About Attaching a DGN File as an Underlay

You can import MicroStation® DGN drawing files into DWG files and then copy nested objects for use in the host drawing.

The import process translates basic DGN data into the corresponding DWG file data. The DGN data is placed into the DWG as an underlay. Depending on the settings that you specify, the DGN entities and their associated linetypes may be nested within the DGN underlay, and then copied into the host drawing.

For the correct display of linetypes, the MicroStation RSC (resource file) that is referenced by the DGN file must be available on your computer in a valid AutoCAD Support File Search Path when you import the DGN file. You can define a path location by using the OPTIONS command, and adding a path to the AutoCAD Support File Search Path node on the Files tab of the Options dialog box. Or you can copy the RSC file to an already existing Support File Search Path.

The standard AutoCAD DGN import behavior is enhanced for AutoCAD Civil 3D. The following controls are available on the Import DGN Settings dialog box in AutoCAD Civil 3D:

Import Into Current Drawing

Brings the DGN entities, and their associated linestyles, into the current drawing.

Note: This is similar to the Insert command.

Prefix Dependent Definitions

Adds the DGN file and model name as a prefix to the incoming object’s name.

If the prefixed name results in a new name conflict, then an incremental number is appended to the name.

Note: This is similar to the Xref Bind behavior.

Ignore Duplicate Names

Ignores any duplicate symbol tables names in the DGN file, and gives precedence to the host definition for duplicates.

For more information, see the AutoCAD Help.

Note: If you save a AutoCAD Civil 3D DWG into which a DGN file has been imported, and then open the DWG in another AutoCAD product, the linetypes will be displayed as Continuous.