Object grouping

[CCS]

I've tried tracking this down before with no success. I'm hoping one of the gurus here will set me straight.

I typically link AutoCAD drawing(s) into VIZ. When I do so, it usually groups objects by layer, so everything on layer "CMU" is listed as one entry called "Layer: CMU" in the VIZ object selection window.

If I have inserts in AutoCAD, they come in individually. I'd rather it not be this way. For instance, I'll create a block of each window type in ACAD. Then I'll insert it everywhere it belongs. When I link it into VIZ, I get an entry such as "Block:SingleWindowLarge" for every inserted window. I also get a "Layer: Windows" for every window. I wish it would come in all together just like all other geometry does.

I could swear this was default behavior in VIZ4. But in 2005, it is irritating.

Alternatively, I would be content to just group these like objects for simplicity. But VIZ will not let me group them either! $%@^#%

Help!

[CCS]

Nobody??

[RErender]

I miss the old style dwg import...

[CCS]

Me too. Have you found a way around it?? This is really driving me nuts.

If I have a bunch of solids on a layer in ACAD, I can edit them, add them, delete them or whatever, update the link in VIZ, then all materials are applied and UVW mapped per layer as I defined earlier.

If the entities on the layer are blocks, I have to reassign materials and remap them every time the DWG changes. That's nuts.

The only suggestion I've gotten is to explode the blocks before updating the link. That would work, but that sounds nuts too me. File size would go crazy (200 windows / building !) and I would lose conversion to instances.

$#@%!#$%^#@$^