TheyCallMeJohn Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Hello Everyone, I was wondering if someone could offer some advice. We have some dynamic blocks that we have put a lot of hard work and development into but unfortunately they keep showing up in our competitors drawings and models. Does anyone know of a way to lock a dynamic block or remove it parameters without exploding them? (If you explode you drastically increase the files size.) Can you copyright/trademark a dynamic block? Your knowledge and guidance is always appreciated. John Quote
tzframpton Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Explode everything before sending, IF you are required to hand out CAD files. If you don't have to hand over CAD files, PDF them! Quote
TheyCallMeJohn Posted October 15, 2011 Author Posted October 15, 2011 It is for BIM coordination so we must send out DWGs. If we explode everything it it doubles the files size. Any other suggestions? Quote
ReMark Posted October 15, 2011 Posted October 15, 2011 Create a jpg of each dynamic block and substitute that for the real thing. Quote
TheyCallMeJohn Posted October 15, 2011 Author Posted October 15, 2011 Create a jpg of each dynamic block and substitute that for the real thing. How do you that with a 3D block with varying dimensions, lengths and angles... Quote
tzframpton Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 How do you that with a 3D block with varying dimensions, lengths and angles... To be honest, I have never heard of protecting any individual item or entity contained within a single DWG file. If it's for BIM coordination then why not export to a 3D DWFx file if Navisworks or AutoCAD is used, or export to an IFC file if Revit is used. That's the only advice I can give you. Bottom line is this: If you give someone a DWG file, they have full access to that file - period. There are programs out there that can password protect an entire DWG file, but not an individual entity housed inside the file. The only other thing I can think of is a programmer being able to code something up that can do the trick, other than that you're out of luck if it's OOTB AutoCAD. Sorry. :'-( Quote
Organic Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 Explode everything before sending, IF you are required to hand out CAD files. If you don't have to hand over CAD files, PDF them! If we are sent exploded drawings it gets sent right back. Quote
ReMark Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 You asked about a dynamic block. You said nothing about a 3D block. Quote
Guest angelea Posted October 27, 2011 Posted October 27, 2011 There isn't any solution for this problem. How about sending the file as a attachment? Quote
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