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Invalid or incomplete DXF input -- drawing discarded when opening a DXF file from FieldGenius in AutoCAD

FieldGenius allows the export of points, labels, linework and contours as either a DXF or DWG file. This feature exists for users who do not have MicroSurvey CAD products. The CAD file will not have any of the "Smart" features that result from using the FieldGenius SyncWizard built into MicroSurvey CAD products, but it will be compatible with any CAD program that opens Autodesk compatible dxf files.

Some important notes about this import strategy:

1. AutoCAD applies some old rules about naming drawing elements when it opens a DXF file. If you have configured your FieldGenius AutoMap to create layers with "-" or "/" characters in them, you will see this error message:

Invalid or incomplete DXF input -- drawing discarded.

The solution is to select the option to export directly to dwg from FieldGenius, just select the "export as dwg" option on the export dialog.

If this is not possible, edit your AutoMap so that the layers created for each description have only numbers and alphabet characters in them, then you can export to DXF.

2. The points that are produced will simply be displayed as point nodes in the CAD file, with no associated description or point ID. If you have a CAD program that allows you to populate a point database with the points and descriptions you used in the field you will want to export your points as an ASCII file and import the points into the CAD program, and simply export the linework and contours in dwg or dxf format.

3. If you wish to have the advantages of the SyncWizard import workflow but don't have MicroSurvey CAD, we provide a free product named MicroSurvey Data Exchange which includes this feature and offers you the customizable one-step drawing building capability that MicroSurvey CAD products offer.

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  1. James Johnston

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