ArcMap

Reserved CAD fields for AutoCAD DWG/DXF formats

The following table lists the field names that are reserved for reading and writing DWG/DXF CAD data in ArcGIS Desktop. You can use them to override the default output of the Export To CAD tool by adding them to the input feature class table. Fields marked as read-only are exclusive to direct-read CAD (virtual) attribute tables and cannot be used.

CategoryField nameData typeLengthDescription

Entity properties

FID

ObjectID

4

A unique feature identifier

  • Read-only

Shape

Geometry

-

The ArcGIS area shape representing the spatial extent of the CAD file

  • Read-only

Entity

String

16

The CAD entity

  • Read-only

Handle

String

16

A unique CAD entity identifier

  • Read-only

Angle

Double

8

Rotation angle in degrees

  • Point and annotation feature classes only

<attribute name>

Text, Long, or Double

8

A named user-defined textual entity used for storing data in a block insert

BlkColor

Short

2

The color assigned to the block expressed as an integer

BlkLinetype

String

255

The line type of the block with which the entity is associated

BlkLineWt

Short

2

The line weight of the block with which the entity is associated

CadType

String

255

A valid value overrides the default output entity type. For example:

  • 3D Polyline outputs POLYLINE entities instead of the default LWPOLYLINE.

Other entity types require companion fields that specify parameters. For example:

  • INSERT requires the RefName field to specify the block name.
  • TEXT requires the TxtValue field to specify the text string.

Color

Short

2

The display color of the entity expressed as an integer.

  • For annotation, 256 sets color ByLayer.

Elevation

Double

8

The z-coordinate value of an entity.

  • For entities with multiple z-coordinates, this is the z-coordinate for the first point of the entity as defined by the CAD application.

EntColor

Short

2

The assigned color of the entity expressed as an integer

EntLinetype

String

255

The assigned line type of the entity

EntLineWt

Short

2

The assigned line weight of an entity

ExtX

Double

8

The x-coordinate extrusion value

  • Read-only

ExtY

Double

8

The y-coordinate extrusion value

  • Read-only

ExtZ

Double

8

The z-coordinate extrusion value

  • Read-only

LineWt

Short

2

The display line weight of an entity

Linetype

String

255

The display line type of the entity

LTScale

Double

8

The scale of the entity's line type

RefName

String

255

The name of the parent object in which the entity resides

ScaleX

Double

8

The x-coordinate scale value

  • Point and annotation only

ScaleY

Double

8

The y-coordinate scale value

  • Point and annotation only

ScaleZ

Double

8

The z-coordinate scale value

  • Point and annotation only

Thickness

Double

8

The extrusion distance of an entity

  • Read-only

Layer properties

Layer

String

255

The CAD drawing layer name

LyrColor

Short

2

The CAD drawing layer color expressed as an integer

LyrFrzn

Short

2

The freeze/thaw state of the CAD drawing layer

LyrHandle

String

16

A unique CAD drawing layer identifier

  • Read-only

LyrLinetype

String

255

The line type of the CAD drawing layer in which the entity resides

LyrLineWt

Short

2

The line weight of the CAD drawing layer in which the entity resides

LyrLock

Short

2

The lock/unlock state of the CAD drawing layer

LyrOn

Short

2

The on/off state of the CAD drawing layer

LyrVPFrzn

Short

2

The freeze/thaw state of the CAD view port

Text properties

FontId

Short

2

The ArcGIS text symbol ID

  • Read-only

Height

Double

8

The text height in CAD units

LnSpace

Short

2

The multiline text spacing type

  • Read-only

SpaceFact

Double

8

The multiline text spacing factor

  • Read-only

TxtStyle

String

255

The text style

Text

String

255

The text string

TxtAttach

Short

2

The multiline text attachment parameter

TxtBoxHt

Double

8

The text entity bounding box height

TxtBoxWd

Double

8

The text entity bounding box width

TxtDir

Short

2

The multiline text direction parameter

TxtFont

String

255

The text entity CAD font

TxtGenType

String

32

The text generation type

  • Read-only

TxtHt

Double

8

The text entity height

TxtJust

String

32

The text entity justification parameter

  • Read-only

TxtMemo

String

2048

The entire text string, not truncated

TxtOblique

Double

8

The text entity oblique angle

  • Read-only

TxtRefWd

Double

8

The multiline text width factor

  • Read-only

TxtRotate

Double

8

The text entity rotation angle

TxtValue

String

255

The text string for new text created from point features when the field CADType contains the keyword TEXT.

TxtWidth

Double

8

The text entity width factor.

  • Read-only

VertAlign

String

32

The text entity vertical alignment parameter

  • Read-only

Document properties

DocName

String

255

The file name of the CAD file including the extension

DocPath

String

4096

The full path of the CAD file including the file name

  • DocPath can be used to export a single feature class to multiple CAD drawings when Ignore Paths is unchecked on the Export To CAD tool dialog box.

DocType

String

255

The file extension associated with the CAD format

DocVer

String

16

The CAD format version

Reserved CAD fields for AutoCAD DWG/DXF formats.

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