ArcGIS for AutoCAD simplifies the consumption, creation, and sharing of GIS content for CAD professionals. Several new features and enhancements are available in version 420. The current release also advances integration of geospatial data into increasingly broad sets of established CAD workflows. For example, newly added capabilities extend beyond geometric entities in AutoCAD and encompass Civil 3D COGO points. Additionally, processes native to Autodesk products for setting geographic location can now be used. These and other key features included in version 420 of ArcGIS for AutoCAD are highlighted in the video and listings below.
Download the latest version here; it installs as a plug-in to AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
COGO Points
The primary enhancement in this release is the added support for Civil 3D COGO points as GIS features when using ArcGIS for AutoCAD within Civil 3D.
- 3D COGO points are now usable as valid point features for editing and symbology.
- When working within Civil 3D, COGO points are the default entity type for web point features added to the drawing.
- GIS web point features can participate in Civil 3D point groups.
- Edit and manage COGO points using standard tools in Civil 3D as well as the GIS editing tools of ArcGIS for AutoCAD. For example, the tools can be used in combination to generate Civil 3D design surfaces from GIS points.
Create and alter the display of GIS point features with standard COGO point styles, standard AutoCAD points symbols, or block references.
Attachments
ArcGIS for AutoCAD supports web features with attachments. These attachments often include photos and other file-based documents that you can attach to stored assets. Surveyors working in the field using ArcGIS Field Maps, CAD designers in the office, and GIS professionals managing those assets in ArcGIS Pro can all contribute and share this valuable information.
- Invoke the attachments user interface to view, delete, and add file attachments to features in web feature layers configured to support attachments.
- Download a single, desired attachment stored on the feature or download all feature attachments at once.
Set Esri coordinate system from Autodesk coordinate system
Autodesk and Esri use different methods for storing and defining coordinate systems. However, you can now easily import standard coordinate system definitions by their EPSG coordinate system code from existing Autodesk geodata definitions in DWG files.
- Import an Autodesk Geodata EPSG code to assign the Esri coordinate system definition using the Coordinate System Selector user interface or the Esri_CoordinateSystem command.
Online product resources
The online product resources pages are updated to provide better access to the help system and other resources for working with ArcGIS for AutoCAD.
- A modernized help system includes improved AutoLISP documentation formatting and sample usage.
- A full list of enhancements in the current and prior releases is found here.
Easy symbolization of points
New user interface controls complement the implementation for COGO points in ArcGIS for AutoCAD.
- New symbol setting options have been added to the Assign Default Symbol user interface to accommodate COGO points and the redrawing of symbols according to user settings.
- A new Redraw context menu option has been added for point feature layers to redraw point symbols based on the current point symbol settings.
ArcGIS for AutoCAD AutoLISP functions and commands
For those who are automating CAD workflows using AutoLISP, a host of new routines have been added to the ArcGIS for AutoCAD API to support all the new capabilities above.
Download version 420 of ArcGIS for AutoCAD
About the authors
Michael Davidson
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