Export to Other File Formats

AutoCAD ActiveX

 
Export to Other File Formats
 
 
 

If you need to use an AutoCAD drawing in another application, you can convert it to a specific format by using the Export method. This method exports the AutoCAD drawing to a WMF, SAT, EPS, DXF, or BMP format. The Export method takes three values as input: the name for the new file to be created, the extension for the new file, and the selection set of objects to export.

When exporting to WMF, SAT, or BMP format, you must provide a nonempty selection set. This selection set specifies the objects from the drawing to export. If no selection set is specified, nothing is exported and a trappable invalid argument error results.

When exporting to EPS and DXF formats, Export ignores the selection set argument, but it is still required. The entire drawing is automatically exported for these formats.

Export a drawing as a DXF file and import it again

This example creates a circle in the current drawing. It then exports the drawing to a file called DXFExprt.DXF, opens a new drawing, and imports the file. Note that an empty selection set is provided as an argument to Export. The Export method ignores selection set information when exporting a DXF file, but a syntax error results if the argument is omitted.

Sub Ch3_ImportingAndExporting()
      
 ' Create the circle for visual representation
 Dim circleObj As AcadCircle
 Dim centerPt(0 To 2) As Double
 Dim radius As Double
 centerPt(0) = 2: centerPt(1) = 2: centerPt(2) = 0
 radius = 1
 Set circleObj = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.AddCircle _
 (centerPt, radius)
 ThisDrawing.Application.ZoomAll
      
 ' Create an empty selection set
 Dim sset As AcadSelectionSet
 Set sset = ThisDrawing.SelectionSets.Add("NEWSSET")
      
 'Export the current drawing to a DXF file in the
 ' AutoCAD temporary file directory
 Dim tempPath As String
 Dim exportFile As String
 Const dxfname As String = "DXFExprt"
 tempPath = _
 ThisDrawing.Application.preferences.Files.TempFilePath
 exportFile = tempPath & dxfname
 ThisDrawing.Export exportFile, "DXF", sset 
      
 ' Delete the empty selection set
 ThisDrawing.SelectionSets.Item("NEWSSET").Delete
      
 ' Open a new drawing
 ThisDrawing.Application.Documents.Add "acad.dwt"
      
 ' Define the import
 Dim importFile As String
 Dim insertPoint(0 To 2) As Double
 Dim scalefactor As Double
 importFile = tempPath & dxfname & ".dxf"
 insertPoint(0) = 0: insertPoint(1) = 0: insertPoint(2) = 0
 scalefactor = 2#
      
 ' Import the file
 ThisDrawing.Import importFile, insertPoint, scalefactor
 ThisDrawing.Application.ZoomAll
      
End Sub