This section refers to settings that apply to all data formats except Impact’s own native file format. It is followed by a list of supported formats that can be switched on or off depending on whether or not this particular settings configuration should be available for that file format. Some of these other formats have settings that are specific to that format. These are detailed below.
Non-native Export
Precision
Decimal places
Enter the number of decimal that should be output for real numbers.
Visibility
Use visibility settings
Switch this option on to make the export operation obey the current visibility settings. For example, palettes that are not currently visible will not be exported. Otherwise, everything will be exported.
It should also be noted that if this option is switched off then, for file formats that support them, bridges will be exported regardless of whether they are visible or not.
Apply visibility settings
Use this option to apply some saved visibility settings to the drawing before performing the export operation.
Blocks
Explode blocks and symbols
Switch this option on to explode all blocks and symbols, leaving only top-level geometry, regardless of how many levels of block structure the export format supports.
Retain layer inserts
Switch this option on to prevent layer inserts from being exploded along with all the other blocks.
Explode symbols only
Switch this option on to explode all symbols, but not other blocks. This option is only available if the Explode blocks and symbols is switched off.
Maximum nesting level
Enter the maximum number of block levels that should be output. Blocks that are nested deeper than the specified level will be exploded into the deepest possible level.
If this value is left as zero, then the default number of levels for the chosen file format will be used. For example the default for DDES2 is 1, but the default for DDES3 is 10.
For example, if a drawing layer has a block insert called ‘RTE’ which contains a sub-block insert called ‘TUCK’ and this contains a sub-block insert called ‘TUCK-TOP’ then this drawing could be considered to have 3 levels of nesting:-
RTE
TUCK
TUCK-TOP
If this drawing is exported with maximum nesting level set to 2, then all of the entities in the sub-block ‘TUCK-TOP’ will be copied into the sub-block ‘TUCK’ and the resulting drawing will have the following structure:-
RTE
TUCK
However, if the drawing were to be exported with maximum nesting level set to 1, then all of the entities in sub-blocks ‘TUCK-TOP’ and ‘TUCK’ would be copied into ‘RTE’.
Override visibility of sub-block dimensions and text (for step–and-repeat)
When exporting a layout that contains text and dimensions in sub-blocks Impact will normally only export the text and dimensions in the first occurrence of the sub-block, unless the visibility is set to Show sub-block text and dimension entities. This means that two different blocks will be created to distinguish between them. This is wrong for step-and-repeat machines, as they require a single block. Switch this option on to force a single block to be created.
Geometry
Face
From the pulldown list choose one of the following:-
- As actual
- As viewed
- Print-face
- Die-face
This will define the visible face of the exported drawing.
Export both faces
Switch this option on if you want to export both the Print-face and the Die-face sides of the layer. (These names will vary depending on the terminology in use, as defined in Environment Options - Database Operation - Terminology). Switching this option on will enable the Multiple layers option on the Export page.
If mirror is required
Select the desired radio button:-
- Mirror about x-axis
- Mirror about y-axis
If the setting specified for the Face requires a mirror to be applied to the exported data (for instance if the drawing has been designed as print-face and it is required to export as die-face) then this setting defines which axis to mirror about.
Apply scale factor
From the pulldown list select the required one.
- None
- Inches -> mm (25.4)
- mm -> Inches (1/25.4)
- Specified
Scale factor
If Specified was chosen above, then this option is enabled and you can enter a non-negative value.
The scale factor will be applied to the exported geometry.
Explode mirrored text
This option will cause any text entities that would be mirrored on export to be exploded into geometric entities. This is particularly useful when exporting to data formats that don’t support mirrored text.
Bridges
Suppress bridges
Switch this option on to prevent bridges being exported.
Suppress holding bridges
Switch this option on to prevent holding bridges being exported.
Explode to 1-2-1 bridges
Switch this option on to split up entities that have non-standard bridges so that the resulting entities have bridges spaced in the 1-2-1 pattern and the bridge positions are the same as in the original entity.
This option is particularly useful when exporting to data formats that only support 1-2-1 bridges. It is only valid for data formats that support bridges.
If the option is switched off, then entities that have non-standard bridges will be split into entities and gaps, so the bridge data will be lost.
Warn on changing bridges
If it has been necessary to explode any entities because of non-standard bridges then switching this option on should cause a warning message to be displayed.
If the option Explode to 1-2-1 bridges has been selected then this option is unavailable.
Warn on 1-2-1 explode
This option will be available if the Explode to 1-2-1 bridges has been selected.
If it has been necessary to explode any entities in such a manner then this option will cause a message to be displayed.
Suppress bridges smaller than
Select this option and enter a value. Any bridges shorter than the value entered will not be exported.
Palettes
Explode
You can explode palettes in one of two ways:-
- Manufacturing Information - Switch this option on to explode entities whose entity type is set to Combination, Zippered, Wave, ZigZag or Cascade into their constituent parts. However, combination entities (such as Cut/Crease) will be exploded using the Rule Type settings in the Palette Attributes. For example, if the Crease part of the attribute has Explode on output set to False and the Cut part of the attribute has it set to True, then exploded entities will consist of a full-length crease entity and several short cut entities. Typically, this would be how you'd exploded a palette when exporting to a sample table.
- Palette Composition - Switch this option on to explode entities whose entity type is set to Combination, Zippered, Wave, ZigZag or Cascade into their constituent parts. This will be done regardless of the Palette Attribute settings and gives the same results that you get using the Edit > Explode tool with the Palette Composition option switched on.
Skip unmatched palettes
If there are palettes in the drawing that do not have an entry in the palette mapping table, this option defines how they should be treated. Normally, entities assigned to these palettes will be exported will some default attributes (such as line type 0). Switching this option prevents means that entities assigned these palettes will not be exported at all.