This is an example of one of our zoning maps. All of the dark lines are on one layer and are the zoning lines. They are all supposed to be closed polylines so that we can bring them into our gis program and link them to the lot fabric.
http://www.aots.ca/ftp/ZoningMapSample.pdf
http://www.aots.ca/ftp/newZoning-11may09.dwg

The problem is that over the last few years people have been updating the mapping and just putting in polyline segments and moving the text around. Some of the newer linework (like the environmental protection) does not close correctly.

I tried using the BOUNDARY command which was close to being perfect because it also created the islands and allows me to put the same “zones” in a separate layer as I go. This is great but very time consuming to click on each area and hope that I don’t miss one. The other problem is that when I click on an area that is not closed (entirely) the computer hangs on analyzing.
I tried to use MAPCLEAN but I am not that familiar with it and not sure it will actually fill in the gaps and join all of the lines.

In the end I would like them to be all closed polylines, including islands in their own corresponding layer to the text.
Any ideas?

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: – I cannot place drawings here to give an example but*… When issuing/reissuing acquired drawings to other departments, we have need from time to time to simplify the drawings to produce drawings that only show the basic outline of Plant machinery etc. (While still keeping our original detailed drawings intact).

The process of simplification however is very time consuming, with typical drawings*… taking 2-4 Hrs of work to simplify. Having previously discovered the ‘boundary’ command we have used it extensively, but found that it does not completely serve our purpose especially when dealing with complex layouts*… with open or overlapping line details, i.e. vector line details that are not joined, or do not close to form completely bounded objects or shapes.

To make the boundary command more effective on complex drawings*… we found that we have had to draw joining or closing vector lines were required & then draw a rectangle or poly-line around the information that we wanted to produce a boundary for, (in such a way that it excluded opened un-bounded / un-closed objects or shapes), we then run the boundary command picking just inside the drawn rectangle or poly-line.

Using this method we can normally, (but not in all cases), find the AutoCAD will draw/produce boundaries around very complex shapes*…, however, because these new boundaries once drawn also follow the internal path of the drawn poly-lines also, they, (the new boundaries produced by AutoCAD), need to be exploded trimmed & the new details pieced back together to represent the outlines of the original plant or machinery.

Usage of the ‘Region’ Command was suggested but its limitations, (as stated in the ‘Region’ Tutorial), constitutes a key area of difficulty that we already face & cannot resolve even when using the boundary Command.

We still require assistance in finding a better working solution. Such as for example an extension to the boundary command that allows a continuous, ‘rubber band poly-line’, drawn around the required object to envelope the selected object without protruding within it. The ‘Rubber-Band poly-line’, drawn around the object should then be able to converge onto & around the object as for example a heated ‘cling film’ or ‘shrink-warp’ plastic paper would around a heated object.

Would a cleaver ‘Autolisp’ programmer be able to achieve this?

if you draw a rectangle surrounding & bigger than your machinery and make sure the “island detection” option is ticked then pick point inside the rectangle but outside the required footprint the boundary command will create an outline.

For example if I had a detailed block plan drawing of a machine say a roller conveyor that shows each roller its attached protruding attachments drive motors etc, fixing nuts & bolts plus centre lines etc. How could I create a footprint of this as if I had passed it though a sheet of paper & it only left a boundary impression or hole/Blank as an outline of its external shape or profile.

Alternatively is there a quick AutoCAD Lisp generated program/command with a directional line/path tracing facility that prompts user for directional trace paths and or is dependant on user vector line selection & directional choice.