CAD File Cleaning Tip: Using the PURGE and OVERKILL commands to reduce file size and remove redundant lines. (Article about file maintenance)

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🧹 Tips for cleaning CAD files: PURGE and OVERKILL

These two commands are "junk cleaners" that will help you make your DWG files much cleaner and lighter.

1. PURGE (PU) command

PURGE is a file cleaning process that removes unused named objects (Unused Named Objects) from the file's database, which is often the main cause of large CAD files.

Information that PURGE eliminates	example	Impact on files
Unused Blocks	Blocks that were created but not placed in the Drawing	Reduce file size
Empty Layers	Layers with no objects placed on them	Reduce clutter in Layer List
Line Types, Text Styles	Imported but unused line styles and fonts	Reduce redundancy
Regapps (Registered Applications)	Residual data from add-ons or Xrefs	Reduce file corruption issues

How to use:

1. Type the commandPURGE and press Enter.

2. The Purge window displays a list of objects that can be deleted.

3. It is recommended to select Purge All or select all items and click Purge Checked Items to clear all unnecessary data.

4. If there are nested blocks, repeat the command PURGEuntil you see the message "There are no names to Purge."

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2. OVERKILL command (OVERKILL)

OVERKILL is a file cleaning process that contains overlapping or duplicate geometric shapes (shapes and lines) that may cause printing or operation problems.

What OVERKILL eliminates	Examples of problems solved
Overlapping lines	Lines drawn two or three times overlapping in the same position
Division line	A straight line that should be a single line is drawn as a series of small lines.
Common straight line	Stackable objects that are linear (Line), circular (Arc), or polyline (Polyline) but have the same properties.

How to use:

1. Type the commandOVERKILL and press Enter.

2. Select all objects in the drawing (useAll or drag to select all).

3. Set the values ​​in the Delete Duplicate Objects window (usually you can use the default values).

4. Click OK

5. The program will report how many duplicate lines have been deleted or merged.

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Key Focus	PURGE AutoCAD , OVERKILL AutoCAD , reduce CAD file size, heavy CAD file, clean CAD file	AutoCAD Purge, AutoCAD Overkill, CAD File Size Reduction, Clean CAD Drawing, File Maintenance
Special techniques	Remove redundant lines, remove unused blocks, solve slow file problems, CAD File Cleaning, remove junk in CAD.	Remove Duplicates, Delete Unused Blocks, Fix Slow CAD, CAD Troubleshooting, Optimize Drawing
Objective/Level	File maintenance, AutoCAD tips, drafting techniques, professional work, file management	File Maintenance Tips, AutoCAD Tips and Tricks, Drafting Techniques, Professional CAD, File Management

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Overview of CAD file cleaning

This figure illustrates the main idea of ​​using PURGE and OVERKILL to reduce file size and manage data.