Problems getting the CAD file to work in ArcGIS
I'm having some difficulties opening my CAD drawing in ArcMap, even after saving it as a CAD2000 dwg, and also trying all the other available versions. I just get an error message saying "Could not open the specified document". Trying to open the file directly from ArcMap didn't work either, because the dropdown menu for file types in ArcMap doesn't give the option of a dwg. Any suggestions?
posted by John Hinchman @ 9:34 AM
2 Comments:
There are a multitude of possible reasons for the problem you are encountering, however I hope that these suggestion will solve the problem. Often when confronted with problems in translation between softwares its a good idea to start back with the original file in the original software and try to give it a chance for a new life by pulling out the elements that you KNOW are good and leaving behind the elements which you know are not good. The problem is that its a bit difficult to know what is good and what is not. as such lets try to following....
First zoom to extents. To do this hit Z enter E enter. If after you have done this you are seeing more of the screen that what you have drawn, there is a good chance that you problem is associated with what you currently can't see. In other words, there is something there but you can't see it.When you zoom to extents, you should find that the buildings you have drawn fill the model space on your screen and do not show up slid to one side of the other (or worse looking like a tiny dot on the right hand side of the screen)
Second open your CAD file in AutoCAD and check to make sure that there are no external files attached that you may not be aware of. The best place to check is under theINSERT > EXTERNAL REFERNECES option. If when you open this you see anything listed other than the current drawing you are working on, this may be contributing to the problem. Make sure that you remove them. What you may be looking at could be an external reference which was not removed but is not showing up on the screen (the result of working on the file on different computers). It may also be a Raster file which is still attached but not showing up for the same reason. remove all if any appear.
Third it is a very good idea to PURGE. In the command line type PURGE and a prompt box will open. choose the purge all option and it will run you through the list of available items to purge. The software will not purge things that are in use instead only purging things that are empty. It will remove layers, it will remove blocks, it will remove attributes etc. Go ahead and let it purge. If you loose a layer you thought you might need later you can always add it back later.
Finally (before saving to a 2000 file) WBLOCK out what you are seeing in front of you. What you will be doing is making a copy of the material you see in front of you hopefully without copying any offending elements. In other words what you see is really the goal for getting what you get. WYSIWYG. To do first hit W on the command line. You will find a prompt box which will give you the option to select the items you would like to export. when you clikc this button it will take you back to the modeling space. Using your cursor select what you want and only what you really want. hit the space bar and the prompt box will reappear. Make sure that you DO NOT choose "specify on screen" and give the file a new name. Once you have done this hit enter and the software will create a new file which contains only the elements that you chose. Close the file you currently have open and now open the file you just created with the Wblock option. Once it is popen save it back to a 2000 file format (with another new name).
Try to bring this into Arcview and see if your problem has been resolved.
An additional option which can solve the problem once and for all (or at least it can solve the debate of whether you need to do your drawing over.
You may be finding that everything is lining up in CAD. You've tried inserting with both blocks and with Xrefs and in all situations everything is falling where it should. The only problme is that when you carry the file to Arcview it just won't show up where its supposed to. After trying all of the issues mentioned above, try one last option.
Open the centerline file as a drawing. Just go to the distribution folder and open it as if you were opening your own personal DWG. This file WE KNOW is in the correct place.
Making sure that the file you have created is as clean as possible (having gone through the stuff above removing erefx and w-blocking just the part you know you want)now insert that file (the one you created) as a block into the file you have open (the centerline file) making sure that the zreo layer is the active layer before you insert it.
Check to see that it showed up where you know it should be.
Explode that block so that it now becomes part of the centerline file (don't worry you can screw up the original).
With the block exploded (only once remember) you should now test to see if things are lining up in ArcGIS. Save the current file you have active using the SAVE AS option and give it a new name. Save it back to 2000 and try to insert it into ArcGIS. Check it against another shapefile that you know to be correct and see if things have been resolved. Remember you will not need to add the whole drawing which will include elements of the original centerline file. It doesn't matter though since the center lines will all be polylines and all you want are the polygons and points.
If this doesn't work its time to consider possibly scrapping you file and starting over:-(
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