If the definition view plane is not the overhead view, the starting position coordinates are rotated into the overhead DXF view. However, be aware that since these entities do not have any definable depth in the CADL file, their resultant location in the DXF file will be unknown. All complex entities (i.e. entities composed of multiple singular entities) will be written out as individual DXF BLOCKs. Each BLOCK is then properly placed in the drawing with the DXF INSERT command. By translating complex entities in this manner, the individual pieces maintain the associativity to the overall complex entity. Presently, the complex entities are: XHATCH, LEADER, LABEL and GENDIM. REMINDER: The standard DXF definition plane is equivalent to the CADKEY View 1. Therefore, the user should prepare the CADKEY part in View 1 prior to generating the CADL file. This will insure that the DXF file maintains the proper appearance. NOTE: If the target DXF file is in the AutoCAD Release 10 format, the CADL VIEW definitions are used to calculate the Entity Coordinate System (ECS) necessary to define the same drawing plane. NOTE: CADKEY 3.xx Users - Since ALCADMY is designed to translate CADL files as written by CADKEY, it will not accept any type of variable usage within a data definition. If a data primitive's definition does include any type of non-numeric input, the results are unknown and the target file should be considered corrupted. 9 If a line in a source file begins with anything other that the Input Commands listed below, ALCADMY will consider the line to be invalid, disregard any additional information on that line, and generate an error message displaying the invalid input. Therefore, insure no variables are included in the CADL source file. Input Commands As defined through CADKEY version 3.5, the following CADL commands and primitives are acceptable within ALCADMY: * (C) :label * (C) GETSTR (C) SETTYP * (C) ABORT * (C) GETVIEW (C) SET COLOR * (C) AUTO * (C) GOTO * (C) SET CONST (D) ARC * (C) GROUP * (C) SET DEPTH (S) ARRAY * (C) HALF * (C) SET DEVIN * (C) CALL * (C) IF * (C) SET DEVOUT (D) CIRCLE * (C) INPUT * (C) SET DRAWORD * (C) CHAIN (D) LABEL (C) SET LEVEL * (C) CHGVW (D) LEADER * (C) SET IMMCOM * (C) CLEAR * (C) LEVELS (C) SET LINETYPE * (C) CLEARSEL (D) LINE * (C) SET LINEWIDTH * (C) CLOSE * (C) LOCAL * (C) SET MASK * (C) CLS * (C) MODE * (C) SET PEN * (C) CODE * (C) ON * (C) SET PRECISION (D) CONIC (D) POINT (C) SET TEXTANG * (C) DELENT * (C) PALETTE (C) SET TEXTASP * (C) DOSUB * (C) PAUSE * (C) SET TEXTFONT * (C) DOUBLE (D) POLYGON (C) SET TEXTHT * (C) EXE (D) POLYLINE * (C) SET UNIT * (C) EXIT * (C) PRANGE * (C) SET VIEW * (C) FTEXT * (C) PRINT * (C) SIZEOF (D) GENDIM * (C) PROMPT (D) SPLINE * (C) GETALL * (C) READ * (C) SPRINT * (C) GETENT * (C) REDRAW (D) TEXT * (C) GETENTM * (C) REM (S) VIEW * (C) GETENTXY * (C) REM GRP (D) VLINE * (C) GETFLT * (C) REM POSITN (D) VPOINT * (C) GETGROUP * (C) SCALE (D) VPOLYGON * (C) GETINT (C) SETCOL * (C) WAIT * (C) GETKEY * (C) SETCUR * (C) WINDOW * (C) GETMENU * (C) SETDEPTH (D) WITNESS * (C) GETNEXT (C) SETLEV * (C) WRITE * (C) GETPLANE * (C) SETPEN (D) XHATCH * (C) GETPOS (C) SETTEXT * - Does not effect the DXF file (C) - CADL Command (D) - Data Primitive (S) - Support Primitive 10 Features After the source and target files have been identified, several control questions must be answered for ALCADMY. These control questions help tailor the DXF file to the needs of the user. With each question there is a default answer. If anything other than one of the displayed choices is given, the default answer is used. Below is a listing of each control question and how it affects the DXF target file. NOTE: At any time when answering the first five control features, the user may elect to abort the translation process by pressing the ESCAPE key (ESC). In doing so, ALCADMY will immediately terminate the present translation process and recall the main menu described above. -- For which AutoCAD DXF version is this file being written: A - Prior to Version 2.5 B - Version 2.5x C - Version 2.6x/Release 9 D - Release 10 Enter your choice (A-D): [D] Differences in the selections: A: These early DXF versions are also strictly dimensional, and without any of the complex data types. The line approximation option to use lines or polylines will not be offered since only lines can be used. Any GENDIM's in the source file are broken into individual lines, arcs, solids and text entities. B: These DXF versions are also two dimensional, but are capable of accepting polyline information. Therefore, the default for the line approximation is for polyline data in order to keep the entity as a single unit. Any GENDIM's in the source file are broken into individual lines, arcs, solids and text entities. C: These DXF versions are capable of accepting dimensioning information as a separate entity. If the source CADL file does contain dimensions (GENDIM), the information will be written as an appropriate DXF dimension block. Whenever possible, ALCADMY will make use of the 3DLINE and 3DFACE in an attempt to preserved the CADL file's 3 dimensionality. Therefore, the default for the line approximations will be for line data. D: This DXF version is similar to selection C with respect to the dimensioning information. However, with the addition of 3D capabilities, a 3D POLYLINE is set as the default for line approximations in order to preserve the associativity of an entity. 11 Planar entities (CIRCLE, ARC, TEXT, and GENDIM) will maintain their entity type if their definition plane can be adequately rotated and redefined into the DXF Entity Coordinate System. -- Enter the dimensions for the output file (2 or 3): [2] In accordance with the DXF definition, the capability does exist to write a legitimate 3D DXF file. Most CAD systems, however, do not recognize the third dimension and may abort reading a DXF file if a third dimension variable is encountered. Consult your CAD reference manual for the limitations of your system. NOTE: If a version 2.6x/Release 9 DXF target file is being written, the user need not choose a 3 dimensional file in order to generate 3DLINEs and 3DFACEs. This feature only effects those entities that are normally written as two dimensional in a DXF file. NOTE: If a Release 10 DXF target file is being written, this control feature will not appear since this version is capable of accepting 3D information by definition. -- Elevate entities to the starting point height (Y/N)? [Y] This question is asked if a 2D DXF file is chosen from the first control feature. By answering (Y)es to this question, each data entity will have its CADL Z-plane coordinate translated into a DXF elevation. The DXF entity is raised off of the X-Y plane by the given elevation height. Consult your CAD reference manual for your system's ability to use elevations. NOTE: If a Release 10 DXF target file is being written, this control feature will not appear since this version is capable of accepting the elevation information as part of the entity's standard definition. -- Use Polylines or Lines (P/L)? [P] or [L] While translating CADL primitives into DXF entities, some must have their shape estimated with short line approximations. This control feature permits the choice of using independent line entities or a single contiguous DXF polyline for each approximation. Consult your CAD reference manual for your system's ability to employ polylines. NOTE: If this features is displayed, the default answer is based upon the answer given to Feature 1 above. 12 polylines -- Convert View 1 arcs/circles to or (Y/N)? [N] line segments Arcs and circles defined in the overhead view (CADL View 1) are directly translatable into the DXF format. This control feature supplies the option of also having the same short line approximation technique applied to these primitives as to those requiring the estimation. The DXF representation will be in the form chosen by the previous control question. -- Spline(s) in file. Enter the number of line segments to be substituted between node points (1-5): [1] This control question will appear only if a CADL SPLINE is in the source file. The supplied answer will be used during the course of the short line approximation used to estimate the spline in DXF terms. The more segments used, the closer the approximation to the original spline shape and the larger the DXF file created. The trade-off of file size versus approximation accuracy must be weighed by the user. NOTE: If the spline is described in terms of node points rather than the curve coefficients between node points, the line approximation is reduced to line(s) directly to each node point. -- Text and Graphics Blend A - As written in the source file B - Text overlaying graphics C - Graphics overlaying text Enter your choice (A-B-C): [A] This control question will appear only if the CADL source file contains both text and drawing data. This feature offers to sort and write the text and drawing entities in the order chosen. By choosing "A", there is no change to the ordering of the data; choosing "B" will cause the drawing entities to be written prior to the text entities; and choice "C" causes the opposite reaction, that is, the text entities being written prior to the drawing entities. This sorting feature can be significant if the DXF file is used in software packages that use a banner for text data. The banner effect clears a rectangular area for the text causing the erasure of all data previously written through the designated area. Any subsequent drawings in the area will overwrite the selected banner. The user must decide if the text data is to appear on top, beneath, or intermixed with the drawing data. Many publishing packages use this banner effect. 13 NOTE: Text entities include: TEXT, GENDIM, and LABEL definitions whereas graphics encompass any other remaining definition. -- Translate active-view dependent: text entities (Y/N)? [N] drawing entities (Y/N)? [N] The text entities (TEXT, GENDIM, and LABEL) are considered to be two dimensional whose placement is defined solely in terms of X and Y coordinates relative to the view plane in which it was first created. The text entities are displayed only when the active view is also the view plane defining the entity. This translation feature offers the user the opportunity to have the placement of all non-View 1 text entities included in the target file. The active-view dependent drawing entities are LEADER, WITNESS and XHATCH. Those rules which apply to the text entities also apply to this entity. NOTE: All View 1 entities will be included in the target file regardless of the response to this control feature. NOTE: Being two dimensional, these entities have no Z coordinate. Therefore, a Z value of 0.0 is used in the rotation process. The actual placement of the entities in the View 1 plane is unpredictable. Entity Attributes Levels ALCADMY preserves the level assignments made to all data entities. As each of the 256 available CADL levels are referenced, an equivalent DXF layer is defined using the color and linetype of the first entity defined on that level. Any subsequent entities on that same level will have no effect on that layer's definition. When each entity is translated into its DXF representation, the CADL color and linetype will be defined along with the rest of the entity definition. Consult your CAD reference manual for the ability of your system to assign colors and linetypes independent of the layer definition. NOTE: The terms "level" and "layer" are synonymous and refer to the same drawing overlays that can be displayed or hidden. In keeping with CADL and DXF definitions, the term "level" will be used when referring to CADL structuring, and "layer" for DXF structuring. 14 Colors ALCADMY preserves the color assignments made to all data entities. The colors are mapped from those used in CADKEY (v3.12) into those used in AutoCAD's Release 9. Each color assignment is written into the DXF entity definition. No entities are made layer dependent for color assignment. Consult your CAD reference manual for the ability of your system to assign colors independent of the layer definition. Linetypes ALCADMY preserves the linetype assignments made to all data entities. All four CADL linetypes are written into the DXF file regardless of whether or not they are used in the source file. Each linetype assignment is written into the DXF entity definition. No entities are made layer dependent for linetype assignment. Consult your CAD reference manual for the ability of your system to assign linetypes independent of the layer definition. NOTE: Small entities that have undergone a short line approximation may appear to have a CONTINUOUS linetype despite the linetype assignment of the original entity. This is due to the fact that the individual line segments are too small to show the line breaks. If the approximation is sufficiently enlarged by way of a scale function rather than a zoom function, the assigned linetype will be seen. Temporary Files Because the CADL to DXF translation is a two pass process, relatively little disk space is required for temporary working files. The temporary files that are created pertain to the layer definitions, blocks, and arrays. System Limitations To insure a smooth translation, there are only two limitations that are imposed on the CADL file. They are: 1. There can be no more than 100 views defined. 2. The level numbers referenced cannot exceed 256 in accordance with the CADL definition. Any references exceeding these limitations will cause errors to appear as detailed below. 15 Messages The following is a listing of the possible error messages that may be generated by ALCADMY in the course of translating a CADL file. The error checking process has been installed at the points in the translation process causing the more common problems. Not all errors can be predicted and corrected from within the program. Therefore, should a translation not terminate normally, or should the drawing of the DXF file not resemble the original drawing that produced the CADL file, the user should check the source file for any unusual input. When displaying errors/problems to the screen, ALCADMY will also use the colors red or green text for the message. The red messages may be thought of as errors and the green messages as warnings. Red messages indicate a situation which may seriously affect the translation validity of the target file being written. Green messages indicate the detection of a situation which should pose no problem to the translation process. These green messages may be generated by the omission of some data, ALCADMY unable to understand the data it is being passed, or a situation which ALCADMY can correct for internally. NOTE: The CADL method for the input of information is a free format. Since the only requirement for value separation is a minimum of a comma, ALCADMY expects strict adherence to the CADL definition for required and optional data input for each entity. Any deviation from the CADL definition can cause unpredictable results in the translation process. NOTE: Pass 1 of the CADL to DXF translation is designed to collect general file information and does not evaluate each command line for correctness. Hence, no errors are generated during pass 1. 1. Array (array_name) has dimension errors During the definition of a data array, the dimensions of the array are declared. If ALCADMY encounters a problem while reading the dimensions, the above message is generated. The effect of this error is that the array will not be interpreted properly, and any subsequent errors generated may be the result of this error. Possible causes are: a. The array dimensions have not been declared properly. b. Array declaration previous to the dimension were declared improperly. SOLUTION: Check the array declaration. 16 2. Array (array_name) not found for [entity type] Several entity types (GENDIM, POLYGON, POLYLINE, SPLINE, VPOLYGON, and XHATCH) are dependent upon arrays to contain the numeric data that defines the points in the entity. This message is generated if ALCADMY cannot locate the specific temporary array file containing the required data for the entity. Possible causes are: a. The array name defined by the array definition and the entity definition are not the same. b. The named array has not been defined yet, and therefore has not had its temporary file written. c. ALCADMY is unable to write the temporary array file and therefore does not exist. SOLUTION: Check the array name in the array and the entity definitions for concurrence. Insure the array referenced is declared before the entity. Make sure there is access and sufficient space on the default drive for the required temporary files. NOTE: After a spline has processed the required information, the temporary array file is deleted to free disk space. Therefore, each array dependent entity must have its own array defined. 3. Array data error ALCADMY is expecting a specific number of array entries based on the declared dimensions. This message is generated when that number is not met. Possible causes are: a. Insufficient number of data entries to meet the dimension specifications. b. An improperly entered numeric value has caused ALCADMY to disregard the entry and continue searching for the next legitimate entry. This search will cause the array to order the remaining data entries incorrectly, with the final result being an array without the required number of entries. SOLUTION: Insure dimension(s) declaration matches the actual number of data entries in the array. Insure that all numeric values are properly entered. NOTE: If the end of the array is reached before the specified number of entries, ALCADMY will pad the remainder of the array with the value 0.0 to assure the correct number of data entries. 17 NOTE: One error within the array may cause this error message to be generated a number of times. NOTE: If this error message is generated, the entity using the array should be considered invalid. 4. Array name exceeds 8 characters CADL array names cannot exceed eight characters by definition. If it does, ALCADMY will continue to read to the end of the array name, but will generate this message and concatenate the name at eight characters. This may cause additional errors if the array is later used by an array dependent entity. Possible causes are: a. The array name exceeds eight characters. b. The declaration line is formatted incorrectly causing ALCADMY to misinterpret the information. SOLUTION: Check the name used in the array definition for a maximum of eight characters. Insure the array declarations conform to the CADL format. 5. Invalid command entry (command) ALCADMY will process only the valid commands and primitives listed above in the Input Commands section. Any line beginning with anything other than a valid command or primitive will produce this message. The string evaluated by ALCADMY will be displayed within the parentheses. Possible causes are: a. Improper command or primitive entered. b. A previous error linked to a multiple line input is continuing to be processed by ALCADMY. SOLUTION: Check the source file for the validity of each command/primitive. NOTE: When this error has occurred, the remainder of the line is disregarded, and ALCADMY begins to process the next line as a new command line entry. 6. Level referenced exceeds limit (level) CADL levels assignments are bounded in the 1-256 range. A level assignment of 0 is a default setting to assign the current active level to the entity being defined. Any level reference outside the 0-256 boundaries will cause this error to be generated. The number shown in parentheses is the level referenced that is causing the error. Possible causes are: a. Improper level assignment in an entity definition. b. Improper level assignment in the default level assignment command. 18 NOTE: If error occurs as a result of an improper default assignment command, the default level will set at level 1. If the error occurs due to an improper level assignment in an entity definition, the level assignment will be the default level. 7. [entity type] array name incorrect CADL array names cannot exceed eight characters by definition. If it does, ALCADMY will continue to read to the end of the array name, but will generate this message and concatenate the name at eight characters. Processing will continue on the entity but the array referenced may not be found. Omission of an array name in the entity definition will also generate this message. Possible causes are: a. Referenced array name omitted. b. Referenced array name exceeds eight characters. SOLUTION: Check for the declaration of an array name. Check to ensure that the array name does not exceed eight characters. Check the array declaration for matching names. 8. Spline typecode incorrect ALCADMY requires strict adherence to the spline typecode format. The typecode must be at least two characters and no more than four. The first character specifies as to whether the spline is defined in terms of node points or curve coefficients. The second character defines the spline as 2D or 3D. Possible causes are: a. Spline type code omitted. b. Spline typecode does not adhere to the CADL format. SOLUTION: Check the typecode declaration for its existence and CADL conformity. NOTE: If the typecode is omitted or is incorrect, the spline will be assigned the typecode of a 3D spline defined by curve coefficients. 9. Temporary file space unavailable In the process of defining CADL levels as DXF layers, a temporary work file is created. Additionally, all arrays are written to disk as temporary work files. These work files are written to the default disk. If for any reason the default disk cannot support these files, the above message is generated. Possible causes are: a. The default disk cannot be accessed. b. The default disk cannot hold another file. 19 SOLUTION: Check default drive for available space and file numbers. Check disk drive for available access (Is the floppy disk drive closed?). NOTE: If this error occurs, the target file should be considered in an invalid DXF format. 10. TEXT entity exceeds 10 lines ALCADMY will only process the first ten lines of a TEXT entity. Any lines after the tenth will be lost and the above message will be generated. Possible causes are: a. A TEXT entity contains more than ten lines of text. b. A TEXT entity contains ten lines of code, but CADKEY generates an eleventh line to identify the end of the text lines. SOLUTION: Insure no TEXT entities contain more than ten lines of text to be inserted into the drawing being translated. 11. Undefined view referenced (view) Views in which dependent data primitives are defined must be declared prior to the data primitive. These views supply the rotation matrix necessary to translate the primitive into the overhead view. When a view dependent data primitive references a view and ALCADMY does not have that view defined, the above message is generated. The number in parentheses is the view number referenced but not found. Possible causes are: a. The view has not been defined in the CADL file. b. The view is defined, but after it is referenced. c. The view was defined but exceeded the 100 views capable of being handled by ALCADMY. (See error 11) SOLUTION: Check for the correct view definition and its location in the CADL file. If the view count does exceed 100, consider breaking the CADL file up into several smaller files. NOTE: If this error occurs, the correct rotation cannot be computed. Therefore, no rotation can be performed on the data primitive, leaving it with the original view dependent coordinates. This will place the entity in an unknown location with respect to the original drawing. 20 NOTE: This message will appear each time an individual data entity references an unknown view. 12. View definitions exceed 100 (view) ALCADMY will maintain only 100 views and their rotation matrices. If any additional views are defined, the above message is generated with the parentheses holding the view number unable to be maintained. Possible cause is: a. More than 100 views are defined. SOLUTION: Insure that all of the views defined are needed by the view dependent data primitives. Consider breaking up the CADL file into smaller files so the 100 view limit is not a factor. NOTE: Reference error 10 for the effect of this error on the view dependent entities. 13. View (view number) not translatable into ECS When translating a CADL source file into a Release 10 DXF target file, if a drawing plane must be defined, the VIEW definition referenced is rotated in an attempt to fit it to the Arbitrary Axis Algorithm defined in the Release 10 format definition. This algorithm is used to defined the rotation matrix of a plane and is defined as the Entity Coordinate System (ECS). If this rotation is unsuccessful, the above error message is generated, and those planar entities requiring the plane definition are redefined through a short line approximation as they would be for earlier DXF versions. Possible cause is: a. The VIEW's rotation matrix cannot be rotated with sufficient accuracy to define an acceptable ECS. SOLUTION: If the short line approximation technique is unacceptable, rotating the VIEW a few degrees about its Z axis should bring the new VIEW to within acceptable limits. However, those entities defined in the original VIEW must somehow redefined into the newly created VIEW. 21 DXF to CADL TRANSLATION Overview ALCADMY will translate a DXF data file into an equivalent CADL representation, with optional remarks to identify the beginning and ending of data groups. Since ALCADMY operates exclusively on the information contained within the source file, the DXF sections and entities that reference external files (a shape or a text font definition, for example) are not translatable. However, as much of the original data is preserved and assigned CADL default settings as possible (e.g. all text data is translated but is assigned the user-selected CADL font). Each of the individual DXF sections may be as simple or as complex as the format definition permits. The effect of each section on the CADL target file will be discussed below in greater detail. The DXF data entities indicated in the Entity Section have a CADL representation. Although not all of the entities have an equivalent CADL data type, most have the exact shape preserved by dividing the original entity into segments that have a CADL equivalency. These segments can be loosely reunited as a CADL Group. Control over this regrouping is discussed in the Features section. DXF Sections Header Section ALCADMY reads this entire command section and evaluates each variable assignment. Presently, the only commands effecting the CADL target file are the current layer assignment, and the fillmode setting. The current layer command will generate the CADL commands to set the active level, color, and linetype to match the referenced DXF layer. All other Header Section commands are disregarded. However, since ALCADMY does evaluate each command, any non-standard DXF input codes will be noted via error messages. 22 Table Section LTYPE (linetype) Table The Linetype table names and physically defines each linetype used in the DXF file. While the physical definitions are of no value to the CADL target file, the names given to the linetypes are highly significant. The assignment of DXF linetypes to data entities is accomplished by referencing a linetype by name. ALCADMY translates the linetype assignments from DXF to CADL based on the names given in the following table: DXF NAME CADKEY NAME CADL NUMBER CONTINUOUS SOLID 1 HIDDEN or DASHED DASHED 2 CENTER CENTER LINE 3 PHANTOM or DASHDOT PHANTOM LINE 4 Any other DXF linetype name(s) used will result in the assignment of the linetype used in definition of Layer 0. Additionally, if Layer 0's linetype is not one of those listed above, then linetype assignment will be the default value of a SOLID line. ALCADMY does read the entire table and evaluates both the physical description and the naming convention used. Any non-standard DXF input codes are noted via error messages. LAYER Table The Layer table is used to coordinate the DXF layer to CADL level translation by assigning a level number to each layer as it is defined in the source file. The layer definition also defines the color and linetype of the entities residing on the layer that do not have an independent color or linetype assignment. Although the DXF format definition does not limit the number of layers that may be defined, the CADL format has a restriction of 256. See System Limitation for further information. ALCADMY does read the entire table and evaluates all layer definitions. Any non-standard DXF input codes are noted via error messages. NOTE: The terms "level" and "layer" are synonymous and refer to the same drawing overlays that can be displayed or hidden. In keeping with CADL and DXF definitions, the term "level" will be used when referring to CADL structuring and "layer" for DXF structuring. 23 STYLE Table The Style table presently has no effect upon the CADL target file. DXF Text fonts can be too diverse and named too differently to conform to any equivalent CADL font. CADL font control is discussed in the Features section. ALCADMY does read the entire table and evaluates each style description. Any non-standard DXF input codes are noted via error messages. VIEW Table The View table presently has no effect on the CADL target file. Although the table does define specific view points in 3D space, these view points do not have any relationship to data entity definitions. ALCADMY does read the entire table and evaluates each view point definition. Any non-standard DXF input codes are noted via error messages. UCS (User Coordinate System) Table The UCS table presently has no effect on the CADL target file. Although the table does define specific coordinate axes, these axes do not necessarily relate directly to any entity definition. If an entity requires its drawing plane to be defined, that information is included as part of the entity's definition. ALCADMY does read the entire table and evaluates each UCS definition. Any non-standard DXF input codes are noted via error messages. VPORT (Viewport) Table The Viewport table presently has no effect on the CADL target file. The table does define specific viewports used within AutoCAD, but these viewports do not have any relationship to data entity definitions. ALCADMY does read the entire table and evaluates each viewport definition. Any non-standard DXF input codes are noted via error messages. DWGMGR (Drawing Manager) Table The Drawing Manager table has not yet been defined and therefore has no effect on the CADL target file. ALCADMY does read any entries in the table if it exists but does not evaluate any of the information. Block Section All translatable data within an inserted block is translated to the CADL target file. The placement, scaling, and rotation are preserved and applied to the data as the block is inserted. As each block is read, the block description and accompanying entity data are evaluated, and then immediately written out to a temporary file. Any non- standard DXF block or entity description codes are noted via error messages. 24 As a block is inserted, the temporary block file is read, translated, and closed. ALCADMY does handle nested blocks with a maximum nesting depth of 40 blocks. The nesting limit is ALCADMY's limitation. When this nesting limit is reached, ALCADMY will not insert the defined block at the 41st nesting depth. This limitation will result in the loss of any data that would have been inserted beyond a depth of 40. However, a nesting depth of 10 is rare, and this limitation should present no problem to most DXF files. In accordance with normal block creations, a block may insert only a pre-existing block. Therefore, a block may not contain a recursive insert, nor can it insert a block that may cause a recursion. If recursion does result, ALCADMY will be placed into the defined recursive loop that will end when ALCADMY reaches its maximum nesting depth, severs the loop, and generates an error message. If this occurs, the translation results are unpredictable and the target file should be considered unreliable. As part of each block being defined, a unique Block name is supplied. ALCADMY uses this Block name as the name of the temporary file it creates to store the block's data. In accordance with standard DOS file naming conventions of up to 8 characters per filename, the user should likewise use a maximum of 8 characters per block name to insure filename uniqueness. If a block name exceeds 8 characters, ALCADMY uses an internal hashing sequence, based on the name supplied, to create a filename. While this sequence has shown itself to be highly effective, it cannot guarantee uniqueness. If 2 or more Block names hash out to the same character sequence, an error message will be generated alerting the user to the situation. Details on this message are given below in the Errors Section. Entity Section As defined in AutoCAD Release 9, permissible definitions in the Entity Section are as follows: (D) 3DFACE (D) DIMENSION * (D) SHAPE (D) 3DLINE (D) INSERT (D) SOLID (D) ARC (D) LINE (D) TEXT * (S) ATTDEF (D) POINT (D) TRACE (S) ATTRIB (D) POLYLINE (D) VERTEX (D) CIRCLE (S) SEQEND * - Does not effect the CADL file. (D) - Data Entity (S) - Support Entity The entities described below are not directly translatable into CADL data primitives. Therefore, each is described as to how ALCADMY represents the entity in the target file. 25 3Dface - ALCADMY will translate the 3Dface boundary coordinates into either a polygon (filled or unfilled, as defined by the fillmode), or into individual lines. The translation method used is discussed in the Features Section. Insert - Data entities in the block specified are individually placed, scaled, and rotated as defined by the Insert definition. NOTE: Arcs or circles input through an Insert command with unequal X and Y scaling factors will lose their original elliptical shapes. NOTE: All of the individual block entities may be placed into a CADL Group. This user option is discussed in the Features section. Polyline - A polyline is dissected into its individual line and/or arc segments for inclusion in the CADL target file. NOTE: All of the individual polyline segments may be placed into a CADL group. This user option is discussed in the Features section. NOTE: CADKEY 3.0 users - A CADL polyline can contain only line segments. Therefore, since a DXF polyline may contain arc information, it cannot be directly translated into a CADL polyline. NOTE: A 3D Mesh is defined as a polyline with a series of node points in rows and columns. These node points are the connected together with line segments. CADKEY 3.0 users - The 3D Mesh is translated into polygons with each of the node points defining a corner of the polygon. If there are less that 3 points that define the area, line segments are used. Solid - ALCADMY will translate the solid boundary coordinates into either a polygon (filled or unfilled, as defined by the fillmode), or into individual lines. The translation method used is discussed in the Features Section. 26 Trace - ALCADMY will translate the trace boundary coordinates into either a polygon (filled or unfilled, as defined by the fillmode), or into individual lines. The translation method used is discussed in the Features Section. Vertex - Each vertex entity defines one node point and the shape of a polyline segment. ALCADMY evaluates each vertex and connects them into the continuous shape originally drawn by the polyline. Features After the source and target files have been identified, several control questions must be answered for ALCADMY. These control questions help tailor the CADL file to the user's needs. With each question there is a default answer. If anything other than one of the displayed choices is given, the default answer is used. Below is a listing of each control question and how it affects the CADL target file. NOTE: At any time when answering the first four control features, the user may elect to abort the translation process by pressing the ESCAPE key (ESC). In doing so, ALCADMY will immediately terminate the present translation process and recall the main menu described above. -- For which CADKEY CADL version is this file being written? A - Version 2.0x B - Version 2.1x C - Version 3.01 D - Version 3.02 or later Enter your choice (A-D): [D] Differences in the selections: A: These early CADL versions have several commands that have since been replaced. While later versions may understand the older commands, these versions will not accept the new commands. Selection of this version will use the old CADL commands where appropriate. Additionally, these versions also cannot employ the GENDIM and POLYGON entities. Therefore, the DXF dimensions and planar entities are written out as individual lines and text as appropriate, but they cannot be grouped. The next feature discussed will not be offered with this selection. 27 B: These CADL versions cannot employ the GENDIM and POLYGON entities. Therefore, the DXF dimensions and planar entities are written out as individual lines and text as appropriate. However, the opportunity does exist to keep these structures bound via the CADL GROUP command entity. C or D: These CADL versions are capable of accepting dimensioning information as a separate entity. If the source DXF file does contain dimensions (DIMENSION), the information will be written as a CADL GENDIM. Any DXF planar entity (3DFACE, SOLID, and TRACE), will be written out as a CADL POLYGON. The solid and trace entities will be filled based upon the $FILLMODE command in the Header Section (default is ON). The fill color is white. NOTE: A DXF Dimension block with compound text involved may cause placement problems when translated into a CADL Gendim format. To correct this placement problem, the user may wish to place complex dimension data in a separate DXF file and translate it into a CADL version 2.1x format. NOTE: There is a differentiation between version 3.01 and later versions due to a correction in the interpretation of the text font definition. -- Group the individual blocks and polylines (Y/N)? [Y] In a DXF system, each block and polyline is normally considered a single entity until such time as the user breaks it apart. Since the CADL format does not have a data primitive equal to either of those entities, the singularity of each is usually lost. ALCADMY offers a method to retain the connectivity. Through the use of the Group command, the individual data pieces that represent the original block or polyline are reassociated in the CADL file. This group assignment has no other effect on the data piece other than to assign it to its unique group. Check your CAD reference manual for the ability of your system to accept group definitions. If a 2.0x CADL file is being written, or if the user decides not to group the DXF data, the group definition will still be written, but will be placed into a CADL remark. This remark has no effect on the execution of the target file. 28 NOTE: The CADL definition allows only 128 groups. Once that number is exceeded, any additional polylines, dimensions, or blocks that are inserted will be input as individual data pieces with no grouping. The group definitions for blocks will continue to be written, but will be placed in a CADL remark as discussed above. NOTE: If a version 3.0x target file is not being made, up to 255 dimensions will be placed into a single group with each dimension being defined on an independent subgroup. This reduces the number of groups required on a heavily dimensioned design. Please note however, some CADKEY versions contain a bug that does not recognize the subgrouping definition in a CADL file and places all subgroups in subgroup 1. If this condition exists, the entire group may need to be broken down into the individual components for any editing. -- Preserve the thickness of the entities (Y/N)? [Y] This feature permits the user to preserve a DXF entity's assigned thickness. Since CADL entities have no thickness value, ALCADMY will create the initial entity at the appropriate location, create a duplicate entity at the correct thickness height, and then create CADL lines connecting the end points of the original to the duplicate entities. The effect of this operation is similar to using the CADKEY X-FORM command with the JOIN option with a Z-plane displacement of an entity. NOTE: In the case of arcs and circles, lines will also be drawn at specified intervals around the curved path to give an appearance similar to a DXF arc or circle with a thickness. NOTE: Some DXF entities may have a thickness assigned but it is not displayed or plotted (e.g. 3DLINE, 3DFACE). ALCADMY will ignore these thicknesses as they would be in an AutoCAD display. -- Add insert and polyline remarks to the file (Y/N)? [N] This feature offers the user the option of having the beginning and ending of every INSERT and POLYLINE marked with a CADL REMark. In the case of an INSERT, the depth of the INSERT is also included in the REMark. This feature will aid the user in a entity by entity comparison between the source and target files. NOTE: Heavy use of BLOCKs and nested BLOCKs can add significantly to the size of the target file. 29 -- Select the font for all text data: 1 - Box 2 - Slant 3 - Bold 4 - S Bold 5 - Bold2 6 - S Bold2 Enter your choice (1-6): [1] When ALCADMY encounters the first DXF text entity either in block data or as an independent entity, this control feature will be generated. Since DXF fonts are dependent on external definition files, there are no CADL equivalencies to the unlimited number of DXF fonts that may be used. Therefore, the user may choose the CADL font for all of the text definitions. Check your CAD reference manual for your system's definition on font assignments. Entity Attributes If a block contains entities assigned to the base layer "0", these entities attributes "float" up through the nested block insertions until a layer other than "0" is used. The attributes are then "fixed" to that of the non-"0" layer. The attributes that are included in the entity definition do not float. Only if layer "0" is used throughout the nesting will its attributes be used for the entity. Layers ALCADMY preserves the layer assignments made to the data entities. As each of the DXF layers is declared, it is assigned a CADL level number. During subsequent entity definitions, the layer assignment is made by reference to the layer name. ALCADMY associates the layer name to the attached level number for level assignment in the target file. ALCADMY maintains the "floating" layer assignments discussed above. If the source file should define more than 256 layers, error messages will be generated as to the fact, and any entities residing on those layers will be placed on level 1. This limitation is imposed by the CADL definition for the maximum number of allowable levels. NOTE: The terms "level" and "layer" are synonymous and refer to the same drawing overlays that can be displayed or hidden. In keeping with CADL and DXF definitions, the term "level" will be used when referring to CADL structuring, and "layer" for DXF structuring. 30 Colors ALCADMY preserves the color assignments made to all data entities. The colors are mapped from those used in AutoCAD Release 9 into those used in CADKEY (v3.12). The color of an entity may be assigned as part of its definition. If it is not assigned as part of the entity definition, it uses the color of the layer upon which it resides. ALCADMY maintains this assignment priority along with the "floating" assignments discussed above. Linetypes ALCADMY preserves the linetype assignments as discussed in the Table Section above. The linetype of an entity may be assigned as part of its definition. If it is not assigned as part of the entity definition, it uses the linetype of the layer upon which it resides. ALCADMY maintains this assignment priority along with the "floating" assignments discussed above. Temporary Files ALCADMY generates a temporary file for each of the block definitions. There is no ALCADMY limit as to the size of each block in the source file. However, the user should insure no operating system limitation can be exceeded by writing these files to the default disk. Reaching any limitation may cause abnormal program termination or an incomplete target file. System Limitations To insure a complete translation, the user should work within the following ALCADMY DXF to CADL limitations. 1. The linetype names defined and used should conform to those referenced in the Linetype Table above. 2. No more than 256 layers should be defined and used. 3. Blocks may not nest to a depth greater than 40. Any references exceeding these limitation will cause errors to appear as detailed below. Messages The following is a listing of the possible error messages that may be generated within ALCADMY in the course of translating a DXF file. The error-checking process has been installed at the points in the translation process causing the more common problems. Not all errors can be predicted and corrected from within the program. Therefore, should a translation not terminate normally, or should the drawing of the CADL file not resemble the original that produced the DXF file, the user should check the source file for any unusual input. 31 When displaying errors/problems to the screen, ALCADMY will also use the colors red or green text for the message. The red messages may be considered errors and the green messages as warnings. Red messages indicate a situation which may seriously affect the translation validity of the target file being written. Green messages indicate the detection of a situation which should pose no problem to the translation process. These green messages may be generated by the omission of some data, ALCADMY being unable to understand the data it is being passed, or a situation which ALCADMY can correct for internally. 1. Block nesting depth exceeds 40 (block_name) Inserts of block data are often nested, meaning one data block will insert another that contains additional data. The DXF definition does not place a limit on the depth of these nestings. ALCADMY does however, impose a maximum nesting limitation of 40 deep. If the above message is generated, an attempt for deeper nesting has been made. The "block_name" included in the error message identifies the block originating the nesting. The result on the translation is that the inserts beyond the depth limitation of 40 are disregarded and will be missing from the target file. Possible causes are: a. The blocks do nest beyond the 40 depth limit. b. The blocks cause a recursive nesting, putting itself into an infinite loop that is severed by ALCADMY when reaching a depth of 40. NOTE: A block may insert only a pre-existing block. Therefore, a block may not attempt to insert itself, nor can it insert another block that will insert the original block. The result of any such recursive inserts is a continually deepening nest of insertions that will be severed at the nesting depth of 40. The result of a recursive insert is normally a large, confusing target file. SOLUTION: Track block nestings to insure the depth does not exceed 40. Those that do should be broken into smaller inserts to reduce the block nesting number. Check the block inserts for any recursion. 32 2. Duplicate block file (block name). Each Block must be defined with a unique name. ALCADMY uses this name to create a temporary file to store the block data. If the block name exceeds 8 characters, ALCADMY uses an internal hashing sequence to create the file name to be used for the block. While this sequence has shown to be highly effective, it cannot guarantee uniqueness to every block name combination. When ALCADMY encounters a new block and determines the filename to be used, it attempts to create the temporary block file. If a file with this name already exists, the above message is generated, supplying the name of the block causing the duplicate. Possible causes are: a. The target file has blocks with the same name. b. The hashing sequence used by ALCADMY has created the same name for two blocks with more than 8 characters. SOLUTION: Insure all blocks are uniquely named and alter the name of the block(s) mentioned in the message. NOTE: If a block name is changed, all INSERTs referencing that block must also reflect the change. 3. Group code [code2] read, [code1] expected The DXF format definition is very specific as to the ordering of certain pieces of file data. Therefore, as these format requirements are encountered, ALCADMY expects the source file to follow the definition. If the file does not contain the code expected, the above message is generated. The message supplies the expected value as [code1] and the actual value which has been read in the file as [code2]. Possible causes are: a. Source file is only a partial DXF file and is possibly missing sections. b. Group codes used are different than those specified by the DXF definition. SOLUTION: Check the source file for a non-DXF standard group code placement. This error normally occurs at the beginning or ending of the DXF sections. 4. Insert with undefined block name (block_name) Every insert entity must specify (by name) the block that is to be placed into the drawing. When ALCADMY encounters an insert, it attempts to locate its temporary file that defines the specified block. The block_name given in parentheses is the name specified by the insert entity. The above message is generated when the temporary file cannot be found. Possible causes are: 33 a. The block specified does not exist in the source file. b. The block file could not be written to the default drive. SOLUTION: Compare the block names in the insert definitions with those used in the Block Table. Check the condition of the default drive. 5. Invalid entity (entity_type) in block [block_name] The data entities contained in all blocks are declared in the same format as those of the date entities in the Entity Section. As each entity is defined, the first parameter states the entity type being defined. ALCADMY 1 evaluates this declaration and compares it against the list of legal entity types (See Entity Section above). If no match is found, the above message is generated. The "entity_type" supplies the parameter read, and "block_name" supplies the name of the block in which the unknown parameter was found. Possible causes are: a. The entity defined is spelled incorrectly. b. The entity defined is unknown to ALCADMY. SOLUTION: Check the block indicated for the entity identified and correct the parameter to a legal DXF entity name. NOTE: An entity that cannot be identified is not included in the target file. This error should not effect any other entity. 6. Invalid entity (entity_type) in Entity Section As each entity is defined, the first parameter states the entity type being defined. ALCADMY evaluates this declaration and compares it against the list of legal entity types (See Entity Section above). If no match is found, the above message is generated. The "entity_type" supplies the parameter value read. Possible causes are: a. The entity defined is spelled incorrectly. b. The entity defined is unknown to ALCADMY. SOLUTION: Check the Entity Section for the entity identified and correct the parameter to a legal DXF entity name. NOTE: An entity that cannot be identified is not included in the target file. This error should not effect any other entity. 34 7. Invalid HEADER code read (code) The file commands in the Header Section are read and evaluated by ALCADMY. Any non-standard parameter codes will generate the above message with the unknown code value in parentheses. The commands themselves should have no effect on the translation process since only the command to set the active layer has a CADL equivalency. This command is translated, but does not effect any of the entities during the translation process. Possible causes are: a. Illegal parameter code generated in source file. b. Preceding parameter was incorrectly declared and may have used two lines. This may place ALCADMY out of sequence with the source file. SOLUTION: Check the Header Section for the non-standard code and correct as necessary. Also check the preceding parameters. 8. Invalid LAYER code read (code) Every parameter in a layer definition is preceded by an indexing code to identify the significance of the parameter value. These codes are specific and well- defined. When a non-standard code is read, the above message is generated with the unknown code value in parentheses. This error will have unknown effects on the entities that will reside on it. Possible causes are: a. Illegal parameter code generated in source file. b. Preceding parameter was incorrectly declared and may have used two lines. This may place ALCADMY out of sequence with the source file. SOLUTION: Check the layer definitions for the non- standard code and correct as necessary. Also check the preceding parameters. 9. Invalid LINETYPE code read (code) The linetype definitions are read and evaluated by ALCADMY. Any non-standard parameter codes will generate the above message with the unknown code value in parentheses. The definitions themselves should have no effect on the translation process, since only the linetype name has any importance to ALCADMY. Reference the Linetype Table above for the list of usable linetype names. Possible causes are: a. Illegal parameter code generated in source file. b. Preceding parameter was incorrectly declared and may have used two lines. This may place ALCADMY out of sequence with the source file. 35 SOLUTION: Check the linetype definitions for the non- standard code and correct as necessary. Also check the preceding parameters. 10. Invalid STYLE code read (code) The style definitions are read and evaluated by ALCADMY. Any non-standard parameter codes will generate the above message with the unknown code value in parentheses. The definitions themselves should have no effect on the translation process. ALCADMY does not use any of the DXF fonts for the text data. Possible causes are: a. Illegal parameter code generated in source file. b. The preceding parameter was incorrectly declared and may have used two lines. This declaration may place ALCADMY out of sequence with the source file. SOLUTION: Check the style definitions for the non- standard code and correct as necessary. Also check the preceding parameters. 11. Invalid VIEW code read (code) The view definitions are read and evaluated by ALCADMY. Any non-standard parameter codes will generate the above message with the unknown code value in parentheses. The definitions themselves should have no effect on the translation process. ALCADMY does not use any of the preset DXF views for entity definition. Possible causes are: a. Illegal parameter code generated in source file. b. Preceding parameter was incorrectly declared and may have used two lines. This may place ALCADMY out of sequence with the source file. SOLUTION: Check the view definitions for the non-standard code and correct as necessary. Also check the preceding parameters. 12. Layer definitions exceed 256 (layer_name) The CADL definition specifies a maximum of 256 levels. Therefore, ALCADMY will map only the first 256 layer definitions into the target file. Layer definitions beyond the 256 limit will generate the above message. The name of the layer exceeding the limit will be shown in parentheses. Any entities that are defined on the named layer will be reassigned to level 1 in the target file. Possible cause is: a. More than 256 layers defined. 36 SOLUTION: Reassign those entities on the layers beyond the 256 limit to a lower numbered layer. Any layer is not being used to hold an entity should be deleted from the DXF file. 13. Polyline and/or attribute nested The polyline and attribute are complex entities that use the SEQEND entity as an end-of-entity marker. If any entity definition is started while a complex entity definition is still active, the above message is generated. A complex entity is considered active until a SEQEND is encountered. The effect of the error cannot be determined due to the different entity combinations that may cause the problem. Possible causes are: a. A complex entity was not terminated by a SEQEND. b. The entities are nested illegally. SOLUTION: Check the complex entities for a SEQEND to end the entity. Insure no nesting exists. NOTE: ALCADMY does not translate the Attrib entity which may or may not be included as part of another complex data type. If an Attrib entity is used in the definition of a polyline, this error will be generated even though no true error exists. 14. Seqend without a beginning entity The seqend entity is used to mark the end of a complex entity definition such as the polyline or attribute entities. If ALCADMY encounters a seqend that does not terminate any currently active complex entity definition, the above message is generated. The error should have no effect on the translation process if the seqend is an isolated entity. Possible causes are: a. A complex entity was incorrectly generated. b. An isolated seqend was included in the source file. SOLUTION: Check the complex entities for a seqend to end the entity definition. Check for any isolated seqend entities. 15. Unable to open dimension file (block_name) The dimension entity references a defined block of data defined in the Block Section of the source file. The block of data has a name that is used as the temporary file name by ALCADMY. If ALCADMY cannot find the temporary file, the above message is generated with the name of the requested dimension block in parentheses. The effect of this error is that the dimension will not be included in the target file. Possible causes are: 37 a. The named dimension block was never declared in the Block Section, or it is misspelled. b. The named block was declared, but its name contained characters not allowed by normal DOS file naming conventions. c. The temporary block file was never written due to a system limitation. SOLUTION: Check the block names in the Block Section and the insert entities for any inconsistencies or DOS conflicts. Check the access and available space on the default drive. NOTE: Dimension block names are normally preceded by an asterisk (*) to distinguish them as system-created blocks as opposed to user-created blocks. The asterisk will be stripped by ALCADMY prior to creating or reading a temporary block file. 16. Unable to open block file (block_name) The insert entity takes a predefined block of data and scales, rotates, and places it at a desired point. The block of data has a name and is stored in a temporary file on the default disk. If ALCADMY cannot find the specified temporary file, the above message is generated with the name of the requested block in parentheses. The effect of this error is that the block will not be included in the target file. Possible causes are: a. The named block was never declared in the Block Section, or it is misspelled. b. The named block was declared, but its name contained characters not allowed by normal DOS file naming conventions. c. The temporary block file was never written due to a system limitation. SOLUTION: Check the block names in the Block Section and the insert entities for any inconsistencies or DOS conflicts. Check the access and available space on the default drive. 17. Undefined layer referenced (layer_name) Every entity definition must include a layer assignment. If the definition defines the layer name as one that was not declared in the Layer Table, the above message is generated with the referenced layer in parentheses. If fewer than 256 layers have been defined, this error will place the named layer in the list of declared layer names and assign it a corresponding CADL level number. This may place entities on undesired levels. Possible causes are: 38 a. Layer referenced in entity definition is misspelled. b. Layer referenced in entity definition is correct, but was not defined in the Layer Table. c. The layer was misspelled in the Layer Table. SOLUTION: Check both the Layer Table and the entity definitions for layer name inconsistencies. 18. Unable to write block file (block_name) As blocks are declared in the Block Section, each is written to the default drive as a temporary file. If the the file cannot be written, the above message is generated with the name of the block in parentheses. The effect of this error is that any attempt to insert the block will result in the file not being found, resulting in the exclusion of the block from the target file. Reference error 16. Possible causes are: a. Cannot access the default drive. b. Default drive is full. SOLUTION: Insure the default drive is accessible and there is sufficient space to contain the temporary files. 19. [Parameter2] read, [parameter1] expected The DXF format has specific requirements as to the sequence of sections and included tables. ALCADMY expects this sequence to be followed. When a non- standard or an out-of-sequence parameter is read, the above message is generated. The message supplies the expected and the parameters read for analysis. The effect of this error on the target file is unknown. Possible causes are: a. Parameters not in standard DXF sequence. b. Non-standard parameter in source file. SOLUTION: Check the source file sequence against the DXF format definition and correct any errors. 39 ADDITIONAL USES ALCADMY provides a superior means of translating CAD data between the DXF and CADL formats. However, it may also prove to be highly useful when staying in one of these formats. Two excellent examples are supplied below: 1. Working in the CADL format There is often need to convert a drawing into strictly line data (e.g. some analysis packages can work only with lines). ALCADMY offers a fast and simple solution to this conversion problem. By translating the drawing's CADL file into a 3D version 2.5x DXF file, all of the arcs, circles, polygons, polylines and splines will be approximated as line data. ALCADMY can then translate the new DXF file back into a version 2.1x CADL file. The result is a CADL file containing only lines. NOTE: This assumes no points or text data were in the original file. 2. Working in the DXF format Trying to edit a complex drawing composed primarily of blocks can be a very time consuming, if not an impossible task. The individual entities that make up a block are not directly editable, since there may be other instances of the same block in the drawing. A simple solution to this problem is to use ALCADMY. By translating the drawing's DXF file into a CADL file, each block insertion will have been reduced to the individual block entities. ALCADMY can then translate the new CADL file back into another DXF file. The result is a DXF file containing only individual entities, each defining its own layer, color, and linetype. NOTE: Any polylines in the original DXF file will be broken down into the individual line and arc components. ______________________________________________________ | | Mail to: | ALCADMY (v3.1) Registration DATE:________________ | _____________________ | || | | Name: __________________________________________ || | | || CADAMA Design Group | | Company: _______________________________________ || | | || 831 Turnberry Cv S. | | Address: _______________________________________ || | | || Niceville, Fl 32578 | | City: _______________ State/Province: __________ || | | || U.S.A. | | Country: ___________________ Zip: _____________ ||_____________________| | | | PC based CAD Systems and versions: | | | | CADKEY (v____________) AutoCAD (v____________) | | | | other: _________________________ (v____________) | | | | others: (Please list on back) | | | | ALCADMY was received through (check one): | | | | CADKEY, Inc. ______ | | | | CADAMA Design Group ______ | | | | other (specify) ________________________________ | | | | ________________________________________________ | |______________________________________________________|