Autodesk LIGHTSCAPE, Manual

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Importing DXF Files
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4.
Click OK.
Overwriting or Merging
When you import a DXF file, you can either over-
write an open Preparation file with the incoming file
or merge the incoming geometry to the open file.
Overwrite
Select Overwrite to create a new Lightscape model
with the same name as the DXF file. Make sure you
save your work before importing a new file using the
Overwrite option.
Merge
Select Merge to add the objects in the selected DXF
file to the current model. The default properties of
the current model are maintained.
Geometry that exists in specific layers in the
incoming model is appended to existing layers of the
same name. New layers are added to the existing
Layers table.
Note: If you modify your original model in
AutoCAD and merge the altered layers to the
model in Lightscape, the imported surfaces do not
overwrite the existing ones. As a result, the modi-
fied layers will contain the old and new versions of
the geometry. To avoid this situation, either delete
or rename the affected layers in Lightscape before
merging the modified DXF file.
Block definitions in the incoming model overwrite
blocks of the same name in the existing model. This
changes all instances of that block.
Note: If you have done preparation work on a
block in Lightscape (setting materials or orienta-
tion, for example), you will lose that work if you
merge a DXF file with a block of the same name. To
avoid this situation, you should either rename the
block or save it first to a block library that could
then be merged with the DXF file.
Specifying Units of Measurement
DXF files do not explicitly indicate what units were
used (for example, inches, feet, or meters) or their
values. Because the effect of lighting in a model
depends on the dimensions of the model, it is impor-
tant to indicate what units were used when loading a
DXF file.
The Import DXF Dialog