topic Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers in Data Management Questions

Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JonKalantar — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:08:23 GMT

Hi all,

I'm trying to import a CAD dwg file into ArcMap but when I do I don't see anything appear in the display. Also, the attribute tables for each layer (point, polyline, etc.) don't have any entries in them. Why is this happening??

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

RobertBorchert — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:19:50 GMT

What steps are you taking to add the DWG file?

You should be able to simply add the dwg to an ArcMap session simply by using the Add Data Button.

When you add the DWG do you already have other features open in your session. IF you do and you don't see your DWG try this.

Hit the Full Extent Button. If it zooms way out you have an unreferenced drawing.

If you go to full extent and it does not zoom way out...

Start a brand new ArcMap session. Add the DWG all by itself. Do you see it now?

Chances are your DWG is simply NOT georeferenced or not georeferenced properly. Meaning that it is not situated in the real world. That and it might not be to proper scale.

I once converted a DWG for a client to ArcGIS. Turned out the DWG was scaled so small that the entire system which should have been 30 miles across was about an inch in the real world. It only appeared as a little dot.

Hi all,

I'm trying to import a CAD dwg file into ArcMap but when I do I don't see anything appear in the display. Also, the attribute tables for each layer (point, polyline, etc.) don't have any entries in them. Why is this happening??

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JonKalantar — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:27:30 GMT

Even when I start a blank map and add the dwg data it doesn't show up. It must be that the drawing isn't georeferenced? How can I fix that?

Thanks!

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

RobertBorchert — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:31:25 GMT

If nothing shows up there are a couple possible explanations.

1 There is a huge phantom feature that you cannot see that is zooming you way out.

Add the dwg right click on the polyline later and open the Table. Select a bunch of features and zoom to them.

Do you zoom to some polylines. Start zooming out from there and do you see your data?

2 the DWG does not have anything in it. Did you export it first as a shape file or simply open it as a DWG in arcmap

Even when I start a blank map and add the dwg data it doesn't show up. It must be that the drawing isn't georeferenced? How can I fix that?

Thanks!

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JonKalantar — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:58:56 GMT

That's another one of my issues: there's no feature in the attribute tables. I'm importing directly as a dwg file into arcmap. And it definitely has a drawing in it when I open it in Autocad.

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

KarenHodge — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 05:46:29 GMT

What version of AutoCAD is the file? If it is 2013, that's the issue. 2013 isn't supported in the current release. If it isn't 2013, why don't you attach a copy of the file so we can take a look.

That's another one of my issues: there's no feature in the attribute tables. I'm importing directly as a dwg file into arcmap. And it definitely has a drawing in it when I open it in Autocad.

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JonKalantar — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:13:18 GMT

That must be the issue! The file IS 2013. Is there a way to convert the file back? Like compatibility mode or something?

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JonKalantar — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:19:14 GMT

Never mind, got it! Thanks all!

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

KarenHodge — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:54:44 GMT

Never mind, got it! Thanks all!

Glad you figured it out. In AutoCAD, you can chose to Save As and pick the file version. Lucky for us that there aren't any significant new geometries not supported in earlier versions.

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

MelanieMaguire — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:49:29 GMT

Note, I posted the following reply before noticing the AutoCAD 2013 thread. I will watch the AutoCAD 2013 thread for a reply.

Hi Karen,

Is there a target/estimated date for when ArcGIS will support AutoCAD 2013 formats? I am trying to figure out if it would be worthwhile to install AutoCAD 2013 on a computer to save files to an older version. Knowing if the support is weeks, 2 months, or 6+ months away would be useful for my decision making.

Thank you. Melanie

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

RoxanneWilson — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:11:54 GMT

Is there a way to know what software version created the AutoCAD file? i'm having a similar issue where the attribute tables show no features in ArcMap, but when opened in AutoCAD Lt, there are features. We have tried exporting to earlier versions to no avail. There must be a setting in AutoCAD that is not allowing the features to be visible in ArcMap. Any ideas?

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

AlexandreNeto1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 14:55:10 GMT

Jon Kalantar escreveu:
Never mind, got it! Thanks all!

How do you did it?

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JimEverette — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 18:17:27 GMT

How did you get it to work?

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JimEverette — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 18:19:33 GMT

Can anyone tell me how to get the data from my .dwg to come in when added the .dwg to my ESRI map?

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

AdrianWelsh — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 18:35:25 GMT

Jim,

It is best to start a new thread when asking questions like this. In any case, take a look at these resources:

Adding CAD data to a map—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Importing CAD data in ArcGIS Desktop 10 | ArcGIS Blog

Have you tried these things and have not had success?

https://community.esri.com/groups/cadgis-data-integration?sr=search&searchId=394952e2-196a-49c2-bb82-eeda52fcd244&searchIndex=0‌

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JimEverette — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 20:11:41 GMT

Yes, I have been adding .dwg's to my ESRI maps just fine, then when I tried to add this address file it came in with no attributes. As I am looking at my .dwg file I'm not seeing an attribute table associated with it. I have an old address .dwg file that has attributes with it. Maybe I'm not creating the new .dwg correctly? I'm using ACADMap 2018 and ArcGis 10.5.

Also, thanks for the thread adequate. I'm not very familiar with these kind of help sessions.

I appreciate the help.

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

AdrianWelsh — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 16:28:05 GMT

Jim,

It appears that the AutoCAD 2018 version does not have compatible support for ArcGIS 10.5 (yet).

data - Autocad 2018 not compatible with ArcGIS desktop? - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

JimEverette — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 16:46:35 GMT

Thanks for the info. If I save the .dwg as an earlier version do you think that will work?

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

AdrianWelsh — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 16:55:40 GMT

Well, there's one way to find out (though, I kind of doubt it will work since it is still AutoCAD 2018). Can you just export the dwg from CAD to a shapefile or some other GIS equivalent that will retain its attributes?

Re: Nothing in Attribute Table for dwg layers

KarenHodge — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 18:34:30 GMT

You are correct. ArcGIS doesn't support the new 2018 file format yet. Saving it in as an earlier version will work just fine and you'll be able to see your features.