Importing a DWG or DXF

Bring a CAD drawing in as a locked reference or as editable objects. A DWG is converted for you; a DXF opens directly.

  1. Click Import in the Files row, then CAD drawing (DWG or DXF). You can also click Attach DWG or DXF in the References row.
  2. Pick a .dwg or .dxf file. For a DWG, the dialog reads Converting your DWG… while the file is read.
  3. In Import CAD drawing, choose Bring this drawing in as: Reference, which lands locked (explode the layers you want to edit afterwards), or Import, which lands as editable objects.
  4. Set Linework colour to Preserve colours or Monochrome, and check Units. If the file doesn't declare any it says Not declared in the file.
  5. Crop if you want only part of it: drag a box in the preview. Clear crop restores the whole file.
  6. Tick the Layers you want. The bar shows how many objects and how much of the drawing's size budget they use.
  7. Choose where it sits under Origin, and whether This drawing is a Site survey or a Flat reference.
  8. Click the import button. Its label tells you where it'll land, for example Import on the model's origin.

Limits worth knowing

  • A DWG up to 25 MB converts. A DXF up to 64 MB opens.
  • A DWG saved in release 14 or earlier needs re-saving as release 2000 or later first.
  • An imported drawing can hold up to 60,000 objects. Import (editable) takes up to 2,000 per import; crop or drop layers to fit. The whole drawing has a 4 MB budget.

The uploaded file is removed when conversion finishes. The Origin options are Set as origin, Land on saved origin, Centre only, Raw coordinates and Place manually.