Converting AutoCAD Data Interactively

You can import AutoCAD data interactively and convert them to tessellated or exact data.

Before you begin:

Converter for AutoCAD

  • Is available only on Windows bits OS.
  • Supports AutoCAD versions from 2.5 to 2022.
  • Does not support
    • Pure wireframe data.
    • Texts and annotations.
    • Layers.
    • Materials.
    • Textures and color of textures. Only respective entity RGB color is supported.
    • Graphical properties such as color and textures in mesh entities.
    • Paper spaces (only model space is supported).
    • Block Reference properties, such as Color, Layer, Hidden, and Show, since Block References are treated as assembly instances.
    • Transparency.
    • 2D entities.
    • Some specific entities: DWG/DXF is the extension of "basic" AutoCAD files as well as all other industry-specific AutoCAD types, which are not supported. Thus, output may have some missing/partial entities related to industry-specific entities such as AEC and MEP. Different AutoCAD® type include AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD P&ID, AutoCAD Plant 3D, and AutoCAD Utility Design.
    • BREP name.
    • External References (XREF).

  1. Select the required import option in Preferences.

    See External Native 3D Formats for more information.

  2. Import the AutoCAD file as explained in Import.

    Available extensions are:

    • DXF3D (*.dxf) to convert DXF 3D files.
    • DWG3D (*.dwg) to convert DWG 3D files.

      Import of meshes as meshes (Terrain), or meshes and solids in the same part is supported.

  3. Optional: Select the Run in Separate Process check box.
    The conversion is performed in the background.
  4. If the geometry of a DXF3D or DWG3D file is defined “far away from the origin”, under Referential, either select
    1. Local: The part in which the import is done is not geolocated.
    2. Or select the Coordinates Reference System (coordinate types) in which source data are expressed, from the list of the CRS saved in the database.

    For more information, see About Far Away Geometry.

    A warning is displayed if the referential does not match with the file. Try importing the CRS first.
    Note: If the file is “far away from the origin” and if the file also contains geolocation (degree, minutes, seconds), this geolocation information is overloaded with the value of the translation. In fact, the translation is considered as the new valid geolocation information.

  • The data are converted, then saved in the database.
  • If the save operation fails, a failure message is displayed and the import stops.
  • The quality of imported data is checked, and a geometry quality enhancement is performed according to the corresponding option.
  • Click Cancel to interrupt the transfer at any time. The conversion is then interrupted (after the processing of the current independent entity) and the partial conversion already performed is displayed in the session.
  • In Tessellated mode, the data open in a root product that contains a 3D Shape representation.
  • In Exact mode, the data open in a 3D Part.