Trying to Export to CAD - Need Road names (not just lines)

[MaryBloswick]

I am a CAD Technician. I have been handed a bunch of ArcGIS Data, and told to export it out to CAD so we can work with it. I've never used ArcGIS before in my life.

This sounds easy - Export to CAD! But all that gives me is the linework. Yes, the linework is what I need, but I was wondering if there is some way to label that linework with a bit of the GIS information, such as a road name? I have a whole city to look at, and it would be VERY helpful to me if the CAD drawing had something I could use to find Belmont Street.

I need to have the final drawing in Microstation DGN, although if I absolutely have to, I can get by with an intermediate step through DWG.

Please be gentle with me. I have no clue what I'm doing. Thank you.

MaryB

[LisaTurner]

Hey Mary,

Does this help any? ArcGIS Desktop Good luck.

[MaryBloswick]

I'm sorry. It probably would, if I had AutoCAD or knew how to use it. Unfortunately, I am in a Microstation only environment. I can use AutoCAD files, but I do not have the software or the knowledge to use AutoCAD natively.

What is a "block reference"? What is a "block attribute tag name"?

It does look promising. Thank you for the suggestion.

MaryB

[LisaTurner]

Hey Mary,

Maybe this link will be more helpful ArcGIS Help 10.1 . There are different output types and it looks like Microstation is one of them. I have never used CAD with Arc, and it has been many years since I have used CAD.

[MaryBloswick]

That's what I've been doing. It gives me the linework just fine. It just doesn't give me any attributes or text labels or anything extra.

I'm playing around with Feature to Point, and we'll see if it can get me what I want (if I can even do it correctly).

Thanks for the suggestions!

MaryB

[JayantaPoddar · Accepted solution]

Hi Mary,

You could convert the labels to geodatabase annotation first in ArcMap.

Then go for Export to CAD.

Thanks,

Jay

[KarenHodge]

Yup...the trick for you is to first create annotation feature classes from the labels, then use ExportToCad on both the lines and the annotation feature class.  You'll get your linework and the text elements in the output drawing.