Export to Other File Formats

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Import Other File Formats

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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

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