Exporting to CAD from ArcGIS

[Larrytown]

This should be really easy, but I'm having trouble adjusting exported points in Map 2010. I exported it from ArcGIS 10. I'm running Carlson software with it too. I'm trying to adjust the size of a few layers of points, and it's not changing in the properties screen. I'm adjusting scale, line weight and thickness. I obviously want to keep the same x,y coords. Is this something that the export from Arc is messing up? Any help would be appreciated.

[TheZman]

My experience (in a classroom) with exporting ESRI ArcGIS shapefiles to DWG's have never been a pleasant one. Even the instructor was stumped most of the time when it came to dwg to shp or shp to dwg conversions they just really do not like each other. However if you are using the shapefiles in autocad those are handled completely different. They would show up in the task pane and need to be controlled there.

[Larrytown]

Yeah, Arc and Cad don't get along well at all. I'm trying to export them to dwg because it's all people I work with can use. It's not looking good.

[TheZman]

I remember having to update our city boundary file using GIS data from the state, which uses shapefiles. What I had to do is attach the shapefile to a blank drawing then retrace every line and polygon, detach the shapefile and save it as a dwg. Then map query, insert, or xref the new boundary file to whatever file needs it. The biggest problem with this solution however is that you lose all the data tables associated with it.

[chulse]

Have you tried a MAP Import of the Shp directly? How did the exported DWG look - were they plain ACAD points?

[TheZman]

Have you tried a MAP Import of the Shp directly? How did the exported DWG look - were they plain ACAD points?

Just tried this and it worked a heck of a lot better then my previous method. The only problem I have is it does not seem to assign the coordinate system that I choose. The city would be in Nebraska if I had the entire map of the world. Even though I specifically chose OR-GIS83

[chulse]

I do not think MAP has the ability to re-project like Arc - reproject your data in Arc before you do the import. In MAP - you only asign the projection the the data is already in...

[TheZman]

Yeah you are right. What ever the shapefile was set to is what is gonna be set upon import. Which means the state was most likely using a different projection then we are even if they are using the same coordinate system. My biggest issue is that I do not have Arc and getting the State or county to re-project free public data for us little people would be like trying to teach a rock to walk by itself.

[chulse]

post up your shp and let em know what you want it projected to - I'll give it a shot.

[Larrytown]

Have you tried a MAP Import of the Shp directly? How did the exported DWG look - were they plain ACAD points?

 

After I open the dwg that was created in Arc the points were ACAD points, but for some reason I cannot edit them. What do you think about using the "connect to data" and choosing shp file? I can edit the point size and style from there pretty easy, but it doesn't have them in autocad layers. I would like to be able to redraw and edit from autocad if possible.