Export Shape files in ESRI format from AutoCAD?

[stusic]

I never worked with shape files before and have no idea what ESRI format is, but our client has asked for the produceables to be in this format. Can anyone tell me what the heck it is and how I can export it in this format from ACAD? Also, would I be able to do this from LT?

Thank All!

[cadtag]

LT? nope, you'll need MAP to generate ESRI shp format from. then you get down to the fun stuff. Want to export your ACAD POINT objects? that's one shape file. Lines? that's a different shape file, POLYGONs? TEXT? yet more shape files to be exported. ESRI is a GIS package, not a CAD package, and there are only so many things they have in common (other than colored lines on a screen!)

What coordinate conversions do you need to use? StatePlane/zone/datum/unit to what coordinate system the recipient will use? or do no coordinate conversion.


then there's also the whole area of attributes they'll want to see. And in a shapefile export, that's a lot more than block attributes - it also includes object propeties (layers, color, and so on) as well as object data.

cheers!

[steven.poultney]

I never worked with shape files before and have no idea what ESRI format is, but our client has asked for the produceables to be in this format. Can anyone tell me what the heck it is and how I can export it in this format from ACAD? Also, would I be able to do this from LT?

Thank All!

You can't do it in LT but in Map or above you can use the _mapexport command. Steve

[steven.poultney]

Oh, and I forgot. An ESRI shapefile is not exactly one file but a group of files that make an entity (points,lines, polygons etc) in a GIS document. Say you export some tax boundaries as a shapefile and call it "Tax_Lines". You will see 4 new files appear: Tax_Lines.shp, Tax_Lines.dbf, Tax_Lines.prj and Tax_Lines.shx. All four of these are needed to produce these lines in a map. You may have more files than these but they will all have the same name with different extensions. Make sure when you send them to your client you give them ALL the files......just the .shp files will do nothing. Steve

[Mike hacker]

How would you get these files into Autocad. We've been sent some and don't really know what to do with them.

[steven.poultney]

How would you get these files into Autocad. We've been sent some and don't really know what to do with them.

At the command line or dynamic input (COMMANDLINE or F12) type _MAPIMPORT. In the lower dropdown where is says "Files of type:" select ESRI Shapefile (*.shp) and navigate to where you saved them. You will only see the files with .shp extension but the other like named ones they sent you will load with them. Select them and clik OK. At the next screen select "Create object data" and accept the default dropdown under "Object Data to use"....clik OK. There is an option to "Import polygons as closed polylines" which I always check (if not checked any closed polylines come in as borderless fill). Clik OK one more time then zoom extents. Steve

[Mike hacker]

Thanks for coming back to me so quickly. Unfortunately I get an unkown command from _mapimport.

[ccowgill]

Thanks for coming back to me so quickly. Unfortunately I get an unkown command from _mapimport.

I dont believe you can import shape files directly into Vanilla AutoCAD, you have to have Map, or some variation built on Map to import these files.

[steven.poultney]

Thanks for coming back to me so quickly. Unfortunately I get an unkown command from _mapimport.

Do you have AutoCAD Map or higher? It won't work with basic AutoCAD or LT. Only the upper versions (Map, Civil, LDD) have the ability to work with shapes as far as I know. Steve

[Mike hacker]

That worked fine. Thanks for your help kind sir.