Import dialog box

Use this dialog box to specify options and settings for imported files.

To Import Data

Click Home tabData panelImport From Files.

Note: Data you import becomes AutoCAD drawing objects in your map. To connect to the data in its original format, see To Bring In GIS Features.

In the table, you can specify properties for each input layer (sometimes called a schema, level, or file).

To import an input layer, select its check box. To change other settings for an input layer, click in the field to change. Click the down arrow to choose from a list of choices, or click for additional choices.

To sort on a specific column, right-click the column heading. Click Sort Ascending or Sort Descending.

To copy the contents of a field, right-click in the field. Click Copy. Right-click in the target field. Click one of the Paste options. To copy the contents of a field to all other layers, right-click in the field. Click one of the Paste To All Layers options. When pasting into Object Class fields, the object class name and data mappings are pasted separately, and if data mapping conflicts are detected, the pasted data mappings options will not be available.

Current Drawing Coordinate System

Displays the global coordinate system for the current drawing. To change this coordinate system, or to assign a coordinate system, click .

Driver Options

If Driver Options is available, click it to specify additional options. Some formats do not have driver options.

Note: If you import from DGN Version 8, there may be more than one model in the drawing. If so, you will see input layers reflecting each one. Each model corresponds roughly to a model space in AutoCAD Map 3D (for example, Layout 1 or Layout 2). The input layers are named using the syntax ModelName_LevelNumber, ModelName_LevelName, or ModelName_GeometryType, depending on the settings you choose in Driver Options.

Set driver options before you modify the table. Changing driver options may reset settings in the table.

Spatial Filter

Specify the area to import data into.

None

Place no area limit on the incoming file and import the entire incoming file.

Current Display

Limit the import to the area shown in the current drawing window.

Define Window

Limit the import to a rectangular area you define in the drawing. Click . Drag your cursor from right to left to define the area. Objects that cross or are enclosed by the rectangular window are imported.

Notes:

  • AutoCAD Map 3D does not display a preview of the incoming data.
  • If the coordinate system assigned to the current drawing differs from the coordinate system specified in the Input Coordinate System column, AutoCAD Map 3D will perform a reverse transformation to determine the correct coordinate space (area) for the incoming data.

Import Properties Table

Input Layer

Select the check box for an input layer name to import objects from that layer. All layers for the selected file or folder are listed.

Drawing Layer

Specify the target layer in the current drawing for the incoming objects. Click the down arrow to select an existing layer. Click to select an existing layer, create a new one, or use a layer stored in a data field.

Object Class

Specify the name of the object class to use for the incoming data. For example, objects on an incoming Shapefile input layer can be classified and included in the "LAND USE" object class in Map.

Click the down-arrow to select from a valid object class. Click to map the incoming data attributes to the object class definition. If you don't map the attributes, AutoCAD Map 3D populates the object class with the default object class values.

Note: This column is available only if you have object classes defined in your map. For more information about setting up object classes, see About Object Classification.
Input Coordinate System

Click to specify the coordinate system of the incoming layer. Objects will be converted from the input coordinate system to the coordinate system assigned to the current drawing.

Note: This column is available only if the current drawing has an assigned coordinate system. To assign a coordinate system to the current drawing, click under Current Drawing Coordinate System.
Data

Click to specify a name for the object data table or link template to use for incoming data. Select the incoming fields to include in the object data table.

Data is imported only if it is associated with an imported object. If no imported objects are associated with the incoming data, the table is not created.

Points

Select ACAD_POINT or a block name from the list to use for point objects. To create text or get block names from incoming data, click and select the data field.

Saved Profiles

To save your settings as a profile, click Save. To use settings that you've previously saved, click Load. You can use your saved setting to help automate scripts.

Note: Settings saved with the MAPIMPORT command in version 4.0 or earlier of AutoCAD Map 3D cannot be loaded in this dialog box.
Import Polygons As Closed Polylines

If this option is not selected, polygons are imported as polygon objects. Importing polygons as closed polylines is useful if you plan to use the polygons in a polygon topology. To change the default state of this option, use the MAPUSEMPOLYGON command.

Use Class Defaults For Out Of Range Values

Use object class default values for incoming data values that are not within the specified object class range. This ensures that the incoming data will be accurately classified, but may require AutoCAD Map 3D to modify some of the incoming data values.