Importing AutoCAD .DWG / .DXF Files
- From the File menu, choose Import/Export/Styles...
- Select AutoCAD Drawings (.DXF or .DWG) and click Load from Any Folder
- Select the file you wish to import and click Open.
- The DWG/DXF Load Options Dialog will then appear. Choose your desired import settings (Explained below) and then click Load.
- The AutoCAD File should then begin to load into Giza.
DWG/DXF Load Options
From Layers
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All Layers - All the layers in the AutoCAD file will be imported into Giza regardless of their layer state in AutoCAD.
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Active Layers - Only the layers in the AutoCAD file set to On will be imported. Layers set to Off will not be imported.
Note: Frozen Layers will be imported, but set to Off in Giza.
To Layers
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Original Layers - This will keep the imported elements on their original AutoCAD layer names. Recommended setting.
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Work Layer - Imports the AutoCAD elements into the current Giza work layer. The original drawing layers are then set as sub-layers.
- Locked ACAD Layer - Imports the AutoCAD elements into a locked layer named acad_lk with the original layers set as sub-layers. This essentially sets the imported drawing as a locked background. You will be unable to select or edit the drawing elements.
Place Origin at Lower Left Extent
- When this box is selected, the origin is automatically set to the lower left AutoCAD extent of the drawing. This can be used to correct display and rounding problems in the drawing when the geometry is placed a large distance from the origin. Recommended Setting
Convert Units From
- This allows you to set the type of units that were used in the original DWG file to ensure the file is imported into Giza at the correct scale. Most of the time this will be set to Inch. However if the drawing was made with metric units or the scale is not correct after the drawing is imported, you may need to change this setting to ensure the drawing is imported at the correct scale.
The 3 Check Boxes
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Polylines to lines and faces - Normally checked - When this box is selected, polylines are automatically converted to faces. This is faster and more effective if your DWG/DXF file is to be converted into a symbol. Otherwise, polylines are converted to polylines in the Giza file.
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Points to nodes - Normally checked - When this box is checked, points in the AutoCAD file are converted to nodes in Giza. Nodes are used in the drawing to define snap locations.
- Dimension Blocks to opcodes - Normally checked - When this box is checked, compatible AutoCAD dimension blocks are converted to Giza opcodes. Compatible dimensioning includes rotated, horizontal, vertical, and aligned.
Text Width Factor
- This setting specifies a multiplication factor for converting AutoCAD text into Giza Text. The default value is 1.5 and normally there is no reason to change this.
Blocks To
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Elements - Converts the AutoCAD drawing into basic Giza drawing elements. This is usually the best choice if you are just looking to import an architectural floor plan of a building since you will then be adding in furniture symbols directly from Giza. Blocks will be broken down into their individual components.
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Symbols - Converts AutoCAD Blocks into Giza Symbols.
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Convert CAP Blocks to Furniture Symbols - If this box is checked, Giza will attempt to convert Cap furniture symbols into the corresponding manufacturer Giza symbols. This requires you have installed the same manufacturers used in the Cap drawing. This is the setting that allows our Cap users to exchange drawing data with a Giza user.
- Convert Other Blocks to Furniture Symbols - Normally not used. If this box is checked, Giza will attempt to convert AutoCAD Blocks to Giza Furniture symbols if the blocks have the same name as Giza furniture symbols.
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Convert CAP Blocks to Furniture Symbols - If this box is checked, Giza will attempt to convert Cap furniture symbols into the corresponding manufacturer Giza symbols. This requires you have installed the same manufacturers used in the Cap drawing. This is the setting that allows our Cap users to exchange drawing data with a Giza user.