First time geoprocessing task

Question

As someone whose only had a fleeting exposure to model builder and detailed geoprocessing tasks, I'm hoping someone can help me.

I have approx. 1500 dwg files from which I wish to extract only the polyline feature so I can merge them all into one dataset. I've tried a number of conversion tasks like converting the DWG to .shp or .gdb which either crash or ask me to select each individual feature class withing the dwg dataset which kind of defeats the purpose.

Any suggestions on how I can geoprocess this task so the folder containing all the .DWG's is interrogated to extract only the Polyline features and exports them to a single location?

BBicking1 · Answer

Stuart,

I suggest that you first get clear what line feature/-s you want out of the dwg\polylines. That gives you a manageable set. 1500 is a large number; to get the result you want will take a long time and may exhaust your machine.
Then I suggest you read up in the Geoprocessing help on automating your workflow in ModelBuilder and/or automating your workflow with scripts; the latter may proof the �??better�?� route to go because of the number of files you have. Using the Expression in Feature Class to Feature Cass tool helps you to select the line features you want. To format the output name so they�??re unique, use Python�??s path/string functionality. Then merge them together.

Barbara Bicking
Geoprocessing Team

TelmoCascalheira · Answer

You can add a loop to run all files within the folder and then run the model that many times

stuartcassin · Answer

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the child element parameter of the select tool does not accept the general description of polyline as an input. Once again the Select tool asks for each polyline feature to be nominated individaully i.e 12345.dxf / polyline.

If I have a folder containing over 1500 dxf files, each individually identified, and each one conatins 5 features (Annotation, Point, Polyline, Polygon and Multipatch), the problem I have is building a model that will extract each polyline feature from the individual dxf files without having to nominate the dxf by title.

Still hoping someone can help.