How do I get AutoCAD & ArcGIS to better work together?

[MatthewElbert1]

I just downloaded the ArcGIS for AutoCAD add-on but haven't really played with it yet.  I was curious if other people had experience creating linkages between the two programs.  Is there a way to create a pathway in which people within our organization could edit in one program and then the changes would automatically update in the other? Or is there always going to be several steps involved transferring line-work, etc. from one to the other?  (We use ArcMap v. 10.5.1 & AutoCAD Infrastructure Design suite--using Civil 3D).  Any help/feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Matt

[deleted-user-qpvAI3Fo0MKR]

FME SAFE might be worth looking into.

[MatthewElbert1]

FME had some interesting options that I'm looking into at the moment.  In an ideal world, we would be able to update on the ArcMap side (for utility layer changes, etc.) then have the work-flow set up so that AutoCAD would auto-update (or even set-up the process of exporting layers from Arcmap & importing to AutoCAD would not be so cumbersome).  If that makes sense. 

-Matt

[DonKuehne · Accepted solution]

ArcGIS for AutoCAD allows you to both create and edit new ArcGIS data within an AutoCAD file that you could pass back and forth to ArcGIS desktop users, but is also an editing client of ArcGIS web services.  Which means the same geodatabase being editing by ArcGIS Desktop where data is also being collected and verified in the field with a tool like ArcGIS Collector, or Survey 123 can also be editing by plain AutoCAD all at the same time.   

ArcGIS for AutoCAD uses a disconnected editing strategy which means you can connect to ArcGIS data in an enterprise server and then edit it as AutoCAD entities.  You can save your drawing work on it in a disconnected mode, work on your changes over a period of days... and at anytime synch your changes with the server to see all other changes and others see your changes.   Frequent synchronization creates near realtime updates.

ArcGIS for AutoCAD was designed as the best way to collaborate between ArcGIS and AutoCAD.   It does not understand the complexity of Civil 3D objects but for simple AutoCAD entities and ArcGIS features it can go a long way.

For some basics you might want to view some of these videos: 

What is ArcGIS for AutoCAD 350? (Short Clip) - YouTube  

How to Add ArcGIS Data to AutoCAD: Part 2 Add Feature Services - YouTube 

[MatthewElbert1]

Thanks Don!

I'll check out those videos & start playing around with ArcGIS for AutoCAD on a couple test layers to see what I can do.  For further help/questions about ArcGIS for AutoCAD would you mind if I follow you--then I can relay questions straight to you?

-Matt

[RonnieRichards]

From our limited use ArcGIS for AutoCAD seems to shine creating new features or editing existing GIS features from an ArcGIS Feature Service. 

However we have a lot of data in native CAD format and this tool does not appear to allow classifying or promoting existing CAD features to GIS features. This is unfortunate because we really do not want to redraft things which already exist in CAD. Maybe this enhancement will be considered in the future.

This means we continue to use shapefile exports from AutoCAD map as well as FME when the drawings are more complex or contain related data. 

[DonKuehne]

Ronnie,

If you have an existing CAD standard and follow it, you can define feature classes within and AutoCAD drawing that allow you to establish both the GIS schema for your data while still drafting like you have normally.  There are extended entity types in Civil 3D and Map 3D that ArcGIS for AutoCAD still doesn't support with their attributes so in those cases the data interoperability extension /FME or exporting to shapefile still makes sense.  However you can define feature classes for your complex data and ArcGIS desktop may understand your drawings.  If you define these feature classes in one drawing you can import them to other drawings, or include the feature class definitions in your template file to include in new drawings.  I'd be interested to hear more about your workflow and what we should target in the future to help you, and what isn't working for you?

[RonnieRichards]

Understand the functionality around CAD mapping standards to feature layers but we receive CAD files from many different jurisdictions, entities and firms which may not adhere to any standards of their own. Additionally we have historical engineering studies from the 1980's and 90's which are non-standard and it seems like the time it would take to standardize them would be just lost efforts.

I was hoping for a classification or identification tool where a user could click on "manhole" from the feature service and then click, click, click on manholes to classify them and post them to the feature service. Click on "mainline" feature service destination and click, click, lasso mainlines or use a CAD selection set. The tool would validate geomtry and then proceed. 

The time spent in the CAD sessions would be much more productive than assuming or creating any sort of layering standard.