To Export a Drawing to AutoCAD

Use this procedure to export a drawing created in the software to AutoCAD.

This process creates a new AutoCAD drawing with all AEC objects exploded. The original drawing is not affected.

Depending on the size and complexity of the original drawing, the resulting AutoCAD drawing may contain a large number of primitive objects, which can affect drawing performance.

Note: When you export a drawing to an AutoCAD drawing, all AEC objects are exploded to AutoCAD primitive objects. Reopening the file in the software does not restore these primitive objects to AEC objects.
Danger: If you export a drawing that has Mviews to AutoCAD R14, only the layout active at the time of exporting will be preserved in AutoCAD R14. Any non-rectangular (polygonal or object) Mviews are converted to rectangular Mviews.
  1. Choose whether to export a single representation of the AEC objects or all visible representations.
    If you want to… Then…
    export the currently active representation of the AEC objects in the drawing activate the Model tab. Only those representations in the currently active view will be generated.
    export all representations of the AEC objects in the drawing activate any layout tab. The representations for all layouts will be generated.
    Tip: This will usually result in duplicate graphics on the Model tab, which makes the drawing less useful.

    For example, when creating a drawing for a consultant to use as an xref-attached background, you should display a top view in the active Model tab viewport. When creating a drawing to be used to produce a rendering, you should display an isometric view in the active Model tab viewport.

    To create a drawing that includes the exact graphics used in all layout tab viewports, activate any layout tab. These drawings can be sent to a printing service, for example, to make plots without the need for AutoCAD Architecture 2023 toolset or the Object Enabler.

  2. Press F2 to display the command window.
  3. On the command line, enter exporttoautocad.

    A list with the currently active export settings from the AEC Editor options page is displayed:

    • File Format
    • Bind Xrefs
    • Bind Type
    • Filename prefix
    • Filename suffix
  4. Alternatively, enter AECTOACAD on the command line.
  5. To change the AutoCAD file format to which the drawing should be exported, enter F (Format) and press Enter.

    The following AutoCAD file format versions are available:

    • AutoCAD 2013
    • AutoCAD 2010
    • AutoCAD 2007
    • AutoCAD 2004
    • AutoCAD 2000
    • AutoCAD R14
  6. To specify whether to bind xrefs when exporting a drawing, enter B (Bind Xrefs), press Enter, and select Y (Yes) or N (No).
    Note: If you want to retain visual fidelity in the exported drawing, selecting Yes is recommended. Visual fidelity can be affected by exporting individual drawings and binding them later, because when opened individually the xref may appear differently than it does in the host drawing.
  7. To select the desired bind type for xrefs when exporting the drawing, enter T (bind Type), and choose one of the following:
    If you want to… Then…
    discard the names of the xref drawings and incorporate their layers and styles into the host drawing when the exported drawing is created enter I (Insert).

    In this case, for example, all exploded walls, regardless of their source (host or xref) are located on the same layer.

    retain the xref identities when binding xrefs, such as layer names, when exporting the drawings enter B (Bind).

    In this case, for example, the blocks that define walls in the host drawing are located on A-Wall in the exploded drawing. Walls in an attached xref drawing are located on a layer whose name is created from the drawing name and the layer name, such as Drawing1$0$A-Wall.

    Attention: If you want to export drawings with multiple xrefs in them, the bind option is recommended. If xref layers have the same name, but different visibility settings, then the layers will be merged when using the insert option, and use the settings of the first layer found. This can lead to unexpected results in the exported drawings, for example with objects disappearing from the drawing. The bind option will retain the layers and their settings and thereby ensure that visibility settings stay identical to the source drawing.
  8. To specify whether the object properties in the exported AutoCAD drawing should be maintained, enter M (Maintain) and press Enter:
    • If you want the object properties to be resolved and be directly assigned to the exploded objects, enter Y (Yes).
    • If you want objects to remain in blocks and have their properties set ByLayer and ByBlock, enter N (No).
  9. To select a prefix or suffix for the drawing name, enter P (Prefix) or S (Suffix), press Enter, and type in the desired prefix or suffix.
  10. To enter a name for the exported AutoCAD drawing and start the export, press Enter, and type in a file name.
    Tip: You can also start an export to AutoCAD by clicking Export AutoCAD, and then selecting the desired export format. In that case, the export settings defined on the AEC Editor tab of the Options dialog box are used for exporting.
    Attention: The AECEXPORTTOAUTOCAD command has been added to the Object Enabler in the software, enabling you to export a drawing to an AutoCAD format from within AutoCAD or other AutoCAD based vertical applications.

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