PtwAcad

Instruction for use of the PTW interface from AutoCad 2000-2007

PTW has extended AutoCad to allow PTW customers when using AutoCad to convert
PTW generated .dxf files (onelines, tcc’s, reports and schedules) to drawings and also
update any Autocad external references to .dwg files.

The extensions are in files targeted for yearly releases of AutoCad.

PtwAcad2002.arx
PtwAcad2004-5-6.arx
PtwAcad2007.arx

The text ‘PtwAcadxxxx’ refers to the file from above appropriate for you AutoCad yearly
release.

Installation

AutoCad has 2 methods to add program extensions.

Method 1 – manual method, done once for every startup of Autocad

From the AutoCad command line

Command: appload
A ‘Load/Unload Applications’ dialog appears.
Select from the PTW directory ‘PtwAcadxxxx.arx’
Default PTW installation: C:\PTW32\bin\PtwAcadxxxx.arx
Press the ‘Load’ button on the dialog.
At the bottom of the dialog you should see ‘PtwAcadxxxx.arx successfully loaded’.
Exit the dialog.
At the Autocad command prompt, enter “SKM”
You should see “Select an option [Updatexref Dxftodwg]:”

Method 2 – modify configuration file so that the extensions are loaded automatically

Shut down Autocad if running.

Open if existing or create the Autocad configuration file ‘acad.rx’
The ‘acad.rx’ file should be in the ‘Start in’ directory shown in the Autocad shortcut
property page. Usually it will be the default Autocad installation directory.
default Acad installation: "C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2002\acad.exe"
Add to the ‘acad.rx’ configuration file the path name to the ‘PtwAcadxxxx.arx file’
default PTW installation: “C:\PTW32\BIN\PtwAcad.arx”
Save the file.
To test the Ptw to Autocad extension start Autocad.
At the Autocad command prompt, enter “SKM”
You should see “Select an option [Updatexref Dxftodwg]:”
Usage

Assuming you have installed correctly the Ptw to Acad extension

‘Updatexref’

The current Autocad drawing will be scanned for external references ‘Xrefs’
Any xrefs that are not up to date will be reloaded.
Up to date is defined as a external reference to a Autocad drawing (.dwg) that has a
corresponding data exchange format (.dxf file generated by PTW) with an earlier last
modified timestamp.
If the .dxf file is older than the .dwg file, the .dwg is recreated from the .dxf file and
reloaded into the Autocad drawing xref.

‘DxfToDwg’

To create an xref, a drawing file (.dwg) is referenced by the xref.

PTW creates .dxf files but not .dwg files needed by the xref.
The Autocad extension supplied by PTW will scan for all .dxf files in a PTW project
directory and convert them to .dwg files.
Once converted, the .dwg files can be attached to a xref from within Autocad.