AutoCAD^® Export Layout to Model Space Technology Preview Tool

The AutoCAD Export Layout to Model Space tool enables you to convert objects in layouts and floating viewports into a model space drawing.

For further updates on this preview technology, please visit www.autodesk.com/autocad-tools.

Note: The Export Layout to Model Space preview tool will expire on September 23, 2009.

Contents

• Applicable Products
• Installation Instructions
• Overview
• Command Reference
• Conversion Table
• Objects that are not exported
• Visual Fidelity of Objects
• Workaround Suggestions
• Known Limitations

Applicable Products

• AutoCAD 2008
• AutoCAD LT 2008

Installation Instructions

You must have administrative privileges on your Microsoft^® Windows^® operating system to complete the installation process. It is strongly recommended that you exit all Windows programs before you start.

To install Export Layout:

1. Double-click the downloaded file, ExportLayout.exe (32 bit) or ExportLayout64.exe (64 bit). It will begin the self-extraction process.

   Note: If you are using AutoCAD LT on the 64-bit version of Windows XP or Vista, download and install the 32-bit version of Export Layout. If you have both AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT installed on a 64-bit version of Windows, both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Export Layout may be downloaded and installed.

2. In the self-extraction dialog, you can specify another unzip location.
3. Click the Unzip button to install.

Overview

The new AutoCAD “Export Layout to Model Space” preview tool provides the capability to take a snapshot of a drawing layout to create a ready-to-use model space drawing.

With the capability to export layout objects to model space, customers who have limited their use of layouts in order to exchange drawings with other CAD systems will be able to fully realize the benefits of AutoCAD 2008 annotation scaling, layers per viewport, and other enhanced layout features.

Command Reference

During the installation of the tool, the EXPORTLAYOUT command is added to your AutoCAD-based product.

EXPORTLAYOUT Command

Exports all visible objects from the current layout to the model space of a new drawing. Also exports objects that are outside the boundaries of the "paper" in the layout.

Note: The EXPORTLAYOUT command is only available in a layout. The command is not available from the Model tab, while in the block editor, during reference editing, or while using a maximized viewport.

The EXPORTLAYOUT command first displays a file browse dialog. Select a location and filename for the new exported drawing file. All drawings are exported to the AutoCAD 2007 drawing format.

Conversion Table

The following table lists object types that are exported as a different object type, or are modified. In some cases, the objects are changed only when they are clipped by the viewport boundary (as noted).

Note: Objects that can be directly trimmed without changing their type are not listed here.

Objects that are not exported

The following objects will not be exported to the model space drawing:

• Materials
• Cameras
• Lights
• Named Views
• Objects on layers that are disabled (off) or frozen
• Model space objects not visible in a given viewport

Visual Fidelity of Objects

Not all objects when displayed in a layout, will display the same in the Model tab of the exported drawing. This list includes (but is not limited to) the following instances:

• The same object displayed in multiple viewports becomes multiple objects in the exported Model drawing. In addition, objects are transformed and often scaled. Both of these can affect Data Extraction of blocks.
• Some objects are converted or exploded in order to trim them (see Conversion Table).
• Viewports in a layout can each have a different visual style; only a single visual style can be used in the Model tab.
• Polylines with width that are clipped by the viewport boundary may not be accurately trimmed in the exported drawing.

If your drawing contains AEC objects, we recommend the following procedure for better visual fidelity:

1. Run the AECTOACAD command on the drawing.
2. Navigate to the converted drawing, and open it.
3. Run the EXPORTLAYOUT command.

It is also recommended to select the Bind option with Insert type when using the AECTOACAD command.

Note: The AECTOACAD command creates a new DWG file with all AEC objects exploded into basic AutoCAD objects.

Workaround Suggestions

• EXPORTLAYOUT performance may be slower if run when a model space viewport is active. It is recommended to run EXPORTLAYOUT when in paper space mode.
• In the exported drawing, the viewport will display the original linetype which may not match the look of the original drawing. If this happens, it is recommended to assign "Continuous" linetype to viewports in the original drawing.
• Linetype scaling may not be accurately maintained for objects in xrefs and blocks if PSLTSCALE is 0. It is recommended to set PSLTSCALE to 1.
• Detach unresolved xrefs or manually bind xrefs before running EXPORTLAYOUT when there is a problem with xrefs.
• Superhatch objects (from Express Tools) are exported, but the hatching may not stay within the original boundaries. If desired, the TRIM command can be used in the exported drawing to correct any problems with visual fidelity.

Known Limitations

• The following objects will not be trimmed if they overlap a viewport boundary:
• 3D objects
• Text (including MText and attributes)
• Tolerance
• Multileaders
• Raster Images
• Gradients


• Express Tools RText and Arc Aligned Text are not trimmed if they overlap a viewport boundary, and Arc Aligned Text may not be exported.
• OLE objects are not exported.
• MText objects will be exported if any part of the MText bounding box falls within the viewport, even if none of the actual text is visible in the viewport. The MText may easily be deleted in the exported drawing, if desired.
• MText objects will not be exported if no part of the MText user-specified bounding box falls within the viewport, even if some of the actual text is visible in the viewport. MText objects have a width, or margin, that the user can adjust, which appears as a box when the text is being edited. If this box is completely outside the viewport boundary, the MText object will not be exported.
• MText tab setting will not be exported when there are multiple tab settings in an MText.
• Solid hatches may not export properly when clipped by non-rectangular viewport.
• MInsert blocks that are in Blocks and Xrefs may be converted to a single block reference (with no rows and columns) when the containing block, or xref, falls on a viewport boundary and so is exploded and trimmed.
• Annotative objects may have problems when exported. If you encounter any issues which are hindering your work, please contact us.

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