Importing an AutoCAD Drawing
Scenario: The AutoCAD Importer window allows you to convert DWG and DXF AutoCAD drawings into an XPS element that is then automatically imported into the active graphic.
A DWFx AutoCAD drawing is based on an XPS file format, and bypasses the AutoCAD Importer window. It is imported directly to the open graphic and displays as an XPS element.
Reference:
For background information, see the following:
For workspace information, see the following:
Workflow diagram:
Steps:
Do one of the following, and then proceed in order:
- If you import a DWFX AutoCAD drawing, proceed to step 1.
- If you import a DWG or DXF AutoCAD drawing, proceed to step 2.
A DWFx file displays directly on the Graphics Editor canvas as an XPS element because it is based on the XML Paper Specification (XPS) from Microsoft. Therefore, this file type does not require a conversion in the AutoCAD Importer window when imported.
Importing of a 2D DWFx drawing is possible on installed clients, as well as on a Web Server and a Remote Client.
- You are in Design or Test mode and have a graphic open.
- Do one of the following:
- Select Home > Elements group, and then click Import AutoCAD and XML Image File
: The Open dialog box displays. Proceed to step 2.
- Right-click the canvas and select Import > XAML: The Open dialog box displays. Proceed to step 2.
- Drag the DWFx file over an open graphic or canvas: The AutoCAD file displays as an XPS element on the canvas.
- From the Open dialog box, select the file you want to import, and click Open.
- The file is imported and displays as an XPS element on the canvas.
NOTE:
Importing of 2D DWFx files is supported on installed clients, as well as from the Web Server and Remote Server clients. However, AutoCAD conversion of 2D DWG and DXF drawings are only possible on installed clients; conversion is not possible from the Web Server and Remote Server clients.
- You are in Design or Test mode, and want to convert a 2D DWG or DXF AutoCAD drawing to an XPS element that you can import into a graphic.
- Select Home > Elements group, and then click Import AutoCAD and XML Image File .
- In the Open dialog box, select the file you want to convert, and then click Open.
- The AutoCAD file opens in the AutoCAD Importer window. By default, the Model tab is active and displays.
- Select the tab that has the drawing/layout you want to import. During the Save operation, the drawing in the active tab is saved and imported.
- (Optional) If you have no customizations or have completed customization of the drawing, and you want to crop the drawing in the Model tab before saving the drawing, see (Optional) Crop a Drawing.
- If you have no changes to make to the AutoCAD file, proceed to Import and Save the Modified Drawing.
- You have a drawing in the AutoCAD Importer window, and you want to apply units of measure to your imported drawing.
- Select the Apply Units To Graphic box, and then click Change Units.
- The Unit Settings dialog box displays.
- From the Select the units for image menu, select the unit of measurement to apply.
- Enter values into the Width and Height fields.
- Click OK.
- The Unit Settings dialog box closes.
- (Optional) If you have no customizations or have completed customization of the drawing, and you want to crop the drawing before saving the drawing, proceed to (Optional) Crop a Drawing.
- If you have no changes to make to the AutoCAD file, proceed to Import and Save the Modified Drawing.
AutoCAD drawings may have various layers and blocks that display with the drawing in the AutoCAD Importer window. You can determine which layers and blocks will be included in the final conversion to an XPS file. Adding and removing layers and blocks is possible in both, Model and Layout tabs.
- You have an AutoCAD drawing with layers displayed in the AutoCAD Importer window.
- From the Layers section, the following customization are available:
- Select the All check box to include all layers and blocks with the drawing, or
- Select the check boxes of the individual layers and blocks you want to display
- Clear the check box next to the layer or block to hide a layer or block from the drawing
- Select the Hover
feature check box to preview any layer or block that is not check-marked when you hover over the layer or block with your cursor.
- (Optional) If you have no customizations or have completed customization of the drawing, and you want to crop the drawing before saving the drawing, see (Optional) Crop a Drawing.
- If you have no changes to make to the AutoCAD file, proceed to Import and Save the Modified Drawing.
Using the cursor, you can select an object (text, shapes, and so on) from the displayed drawing in the AutoCAD Importer pane. Once selected, the objects can be deleted from the drawing.
In the Model tab, all objects can be selected and deleted. In the Layout tabs you can only select and delete text, tables, and notes that have been added to that specific layer by the originator. The drawing object itself cannot be cropped or deleted.
Object Selection
When you click and drag from:
- Left to Right - Window Selection is enabled - Only objects which are entirely within the selection rectangle are selected. The selected objects display in dotted lines
- Right to Left – Crossing Window Selection is enabled - If the selection area includes any part of another segment or object, the entire object is selected and displays in dotted lines.
Tasks
Once you have selected one or more objects you can:
- Cancel a Selection - Press the ESC key.
- Delete a Selection – Click Delete
. - Undo All – Click Undo
. - Redo All – Click Redo
to reinstate all changes since the last Undo All command.
- (Optional) If you have no customizations or have completed customization of the drawing, and you want to crop the drawing before saving the drawing, see (Optional) Crop an Drawing.
- If you have no changes to make to the AutoCAD file, proceed to Import and Save the Modified Drawing.
- You have a 2D AutoCAD drawing selected and displayed in the AutoCAD Importer window.
- Click Crop Mode
.
- Cropping mode is enabled and the drawing image is shaded in gray.
- Use the mouse to enclose the desired sub-section you want to import.
- As you enclose the area, a red-dotted line displays around the subsection. The grayed-out portion of the drawing will not be imported.
- To cancel the cropping action, click Crop Mode . The feature is toggled off and the default view of the drawing displays.
Once you have finished customizing your 2D DWG or DXF drawing, you can do one or more of the following:
- Import the drawing as an XPS element – This is the recommended method for importing an AutoCAD drawing into the management station. To do this, click OK. The subsection displays in the Graphics Editor as an XPS element on a graphic.
- Import a larger drawing as an Image element – This may help with system performance issues due to larger drawing files. To do this, select the Convert to check box, and select one of the following:
- Variable Resolution Image – (Default) Imports five images at various resolution levels (see below). In Runtime mode, the Min Visibility and the Max Visibility properties are evaluated and based on the current zoom level the appropriate image displays. The five imported graphics display in the Element Tree view under Group (Variable Resolution Image).
NOTE: Lower image resolution results in low image quality, but better system performance, while a higher resolution results in higher image quality but slight performance degradation.
Highest Quality Image – (16000)
High Quality Image (8000)
High Quality Image (6000)
High Quality Image – (4000)
Normal Quality Image – (2000) - Highest Quality Image – (1600)
- High Quality Image – (4000)
- Normal Quality Image – (2000)
- Save the drawing as a DWFx file – To do this, click Export to. The Save As dialog box displays. Enter a name and location for the new file, and click OK. The drawing is saved as a DWFx file.
NOTE: If you made any Unit changes to the file, the Apply Units dialog box displays. Click Yes to apply the changes during the conversion to XPS or the save operation to a DWFx file.
