To Set Up a Conversion Template

When you use the Save Current Map to AutoCAD wizard, you can specify an AutoCAD (.DWT) template to map layers, blocks, and linetypes to same-named items in the template. The template will determine the appearance of those items in the resulting AutoCAD file.

To create a conversion template

1. In AutoCAD or AutoCAD Map 3D toolset, create a new file using an AutoCAD (.DWT) template.
2. Use the layer command to create the layers that will appear in the AutoCAD drawing after conversion.
   • Name the layers with the same names as the feature classes in the original map.
   • Specify any layer attributes that you want the new layers to have in the AutoCAD drawing.
3. Use the block command to create the blocks that will appear in the AutoCAD drawing after conversion.
   • Name the blocks with the same names as the symbols used to style point features in the original map.
   • Specify any properties that you want the new blocks to have in the AutoCAD drawing.
4. Import any linetypes that you want to use in the AutoCAD drawing after conversion.
   • Make sure the linetypes have the same names as the line styles used by linear features in the original map.
   • Use the linetype command to import the linetypes.
   • Style the linetypes as you want them to appear in the AutoCAD drawing.

To use custom hatches in a converted AutoCAD drawing

1. Open the appropriate AutoCAD hatch pattern file in a text editor.

   The standard AutoCAD hatch files are acad.pat (for use with imperial drawing units) and acadiso.pat (for use with metric units). By default, these files are stored in c:\Documents and Settings\your name\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD version\enu\support.

2. Add the entries you need.

   For information on adding hatch pattern entries, see the AutoCAD Help. Name each hatch pattern to exactly match the fill selection it will replace during conversion. For example, if a polygon feature uses a fill called “Slant,” you must name the corresponding hatch pattern “Slant.”

   Make sure that there are no carriage returns in the file, except at the end (to indicate the end of the file). If there is no carriage return at the end of the file, AutoCAD cannot read it and will display an error message. If there are interim carriage returns, AutoCAD will stop reading the file after the first one.

3. Save the file.

   The conversion process will now find the hatch patterns and apply them to entities that use same-named fills when converting. You can also apply these hatch patterns in AutoCAD, using the BHATCH command. They appear on the Other Predefined tab.