Options Dialog
AutoCAD DXF Import Options

For information on how to use Help, press F1 or choose Using Help from the Help menu.

The Import Options dialog box allows you to specify options which determine how information in the file is imported.

AutoCAD-compatible Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) files contain information describing graphical objects, such as areas, curves, points and text.  The DXF Import Filter reads DXF files and structures the information in a form usable by the application.

DXF files contain no direct color information, but use color numbers (1-255) instead.  There is an adhoc standard association of colors with the first 15 color numbers, but no information exists in the DXF file indicating which colors are to be associated with the other color numbers.  Pressing the Default button will assign a set of colors to each color number.  By double-clicking on items in the COLOR list box, you can change the color associated with a specific color number.

Pressing the File Info button will cause the file to be scanned and information concerning the image extents, color numbers used and layers used will be displayed in a File Info dialog.  Selecting a color number displayed in the Colors Used list box automatically selects that color number in the COLOR list box.  Double-clicking on a layer displayed in the Layers Used list box displays a dialog, showing the graphical entities present in the layer and a check box showing whether the layer is marked frozen (invisible) or not.  You can freeze/unfreeze layers prior to importing.  Objects in layers that are marked frozen will not be passed on to the application.

If the application you're running uses projection information, two Projection radio buttons will be displayed.  DXF files contain no projection information. Choose Lat/Long if the file's coordinates are latitudes and longitudes.  Choose Other if the file's coordinates are in some other form.

File Description

General Messages

DXF Import-specific Messages

Macro Script Options


AutoCAD DXF File Description

DXF files are ASCII files (i.e., they can be edited with a text editor or word processor) or binary files (can't be edited) containing records indicating graphical entities and their attributes.  They provide a medium of exchange with AutoDesk's AutoCAD program.  The format of DXF files is complex and a detailed discussion is beyond the scope of a Help file.  Many books describing the DXF file format are widely available.


Area:Definition
Area

A closed region, bounded by lines, whose interior may be filled with a color or pattern.


Coordinate:Definition
Coordinate

A pair of numeric values used to specify the location of a point.


Curve:Definition
Curve

One or more line segments joined end to end.  Curves, unlike regions, are not necessarily closed.


Latitude/Longitude:Definition
Latitude/Longitude

Latitude and longitude are spherical coordinates used to locate a point on the earth.  Many maps don't need to take the curvature of the earth into account.  For many applications, the earth can be assumed to be flat over a small area such as a county, so that the latitude/longitude system can be treated as a Cartesian coordinate system.

Longitude is the X coordinate and ranges from -180 degrees to +180 degrees.  Latitude is the Y coordinate and ranges from -90 degrees to +90 degrees.  Both latitude and longitude are specified in decimal degrees.


Layer:Definition
Layer

A logical grouping of objects in a drawing.  (Example: All electrical lines might be in a layer named "Electrical" and all water pipes might be in a layer named "Water.")   Layers may overlay one another.  Some layers may be marked as frozen (invisible).


Point:Definition
Point

A single location or position.  Sometimes symbols are placed on points to indicate various features.


Projection:Definition
Projection

A mathematical method for converting latitude-longitude coordinates which are spherical coordinates, into two-dimensional coordinates.  Maps are usually projected so that the geographic areas are not visibly distorted.


Text:Definition
Text

A series of characters shown in a particular typeface and height.


DXF Import-specific Messages

The following messages may appear while attempting to import DXF files.

Incomplete Entity

Couldn't find a block to insert


Incomplete Entity

Some vital groups are missing from an entity in the DXF file. Make sure the layer and other required groups are present.


Couldn't find a block to insert

The program attempted to insert a block while the latter couldn't be found. Make sure the format of the BLOCKS section is correct, and the appropriate block is available.


Macro Script Options

Since the Import Options dialog isn't displayed when the program is driven from a macro command script (via GS Scripter or Visual Basic), an Options="..." string can be specified in the script.  The string consists of comma-separated parameters, which specify the behavior of the various import options.  An typical example would be:

...(File="site.dxf",Options="Defaults=1,Color3=0;0;255")

This would first set all import options to their default values, then set the color associated with DXF Color Table entry #3 to Blue.  All entities in the file (site.dxf) associated with Color Table entry #3 will be Blue.  The DXF Color Table contains 256 entries (0-255), however entries above 7 are rarely used.

Option	Action	Default
Defaults=1	Set all options to their default values	No
ForgetOptions=1	Don't remember options for later use	No
ProjectionLatLong=1 ProjectionLatLong=0	Assume coordinates are Latitude/Longitude Coordinates are other than Lat/Long	No Yes
ColorN=R;G;B	Entities assigned to Color #N are: Red intensity "R" (0-255) Green intensity "G" (0-255) Blue intensity "B" (0-255)	See below

The first eight colors in the default Color Table are:

Color #	R;G;B Values	Color
0	?;?;?	(Layer default)
1	255;0;0	Red
2	255;255;0	Yellow
3	0;255;0	Green
4	0;255;255	Cyan
5	0;0;255	Blue
6	255;0;255	Magenta
7	0;0;0	Black


General Messages

The following messages may appear while importing files in any format.

Application has no Color dialog!

Application has not Line Attribute dialog!

Bad values in .INI file or Options String

Can't load Import Filter resource

Can't open import file

Can't show import status dialog

Error reading import file

Error reading Import Filter profile item

Import file is of incorrect format or type

Import Filter passed bad parameter

Internal inconsistency detected in Import Filter

Invalid Import Filter instance handle

Out of global memory

Out of local memory

Error writing Import Filter profile item


Application has no Color dialog!

The program has detected an internal error.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  Please report this situation to Technical Support.


Application has no Line Attribute dialog!

The program has detected an internal error.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  Please report this situation to Technical Support.


Bad values in .INI file or Options String

A bad value has been read from the application's .INI file or Options String.  Check the .INI file or Options String to make sure the values are valid.


Can't load Import Filter resource

Free memory may be exhausted, or memory contents are corrupted.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  Please report this situation to Technical Support.


Can't open import file

The file you selected to import exists, but cannot be opened.  Perhaps you don't have the proper access permissions.  This message sometimes results if the file is not in the proper format.


Can't show status dialog
Can't show import status dialog

Free memory may be exhausted, or memory contents are corrupted.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  Please report this situation to Technical Support.


Error reading import file

The import filter cannot read the indicated file. Perhaps the file has been corrupted.


Error reading Import Filter profile item

Information stored in the application's .INI file could not be located.  If the .INI file is corrupted, you will need to restore a backup copy or, possibly, reinstall the stoftware.  You should probably check with Technical Support before proceeding.


Import file is of incorrect format or type

The specified file is not the type indicated by its extension, or the file has been corrupted or is not in the proper format.


Import Filter passed bad parameter

The program has detected an internal error.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  Please report this situation to Technical Support.


Internal inconsistency detected in Import Filter

The program has detected an internal error.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  Please report this situation to Technical Support.


Invalid Import Filter instance handle

The program has detected an internal error.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  Please report this situation to Technical Support.


Out of global memory

Free memory may be exhausted.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  If you get this message often, contact Technical Support.


Out of local memory

Free memory may be exhausted.  Close all active applications and restart Windows.  If you get this message often, contact Technical Support.


Error writing Import Filter profile item

The program encountered an error while writing information to the application's .INI file. The path of the .INI file may have be been changed or a section in the file may have been lost. You should probably check with Technical Support.