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ArcGIS Image Service Not Plotting In AutoCAD

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11-14-2024 01:24 PM
AKRRMapGuy
Regular Contributor

One of my users is trying to plot/export a drawing in AutoCAD with the ArcGIS Plugin enabled. He is bringing in an Image Service from our Image Server. The imagery shows in all views, including paper space right until he plots. 

The service has Extract/download enabled. What needs to change so he can plot without having to extract the image and reinsert it into the drawing?

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DanWade
Esri Contributor

Hello @AKRRMapGuy,

I am not sure what "extract" tool you are referring to but ArcGIS for AutoCAD output does not display the Map Service data in layout view because printing is not supported. If you need to print one of your map/image layers, you can use the extract command from the context menu by right-clicking on the map layer in the Esri Table of Contents dialog and selecting "extract". There is a resource document for this workflow.

ArcGIS for AutoCAD > Manage > Primary user interface > Esri Contents user interface


**Search for, “extract”, (then look under “Map and imagery layers..”) which has been and still is the command from AFA to save the image layer as a local file before printing.

 

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DanWade
Esri Contributor

Hello @AKRRMapGuy,

I am not sure what "extract" tool you are referring to but ArcGIS for AutoCAD output does not display the Map Service data in layout view because printing is not supported. If you need to print one of your map/image layers, you can use the extract command from the context menu by right-clicking on the map layer in the Esri Table of Contents dialog and selecting "extract". There is a resource document for this workflow.

ArcGIS for AutoCAD > Manage > Primary user interface > Esri Contents user interface


**Search for, “extract”, (then look under “Map and imagery layers..”) which has been and still is the command from AFA to save the image layer as a local file before printing.

 

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AKRRMapGuy
Regular Contributor

Ok, we had found that workflow, and were hoping it's wrong. That is disappointing that printing is not supported by ArcGIS for AutoCAD and it defeats a significant part of the purpose of the product for us.

We are trying to use the services in the drawings so we don't have files shared all over the place in various folders. There's no other reason to make copies of the data we already have in the service.

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Marc_Graham
Frequent Contributor

Hi @DanWade 

Can you confirm if there is a technical reason why printing directly from Map/Image Services is not supported.  Is it a limitation with AutoCAD? Can we maybe expect this functionality in a future release or is it a hard no?  It is a bit frustrating given the services based architecture of the plugin.

Thanks,

Marc

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AKRRMapGuy
Regular Contributor

I second this. It is a very odd and specific limitation.

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MichaelDavidsonPM
Esri Contributor

Hi @AKRRMapGuy and @Marc_Graham,

Map and image layers supported in ArcGIS for AutoCAD are represented as transient background images. While this approach allows map/image resolution to update dynamically, the temporary graphics require use of the "extract" functionality for plotting. 

The inability to plot map and image services versus extracted images is analogous to online map versus map images in AutoCAD, and isn't a plotting limitation being imposed by the plug-in itself. 

While we recognize and appreciate the pain point expressed here, we do not currently have development plans on this specific functionality.

Even so, if you have additional thoughts or suggestions related to this, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm more than happy to get on a call if talking these items through would be of value. 

 

AKRRMapGuy
Regular Contributor

I appreciate the response. I would urge ESRI to reconsider this. This makes the plugin fairly pointless for our company since we have to make copies of our data to print. The whole reason we use the plug is so that our AutoCAD users are always using our latest and up to date Feature Classes and not requesting copies of everything that then sit in a folder forever and become out of date.

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Marc_Graham
Frequent Contributor

hi,

If you need the user to use vector data then they can add the layers as feature services.  This then lets them synchronise the layers before plotting to ensure they always have the latest data in the plot. If the data are published as Map Services the end user can still add the sublayers individually to enable this eg. MapServer/0