Cleaning and Optimizing Your Autocad Files - Part 1

A lot of times, we find our cad files end up of being much larger than they should be. Some are the results of such frustration.

• File Lagging when opening the drawing
• It takes time to open the file
• Unable to save or resave
• Hanging for a long time
• Cant copy or paste an object
• Program shutdown unexpectedly
• File will open with errors.
• Slow performance when opening, editing, and manipulating the file.
• Error messages when working in the file.
• Commands do not work or there is considerable delay in operation.
• Unexplained file size increases.
• Display/Regen problems.
• Drawing elements missing or shown incorrectly.
• Objects cannot be selected consistently.
• File hangs or AutoCAD crashes 

Causes:

• Corrupted data in the drawing.
• Corrupted files
• The DWG was created in a non-AutoCAD application.
• Many AEC objects or metadata in the file.
• Unorganized drawings
• Third-party applications running inside AutoCAD.
• DWG files created or saved by non-Autodesk or non-RealDWG products.
• AutoCAD terminated while saving the drawing.
• Old drawings used repeatedly over long time periods.
• Network anomalies (transmission errors, file locking, latent writing of data).
• Storage media degradation (bad sectors on a hard drive).

Additional source from (https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Optimizing-the-AutoCAD-drawing-file-Purge-Audit-Recover.html)

Compiled herein are some of the procedures to get rid of this problems.

A. PURGE - removes unused items, such as block definitions and layers, from the drawing.

Command:PURGE

From the dialog box that will appear, select

(1.) Purgeable Items.

(2.) Then on the lists, dont worry if you accidentally select the items you don't want to purge. 

Purge command will just delete all those unused items.

(3.) Check on Purge Checked Items to commenced the command  

(4.) or just press Purge All 

You can also access PURGE command under Drawing Utilities

B. PURGEAECDATA - Removes the invisible AEC data (AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD Civil 3D custom objects) in the drawing at the Command prompt. 

Command:PURGEAECDATA
Do you want to purge the invisible AEC data? [Yes/No], Type Y or Yes if you want to proceed and N or No if you dont want.