What is the "DXF Author"?

The "DXF Author" is a stand-alone software utility created by the Environmental Systems Research Institute office in Danvers, Mass., specifically for MassGIS. For as long as MassGIS has been distributing data, users have requested data as DXF files. However, due to the large storage requirements and individual user needs, it was never practical for MassGIS to convert all of our data to DXF in addition to our standard vector formats (Shapefile, ARC/INFO Export File). For example, users may want a DXF file for roads to be a dashed red line with street names attached as a block entity, but MassGIS, being unable to accomodate extensive individual requests, may have produced roads as a solid black line with no attributes whatsoever, requiring the users to resymbolize and use the linework with no attributes. Out of discussions with ESRI on these issues came the "DXF Author," the answer to MassGIS' and our users' needs.

The "DXF Author" was written using Visual Basic and ESRI's MapObjects and runs on Windows 32-bit operating systems (Windows 95/98/NT 4.0). The utility converts existing Shapefiles and ARC Coverages (not .e00 Export Files) into DXF files, suitable for use in AutoCAD, ArcCAD, and any other software that can handle the AutoCAD Version 12 DXF format for polygons, lines, and points. Using a short series of standard Windows Wizards, the user takes control of the conversion process. The user also has an opportunity to view the input Shapefile or Coverage and pan around and zoom in and out.

The "DXF Author" is available via FREE download from this web site. For tracking purposes, ESRI has requested that users submit the following information. Please fill out this required form and then hit the "Download DXF Author" button.

Organization * :
Contact Name:
E-Mail:

* - For private use please type "private" in this field

How do I install the "DXF Author"?

Once the .exe file has been downloaded, you will need to extract all the files contained in the exe you downloaded. We recommend creating a new folder on your hard drive to store these files. To do so, follow these steps:
• Open the Windows Explorer and create a new folder wherever you'd like called DXFexe.
• Navigate to the folder in which the dxfauth.exe file was saved, and double-click on the file name.
• The "WinZip Self-Extractor" dialog box will appear. Type in the full path of the new DXFexe folder you created or hit the 'Browse...' button to find this folder.
• After specifying the DXFexe folder, click the 'Unzip' button.
• After a few seconds you should see a pop-up box that says "21 file(s) unzipped successfully." Hit 'OK' to dismiss this box. Close the "WinZip Self-Extractor" dialog box.


In the DXFexe folder in the Windows Explorer, double-click on the file Setup.exe. The following installation process will begin:
• Click 'OK' in the introductory box.
• You will be prompted to choose a folder in which the utility will be installed. By default this folder will be C:\Program_Files\dxfAuthor. If you cannot or do not wish to store the utility in this folder, do the following:
• Hit the 'Change Directory' button and choose another folder.
• In the "Change Directory" dialog box you may type in the name of a new folder and click 'Yes' in the resulting pop-up to allow the installation process to create it.
• In the upper left of the "dxfAuthor" dialog box, click the large colorful button with the picture of the computer. The necessary files will be installed.
• Click 'OK' in the "dxfAuthor Setup" box to exit the installation.

Once the installation is complete, run the utility by double-clicking on the dxfAuthor.exe file in the folder in which it was installed. You may also create a Desktop Shortcut to this program.

When the "DXFAuthoring Utility" box appears, you will see one menu choice, 'File'. Under this menu there are three choices: Load Data Set - loads a Shapefile or ESRI Coverage into the map view window Convert to DXF File - initiates the Wizard to convert the loaded file to DXF Exit - exits the program

Here are the details of the first two of these choices:
Load Data Set - opens the 'Load Data Set' dialog box. Navigate to the folder in which your Shapefiles or ARC Coverages are stored. The Data Set (name of the file), Feature Class (polygon, line, point, node, route, or region) and Source Type (Shapefile or Coverage) will be listed. Click on the desired file (be sure to note the feature class - there will be a file name listed for each class) and hit 'OK'.


The layer you will convert to DXF appears in the map window. You may zoom in to an area by clicking and holding down the left mouse button and drawing a box. Hit the right mouse button to reset the view to the full extent of the layer.

Click on this image to view full size.

Convert to DXF File - begins a series of Wizards that will lead you through the DXF file creation process. You will be able to choose:
• to export or skip shape geometry
• the shape layer name
• the layer color
• the layer linetype
• to export or skip text
• the text layer name
• to export data blocks or skip data blocks
• the data layer name
• the block name
• the block tag fields
• the block symbol
• the output DXF file name and folder
 

Move to each successive Wizard box by hitting the 'Next -->' button. You may return to previous windows by htting '<-- Prev'. Each Wizard box includes helpful text that describes what that box does.

Finally hit the 'Finish -->' button to bring up the "Preparing to Export DXF File" dialog box. In this box:

• type in the output DXF path and file name or hit the 'Select Output DXF File' button and navigate to the folder in which you want to store the DXF file and enter a file name
• hit the 'OK' button. A status bar will chart the progress of the conversion.
   
  
That's it! You will now have a DXF layer created from a MassGIS data set.

Because this was not an official, full software product release from ESRI, neither MassGIS nor ESRI cannot offer technical support for the "DXF Author". Also, users should keep in mind that the "DXF Author" was produced on an older version of Windows with an older version of Visual Basic, and some people running the utility on newer systems have experienced Runtime errors which cause the program to close prematurely. ArcGIS with an ArcInfo license contains the 'Export to CAD' tool in ArcToolbox (Conversion Tools toolset) which will convert a variety of data formats to DWG and DXF files.

Last Updated 10/25/2007
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