Issue
Some drawings (especially those created in programs like LDD, Civil, Civil 3D, AutoCAD Architecture, etc) can contain objects that do not display when opened in other programs. For example, surface models created in AutoCAD Civil 3D may contain special Contour entities which look fine in Civil 3D but do not appear when the drawing is opened in AutoCAD or IntelliCAD. On opening that drawing, you probably see a message about "Proxy entities" being detected.
Cause
Some programs use special objects that are not standard CAD entities to add extra functionality to specific objects drawn in that program. Because these objects are not standard CAD entities, other programs besides the one in which they were created may not know how to display, modify, and/or interact with them.
Some programs can display some of these objects as a "Proxy Object" which provides basic display abilities, but nothing more. Some proxy objects may be viewable, while others may not be - all depending on the program they are being viewed in.
Solution
2018 Object Enablers only get installed into the AutoDesk folder, therefore they do not currently work with EmbeddedCAD 2018 as it uses a seperate folder.
Some manufacturers provide a set of tools called "Object Enablers" which can add the capability to view and in some cases edit these non-standard objects outside of the specific program in which they were created.
If you are using AutoCAD software (either MicroSurvey embeddedCAD or AutoCAD with MicroSurvey inCAD added), you can download and install various "Object Enablers" into your program, thereby adding these advanced object types to your program.
First, you must determine exactly which Object Enabler(s) you need. Typically this is a simple matter of asking the engineer or client who provided you the drawing, what program was used to create it. You may also be able to determine its source from the message that appears when opening a drawing containing Proxy Entities, or by Listing one or more of these entities.
Once you know what program the objects originated in, you can investigate whether an Object Enabler is available for it. Visit that software manufacturer's website and search through their Downloads section. It is important to note that not all software manufacturers will provide object enablers, and not all applications may be able to use those object enablers.
Autodesk, Inc. maintains a download page for all Object Enablers since R14, which you can access here. These Object Enablers can be installed directly into your AutoCAD software, including MicroSurvey embeddedCAD 2012.
Leica Geosystems Inc. provides a program called Cyclone Object Exchange for AutoCAD which Cyclone customers can download here. This can be installed directly into your AutoCAD software, but not into MicroSurvey embeddedCAD.
This list will be expanded as necessary.
The above links will take you to third party websites, which may change without notice.
Brian Sloman
Comments