AutoCAD Civilv3d 2027 export coordinated .dwg file

Question

I created a polyline using a 30-day trial version of AutoCAD Civil 3D. Before drawing the polyline, I assigned the NAD83 California Zone 5 coordinate system to my drawing and set the units to US Survey Feet. I then exported the file as a 2018 2D AutoCAD DWG. However, ArcGIS Pro 3.5 Standard cannot read the coordinate system. Does ArcGIS Pro have issues reading coordinate systems from DWG files? I also attached my Civil 3d settings before I start drawing my polyline.

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SarmenBajari · Answer

We would like to request that our Survey Engineers submit their parcel maps in either Bentley Systems MicroStation DGN format or Autodesk DWG format. DXF is also acceptable, although it is not vendor‑independent.

All submitted files must use the California Coordinate System of 1983, based on the NAD 83 datum, Zone 5.

We need a reliable way to verify the coordinate system of submitted files in ArcGIS Pro and then incorporate them into our GIS maps. Since the engineers work only in MicroStation or Autodesk (and do not use any GIS software), and we work exclusively in ArcGIS Pro/ArcGIS Online, clear instructions will help ensure consistency.

Do you think we can ask the survey engineers to install the free ArcGIS for AutoCAD plug‑in (https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-for-autocad/overview), load our ArcGIS Online layer, and draw the new CAD geometry directly on top of it? They can then save the updated CAD file and submit the DWG to us. This approach should ensure that the parcel’s location is much closer to its true position within the GIS environment. I know it won’t be perfectly accurate, but the parcel lines from the CAD file will likely align closely with the parcel lines in ArcGIS Pro.

SarmenBajari · Answer

Thank you, Robert. I also found that QGIS shows the same issue, and it appears to be because AutoCAD Map 3D and Civil 3D store coordinate system definitions using internal Autodesk dictionaries (such as GEOCSASSIGN), which standard open‑source GIS spatial libraries (like GDAL/OGR) cannot natively parse from a DWG file.LinK: https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-assign-a-coordinate-system-to-a-Civil-3D-DWG.html

Robert_LeClair · Answer

ArcGIS Pro 3.5 generally does not recognize the Autodesk coordinate system definition stored in a DWG from AutoCAD Map/Civil 3D (including “NAD83 California Zone 5 (US Survey Feet)”). When Pro can’t detect an Esri spatial reference for a CAD dataset, it treats it as Undefined and may assume it matches the map’s coordinate system.

One option to consider:

* Create an Esri-format projection file for your target coordinate system.
* Place it in the same folder as the DWG.
* The name must match the DWG exactly, e.g.
MyPolyline.dwg
MyPolyline.prj

Pro will then use that PRJ to define the CAD dataset’s coordinate system.

Per the documentation that Dan mentioned - "an AutoCAD file may contain coordinate system information in the DWG or DXF file created using the Esri ArcGIS for AutoCAD plug-in application, or as a result of the Export To CAD geoprocessing tool. "