Importing NDW files

Using content

Program: Allplan 2015

NDW files are Allplan documents or Allplan drawing files. They can contain any elements.
Among other things, Allplan Content also provides smart symbols with textures in NDW files.

NDW is the abbreviation for Nemetschek DraWing File. You can name NDW files as you need and save them in any folder (as opposed to drawing files that are always given names consisting of tb00????.ndw (???? = drawing file number) and that are always saved in the project folder).

NDW files can be opened as individual files or integrated in a project.

Tip: To differentiate visually between drawing files, layouts, NDW files and NPL files on screen, you can specify a different background color using the Options, Desktop environment, Display page.

To open an NDW file as a single Allplan document and insert the file's elements in a drawing file

1. Download the file.
2. Decompress the file and save it in any folder on your computer.

   Tip: It makes sense to use the same folder for data of the same format.

3. Start Allplan 2015.
4. On the File menu, click Open....
5. Select the folder and the file you have downloaded and click Open to confirm.

   The NDW file opens.

6. Now you can insert the required elements in a drawing file in one of the following ways:
   • Select the elements by clicking, enclosing them in a selection rectangle or using the brackets and drag them into the drawing file.
   • Select the elements by clicking, enclosing them in a selection rectangle or using the brackets, copy them to the Clipboard by pressing CTRL+C and paste them into the drawing file using CTRL+V.

     Note: When you select all the elements in the NDW file by pressing CTRL+A, the default planes are also selected. The copied default planes may overwrite the setting of the default planes in the destination drawing file. This will change the height settings of existing elements in the destination drawing file if they are associated with the default planes.
     For more information see the section Behavior of default planes when copying or moving elements between documents in Allplan's Help.

     Inserting the data into the drawing file automatically saves the textures used in the project's design folder.

To save the contents of an NDW file as a single smart symbol file (*.nmk)

1. Download the file.
2. Decompress the file and save it in any folder on your computer.

   Tip: It makes sense to use the same folder for data of the same format.

3. Start Allplan 2015.
4. On the File menu, click Open....
5. Select the folder and the file you have downloaded and click Open to confirm.

   The NDW file opens.

6. Open the Smart symbols library in one of the following ways:
   • Click Smart Symbol Catalog (How).
     

     Activate Smart Symbol Catalog in one of the following ways

     • Menu bar: Create Bonus Tools Smart Symbols

     • Palette: Tools Create area in the following module(s):

     Smart Symbols

   • Select the Library palette and open the Smart symbols folder.
7. Open the Smart symbol file folder.

   Note: You cannot create new smart symbol files in the Default folder.

8. Click Insert smart symbol at the bottom of the palette.
9. Select the smart symbol you want to save in the library by clicking it or enclosing it in a selection rectangle.
10. Select the reference point of the smart symbol.

    This is the point at which the smart symbol is attached to the crosshairs when you insert it in the drawing.

11. Specify whether the smart symbol is to be added as an intelligent smart symbol with Snoop functionality or as a dumb smart symbol without Snoop functionality. For more information, see intelligent (smart) symbols.
12. Enter a name for the smart symbol file and click OK to confirm.

    The extension - .nmk - is automatically added to the file.

    Note: You can use New group at the bottom of the palette to create a tree structure for the smart symbol files. Enter a meaningful name, for example, the name of the NDW file.

    The NMK file contains textures and SURF files used. If you insert an NMK file into a drawing file, the textures and SURF files are automatically copied to the project's design folder.

To import an NDW file to a project

1. Download the file.
2. Decompress the file and save it in any folder on your computer.
3. Start Allplan 2015.
4. Click ProjectPilot on the File menu.

   Or:

   Press CTRL+R.

5. In ProjectPilot, click a drawing file folder with the right mouse button and, on the shortcut menu, choose Import NDW files.
6. Select the NDW file you want to import and click Open.
7. Select the drawing file to which you want to import the NDW file and click OK.

Saving and exporting NDW files

Drawing files can be saved as NDW files using Save Copy As or Export Loaded Drawing Files with Resources.