Import Interfaces - DWG/DXF - Options

This function imports data from DWG/DXF files by representing the original AutoCAD format as closely as possible.

Import options Dialog Box for DWG/DXF

The import procedure allows you to modify the format and content of the imported file using the configuration options available on the General tab (Closedsee dialog) and Linestyles tab (Closedsee dialog) of the Import Options dialog.

Common toolbar

Top Toolbar

These two icons at the top of the dialog box allow you to Apply the current values or to Cancel the current function.

Restore system defaults

Clicking this icon restores the system default settings.

Any other settings are lost.

Restore defaults

Clicking this icon allows you to restore the user default settings previously saved by using the Save defaults icon.

Save defaults

Clicking this icon allows you to save the current settings as user default settings.

Load parameters from file

Clicking this icon allows you to load the required settings from a *.snp file previously saved by using the Save parameters to file icon.

Save parameters to file

Clicking this icon allows you to save the current settings into a *.snp file. This option is very useful when you need to define multiple settings for regular use according to your needs.

Import options Dialog Box for DWG/DXF: General tab

General

Below you can find the General options to import models coming from DWG/DXF. You can define how Designer manages the different entities.

Validate file before import: Activate this option to validate the files to be imported. Any error is sent to the Report file. See the Generate report file option.

Note:

As many DWG and DXF files have inconsistent data, the validation finds and corrects them. This manipulation can affect the representation of data which can be slightly different between those files that are validated, and those that are not.

Convert model space data to current UCS origin: AutoCAD supports the concept of a User Coordinate System (UCS) that is similar to a Designer workplane. However, it does not differentiate between those coordinates in model or those in paper space. As a result, the AutoCAD UCSs are imported into Designer model space. A UCS is not imported if it is coincident with an existing workplane.

The configuration of these options allow you to manage the current UCS:

  • Option activated: The imported data is transformed to lie on the current UCS origin. It means that the current UCS becomes the X0, Y0 and Z0 location in Designer and does not import any other UCS defined in DWG.
  • Option not activated: The AutoCAD current UCS becomes the current workplane in Designer, and any other UCS is created as a Designer workplane in model space.

Import Workplanes: Activate this option to import the Workplanes from the native file.

Import invisible geometry: Activate this option to also import the geometry defined as invisible in the native file.

Simplify splines: Activate this option to convert, where possible, the splines to points, segments or arcs.

Layer management

 Patch layer names ('_' blank): In some versions of AutoCAD, the blank characters of the layer names are replaced by an underscore. This option reverses this status.

Import frozen layers: Activate this option to also import the frozen layers from the native file.

Import invisible layers: Activate this option to also import the invisible layers from the native file.

Create/merge: Select the required option to Create layers or Merge onto active layer.

Options

Degenerate arcs become: An arc is defined as degenerate when the start and end points are coincident. Therefore, it may be both an arc whose internal arc is almost 0 or a circle (360 degrees). AutoCAD draws these as points at the extremes of the arc or as a circle. This option allows you to define how these points have to be represented in Designer:

  • Invalid entities
  • Circles
  • Points

Mixed polylines become: Select whether the mixed polylines are to be imported as Line and arcs or Profiles.

Data conversion: This option allows you to manage the data conversion:

  • No conversion: Designer ignores the DWG units and treats the imported data as having the current Designer units. A Warning message is added to the report file if the units differ.
  • Automatic conversion: If the DWG file is opened, Designer is set to the units specified in the DWG file. All data is converted from the DWG units to the current Designer units. If the DWG file is merged, the Designer units are not changed. All data is converted to the current Designer units. A Warning message is added to the report file if the units differ.

Notes:

  • Units management

    Designer supports units in either millimetres or inches.

    For further details on supported units through the AutoCAD versions Closedclick here.

    From Rel. 15, AutoCAD has supported a large range of units from angstroms (1e-10 metres) to parsecs (3.086 × 1e14 kilometres), internally defined by the INSUNITS of AutoCAD.

    From Rel. 14, AutoCAD also has an internal MEASUREMENT parameter which can either be metric or inch: it defines which hatch pattern and line type file is to be used by the AutoCAD session.

    Prior to Rel. 14, AutoCAD had no way to define the units in which the DWG file was created.

    When Designer imports a DWG file, it determines the units of the DWG files as follows:

    • AutoCAD version: before Rel. 14.: The DWG file has no units specification and, therefore, the units are assumed to be the same as the current Designer session.
    • AutoCAD version: Rel. 14.: Only the MEASUREMENT variable is available. If it is metric, the units are assumed to be millimetres, otherwise, they are assumed to be inch.
    • AutoCAD version: Rel. 15 and later files.: The INSUNITS of the file are examined. If it is metric, then a conversion factor to millimetres is applied, otherwise, to inch. If the INSUNITS is undefined, the units of the DWG files are assumed to be the same as those of the current Designer session. For DWG files of Rel. 15 and later versions, the MEASUREMENT variable is ignored.

  • Unexpected units

    In some circumstances (for the detailed list Closedclick here), the files could be imported in the wrong units (in mm instead of inches or vice-versa).

    • AutoCAD file version: before Rel 14.: Because the units are not specified in these files, there is always a 50/50 chance that the mapping to Designer units is wrong.
    • AutoCAD file version: Rel 14.: We rely on the MEASUREMENT variable value, which does not define the DWG units (but which we expect to define them more often than not).
    • AutoCAD version: Rel. 15 and later files.: The AutoCAD insert units are defined as Unknown/undefined. Because we do not know what the units are, there is always a 50/50 chance that we are wrong.

      The INSUNITS are imperial and the MEASUREMENT is metric. This is a poorly constructed DWG file that Designer will import in inch.

    In all these situations, you should open the Designer session in the units that you require, and import the file again with the No conversion option set: the data is not scaled. If the radius of an arc is, for example, 4 units, then if Designer is currently in millimetres the arc will have a radius of 4mm, and if Designer is in inch, then it will have a radius of 4 inches.

    The units of the file are ambiguously defined, and no importer can be certain of the intentions of the file creator.

  • The report file always states, other than the file version and the measurement, the units of the imported file. See the example below:

    • AutoCAD file version: YY.0
    • AutoCAD measure system: Metric
    • AutoCAD insert units: Millimetres

Translation and scaling

X translation

Y translation

Z translation

Drawing scale

Designer limits the data dimension to +/- 500 metres from the origin in order to enable sensible tolerance values. The DWG and DXF data outside these limits cannot be imported. Therefore, t is necessary to make them fit within the Designer size box. You can choose between the Automatic and the Manual options.

For further details Closedclick here.

  • Automatic: When the DWG file is imported, Designer estimates the size box of each layout and, where necessary, applies a translation in the appropriate axis to bring it within the correct size box. If the objects being represented are very large (e.g. 1500 metres long) and the translation is not sufficient, a scaling factor is applied.
  • Manual: This option enables the X, Y and Z parameters necessary to manually define the translation parameters and the scaling factor (Drawing scale).

Note:

  • The Automatic option is recommended but, when DWG/DXF data cannot be transformed successfully, you should:
    • Set the Manual option with X, Y, Z at 0.0 and drawing scale at 1.0.
    • Import the file.
    • Examine the report.
    • Use the report information to set the translation values.
    • Run a new import of the file.
  • A Warning message is added to the report file if data translation has been implemented.

Generate report file: If you need to generate a report, select a Summary or a Standard report; otherwise, choose the No report option.

The report file provides information and a warning, if necessary, about the results of the import process. The warning displays when issues arise on data conversion and/or on data translation.

If you select the Validate file option, then the validated report is only included in the Standard level report which also includes details of each DWG entity that has caused issues. Note that many of these may be benign (e.g. text with no content).

When importing a DWG/DXF with an associated report, a dialog displays (Closedsee image) to indicate its availability and its location:

By clicking on the displayed link, the report automatically opens (Closedsee image).

Append report file: Where multiple DWG/DXF files are imported in sequence, this option allows you to append the report file to the existing rather than overwrite it.

Import options Dialog Box for DWG/DXF: Linestyles tab

AutoCAD has extensive support for different line styles not available in Designer. This tab allows you to define how AutoCAD styles are mapped in Designer. Any style not in the table is assigned the Default Style.

Default Style

This option allows you to define how Designer has to proceed when an unmapped AutoCAD style is found:

  • Automatic selection: Designer examines the imported style and selects the most closely matching of its own styles. This is the recommended option.
  • Set a default mapping style: Choose the default style from the drop down menu list. Designer assigns the default style and adds a note to the report file giving details of the AutoCAD line style.

Note:

  • It is possible to add unmapped styles by modifying the configuration file ImportDxfDwg.cfg. It is located in the \Library\common\Cad folder and includes the instructions for adding line styles mappings. This method is not recommended because Designer is able to automatically perform the most appropriate style matching.
  • All the unsupported styles imported are noted in the report file.

Continuous

Border

Border2

Centre

Centre2

...

...

Dashdotdot

 These parameters display the default mapping between AutoCAD styles and Designer styles. It is possible to modify these settings by choosing the required mapping from the drop down menu associated with each parameter.

Notes on dimensions

As the two systems have different ways of interpreting the same data, and both have many parameters that do not exist in the other system, it is not possible to create Designer dimensions that are precisely the same as those in AutoCAD.

Designer imports all the standard AutoCAD dimension types (except ordinate) as a dimension and assigns tolerances, dual units, additional text and other parameters as far as is possible.

When you first examine an imported dimension, it will look exactly the same as it does in AutoCAD but when a dimension is edited, Designer rebuilds it and the graphic representation changes. There should not be a significant difference.

Note:

Also, if most of the current AutoCAD files define the tolerances as a value that can be transferred in Designer without ambiguity, some files include dimensions with text that can both be or not be a tolerance.

In these situations Designer identifies these text values as post dimension text and, when the dimensions are edited and their representation changes, it is necessary to manually edit their parameters.

Further information on Import