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Based on established, international standards for common objects in the building industry, the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file format provides an interoperability solution between different software applications for reducing the loss of information when files are transmitted. AutoCAD MEP is IFC-certified for importing and exporting version 2x3 IFC files. IFC files from versions 2x2 and 2x can also be imported if the data is compatible with 2x3 and is consistent with implementation agreements as defined for the IFC 2x3 coordination view. IFC certification enhances your ability to share project information across disciplines and technical applications over the life of the project. For example, building models drawn in AutoCAD Architecture are saved to a DWG file format. You can export the drawing using the IFC format to an IFC-certified application that could not otherwise open a DWG file like Revit. Likewise, you can import an IFC file that was in a format like Revit and work on that drawing in AutoCAD MEP

When you export a drawing to IFC, a file is created with information you specify for project name, project number, location of the file, and any external references (xrefs).The IFC file structure at export is hierarchical with 4 defined levels as shown.Even though the IFC file structure is not visible in AutoCAD MEP, it governs the files created when an IFC file is imported.To see how to import this IFC file into Revit, go to my Revit MEP blog at www.revitmep.blogspot.com

Don't have AutoCAD? No problem. DWG TrueView is a FREE download program to accurately view, plot, and publish authentic DWG and DWF files. And now, DWG TrueView incorporates all the functionality of DWG TrueConvert. This means you can translate any AutoCAD or AutoCAD-based drawing file for compatibility with AutoCAD Release 14 through AutoCAD 2008. It is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.Download it by clicking Here

• Share AutoCAD drawings easily and accurately among engineers and architects.
• View and plot DWG and DXF files, and then publish them as DWF files for quick and easy review and markup in Autodesk Design Review.
• Publish 3D DWF files.
• Get full support for the new AutoCAD 2008 drawing enhancements.
• Ensure the integrity and reliability of your data.
• Always get full drawing fidelity because the viewer is built on the same viewing technology as AutoCAD 2008 software.
• Incorporates all the TrueConvert functionality to convert sets of drawings from new versions of AutoCAD to older versions and vice versa
• Add page set-up information during the conversion process
• Use the AutoCAD eTransmit technology to bundle a complete file set for conversion

DWG TrueConvert software translates DWG files created with AutoCAD R14 (or later) to AutoCAD R14, AutoCAD 2000, AutoCAD 2004, and AutoCAD 2007 DWG file formats, as well as to AutoCAD LT 98, 2000, 2004, and 2007 DWG file formats. You can convert any version of DWG files created with AutoCAD-based products using the DWG TrueView software.You do not need to have AutoCAD 2008 or AutoCAD LT 2008 installed on your computer to run the DWG TrueView software. You can install and run the DWG TrueView software with or without any version of AutoCAD installed on your machine.The DWG TrueView software is very reliable in converting older DWG files to AutoCAD 2007 DWG file formats. The DWG TrueView software uses the same DWG engine as AutoCAD does to convert DWG files. Therefore you can expect precisely the same output as the software Save As command.DWG TrueView software cannot be used to convert DWG files to other file formats such as DXF or DWF format. DWG TrueView software only converts DWG files to newer or older versions of the DWG file format.When you create custom objects in AutoCAD DWG files and save your drawing with proxy graphics turned on, you can convert these drawings and maintain visual fidelity of the custom objects. However, you cannot edit the drawing in other releases. To modify custom objects in other releases, explode the custom objects in the drawing before you convert it.If you want to convert drawings created with AutoCAD Architecture or AutoCAD MEP software, use the Save to AutoCAD DWG feature before you convert the drawing. It will break the intelligence of the objects, but users will be able to read them. For drawings that contain custom objects, it is recommended that you do not use the DWG TrueView software to convert them to a newer release. When a drawing that contains custom objects is converted, the custom objects themselves are not converted. Unexpected results might occur if you attempt to open the converted drawing in a custom object application.

Sharing drawings is necessary in many stages of the drawing development cycle. For example, you may be asked to add a mechanical, electrical, or plumbing system to a drawing that was created in another software program. AutoCAD MEP provides an object enabler so that you can work with custom objects contained in the drawing. If you open a drawing that includes a custom object that was not drawn in AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD MEP installs an object enabler, if one is available. If an object enabler is not available, the software uses proxy graphics to display objects. You can enable proxy graphics in the Options dialog. Enablers are collaboration utilities that allow users of other Autodesk products to view and manipulate objects created in AutoCAD MEP. Enablers use ObjectDBX technology to allow object data created in AutoCAD MEP to be accessed outside its native environment. This provides data accessibility for design teams that create and receive AutoCAD MEP files. If you open an AutoCAD MEP drawing that contains an object created in a different Autodesk product, AutoCAD MEP can automatically check http://www.autodesk.com for an object enabler to use to display the object. If it fails to find one, the object is displayed using proxy graphics instead. To control whether AutoCAD MEP checks for object enablers, use the Live Enabler options on the System tab of the Options dialog. You can also manually check for object enablers at http://www.autodesk.com/enablers. If a LiveEnabler is not available for an object, the object may be replaced with a proxy graphic. A proxy graphic is a placeholder that represents the object. This placeholder does not have the full display or attributes of the object. When proxy objects are drawn, AutoCAD MEP displays the Proxy Information dialog. The dialog gives you the following information: · The total number of graphical and non-graphical proxy objects in the drawing · The name of the missing application · The proxy object type and display state You can use the Proxy Information dialog to control the display of proxy objects. You can create a new version of a drawing file with all AutoCAD MEP objects exploded into basic AutoCAD objects. The new version of the drawing loses the intelligence of the AutoCAD MEP objects, but the resulting basic objects can be displayed and accessed in earlier versions of AutoCAD when object enablers are not available for those versions. When you export an AutoCAD MEP drawing to AutoCAD, all objects in the drawing are converted to AutoCAD linework. Reference drawing geometry is converted to linework in a block reference. If you want to remove the block reference, use the explode command to convert the block reference to active linework. Whether you export a drawing to AutoCAD or DXF format, the layers, colors, and linetypes of the AutoCAD MEP objects are preserved in the new drawing. If you export a drawing with multiple viewports in paper space, the annotative objects are exploded into multiple blocks, one for each viewport, in order to maintain visual fidelity. You can export annotative AutoCAD objects in the same way by selecting Maintain visual fidelity for annotative objects on the Open and Save tab in the Options dialog. For more information, see “Save a Drawing” in the AutoCAD Help. Beginning with AutoCAD 2008, if you open an exported AutoCAD MEP drawing in AutoCAD, the AutoCAD objects that were annotative prior to export are converted to annotative objects.