Group by default all CAD features from a CAD file when added to the Content Pane

[MiguelMartinezYordan]

It is very time consuming and uncomfortable to maintain the structure in the content pane when adding a CAD file. A CAD file is compose multiple features like Annotations, Multipatches, Points, Polygons and Polylines. And when adding the file, all features spread all over the content pane instead of group themselves by default. In ArcMap, when you add a CAD file, all features are group by default making it easier to organized all layers in the content pane or if you want to delete all CAD features from the same file. Please add GROUP option inside the Project / Options / CAD when adding a CAD file to the content pane.

[AmberConverse]

I used the function "Export to CAD" in ArcGIS Pro on a regular basis, to facilitate sharing data with heavy CAD users. 

When I use this function with ArcGIS Pro, it puts all of the resulting CAD layers into my open ArcGIS Pro map, breaking out annotation, polyline, polygons, multi patches, etc.  However, I commonly do not need these files within my GIS document, and I have to individually find all of the added layers to remove them from my table of contents.   This sounds trivial, but can be time consuming if the CAD file is composed on several different GIS layers -- resulting in many new layers being added to my GIS file at one time.

Can "Export to CAD" be revised to put all of the output CAD files into a group (similar to Desktop) to make it easier to find all of the output files?  Or provide a prompt asking me if I want the layers added to my file?  

[KoryKramer]

Hi Amber,

In ArcGIS Pro 2.3 (to be released tomorrow) you can uncheck 'Add output datasets to an open map' and when you do the CAD export those won't be added.

Hopefully that will help with what you describe above.

More about new stuff in ArcGIS Pro 2.3 can be found in the video https://community.esri.com/community/arcgis-ideas/blog/2019/01/17/ideas-in-arcgis-pro-23?sr=search&s...‌ and What's new in ArcGIS Pro 2.3 - YouTube 

[Anonymous User]

This appears to be the default behavior now at Pro 3.1! Thank Goodness!!! 

[MichaelDavidsonPM]

Hi Miguel,

With the release of ArcGIS Pro 3.2 (Nov. 2023), the organization of read-only feature layers from CAD was updated to bring about a more compact grouping. Performance was also improved to reduce the time needed to populate the group layer structure in the Contents pane.   

CAD entities are, by default, organized by geometric type into the following feature classes: Point, Polyline, Polygon, Annotation, and Multipatch--with Annotation being newly added to the organization process as of ArcGIS Pro 3.2.

The updated organization and performance is intended to make simpler the items you pointed out, such as organization of layers in the Contents pane and (when desired) deleting read-only CAD features from the project.

[MichaelDavidsonPM]

As a continuation of my post from Jan. 2024, with the release of ArcGIS Pro 3.2, we have enhanced the compactness, variety, and performance of layers created upon read-in of CAD files. Thank you for posting this idea.