Compares a selected drawing with the current drawing, showing the differences between the two.
Accessing the Command
command bar: dwgcompare
menu bar: Tools | DWG Compare
toolbar: Compare |
: DwgCompare
Prompts you in the command bar:
CMPDIFFLIMIT = 10000000. Select the file to compare with or [Limit]: (Press Enter to open a File dialog box or enter the Limit option)
A file dialog box is displayed:
Select a drawing with which to compare the current drawing, then click the Open button. The command looks for differences in the same entities between the current drawings and the drawing opened for comparison.
When no differences are found, the program reports:
No differences found.
When the program finds differences, entities are shown in these colors:
- Entities added - green (color is set by variable CMPCLRNEW)
- Entities removed - red (set by variable CMPCLRMISS)
- Entities changed in the original drawing - gray (by variable CMPCLRMOD1)
- Entities changed in the comparison drawing - yellow (variable CMPCLRMOD2)
The colors are set by the Settings dialog box; search for variables that begin with CMPCLR.
As well, you can see a list of differences in the Structure panel. Open it with the StructurePanel command, and ensure the Default CST configuration file is loaded (see Load a configuration file.) Expand the Comparison node in the Structure panel:
You must run the ENDCOMPARE command to unload the comparison drawing.
Command Options
Option |
Description |
Limit |
Sets the limit on how many entities to compare in the drawings. Prompts you: New value for CMPDIFFLIMIT <10000000> - (enter a value between 1 and 10000000 (ten million), or press Enter to accept the current value.) The current value is held in the CMPDIFFLIMIT variable; initial value is 10000000 |
Procedures
- Setting the comparison system variables
- Executing a comparison session
- Analyzing the comparison in the Structure panel
- Merging the compared drawings
Related Commands
3dCompare - executes a geometrical comparison between solids and surfaces in 2 drawing files. The result is shown in a new drawing and reported in the Mechanical Browser panel.
EndCompare - exits a drawing comparison setting, started by the DwgCompare command.
KeepMe - allows to merge the compared drawings visually.
StructurePanel - opens the Structure panel.