[GIS] Importing CAD polyline symbology into same polyline but converted to feature class

arcgis-desktopautocaddwglayer-filesymbology

I'm working with a CAD drawing (DWG), and I've exported the polyline layer into a file geodatabase. When I add the exported polyline layer to ArcMap, and try to import the symbology from the original CAD file it doesn't do anything.

Is this some type of limitation with CAD files?

I've tried saving the CAD polyline symbology out as a layer file and importing it, and I've also tried importing it directly from the CAD polyline layer in the ArcMap TOC.

It seems like this should work because when I attempt to import the symbology it matches the Linetype, Color, and LineWt fields that the symbology is based on.

Best Answer

I actually figured this out while I was typing my question. I decided to still submit the question, and supply an answer just in case it helps someone else.

You need to go into the Layer Properties, and Symbology tab of the CAD layer and change it from CAD unique entity values to Unique values, many fields.

This keeps the symbology the same, and then you can save a layer file, or import the symbology directly.

Seems a bit strange, in my opinion, you should be able to import the symbology with either one selected as long as the field values are matched. But there's probably something I don't know, or it's a minor bug.

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[GIS] Why are some CAD lines invisible in ArcMap

I have an answer, thanks to the insightful comment by FelixIP. Felix suggested exploding the linework might fix this issue. I passed this suggestion to the client, who said the following in reply:

The original boundary was a closed shape which I have dropped (exploded) to individual line segments.

This change fixed the issue. The engineer noted that he is using Bentley Microstation as a CAD platform, and I have a feeling there could be some kind of incompatibility issue. It does not seem like it would intended that ArcMap would not support a closed shape in a CAD file. I will pursue this by filing a bug report with Esri. Here is a screenshot with the latest file I received from the client: fixed issue screenshot

[GIS] Saving Feature Class Symbology into Layer or Object to apply to another Feature Class

First, feature classes don't have symbology attributes. Symbology is attributed to layers in ArcGIS. When you add a feature class to a table of contents in ArcMap, a layer is created, though not saved anywhere as a .lyr file.

If you are having your users add a feature class to ArcMap that they then symbolize as desired, below is the way of saving that symbolization to a layer file (.lyr). The variable infile is a string of the layer name as it appears in ArcMap's table of contents.

# Create a DD layer file
print "Creating DD LYR"
DDlyr = os.path.join(lyrFolder, filename + "_DD.lyr")
arcpy.SaveToLayerFile_management(infile, DDlyr)

Also note that if you don't want to save an actual file, you can use DDlyr = arcpy.mapping.Layer (infile). Then the variable DDlyr will store a layer object with symbology.

This is all redundant however, since, as mentioned, ArcMap creates a layer whenever a feature class is added to a table of contents. Because this is the case, you can simply use the layer name as it appears in the table of contents to tell arcpy which layer to use as your input. Thus, assuming once again that the variable infile is a string of the layer's name as it appears in the table of contents, you can bypass creating another layer object and simply use the following as your AddRepresentation code:

arcpy.AddRepresentation_cartography(wmsde, represent, "RuleID","Override", "STORE_CHANGE_AS_OVERRIDE", infile, "Assign")

I hope this helps!

Best Answer

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[GIS] Why are some CAD lines invisible in ArcMap

[GIS] Saving Feature Class Symbology into Layer or Object to apply to another Feature Class

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