Exporting CAD Files-Concepts

The Export command creates a CAD-compatible DXF or DWG file from the current AGi32 job file. While other CAD programs can use the CAD files created from AGi32, the format is constructed specifically to AutoDesk standards. The exported CAD file consists of layers containing drawing entities and text representing all of the lighting specific data in the AGi32 files. These files can be easily merged into existing drawings.

Please note that the process of creating a CAD file simply produces an additional file formatted to the selected CAD format - DWG or DXF. Your original AGi32 file is not altered in any way. Exporting a CAD file is not a replacement to saving your original AGi32 file. You should always save your AGi32 file with any current changes. A CAD file has no lighting or surface information inherent inside, and lighting metrics present in a CAD file are not modifiable in AGi32. Its purpose is to combine with other existing CAD drawings for presentation only.

AGi32 uses a WYSIWYG approach to exporting: All entities are exported with their current 3D coordinates, unless the Reset Origin option is selected . No surface information is included in the exported CAD file - only line and text data.

CAD Versions supported

Units and Scaling Factor

The current Units applied in the AGi32 are shown (e.g., Feet or Meters). The user can choose which Units to apply to the exported CAD file: Feet, Inches, Centimeters or Millimeters. If a CAD file has been imported into the AGi32 file, its original units will be applied as the default conversion units. For example, if a CAD file with Inches units is imported into AGi32, Inches will become the default unit selected in the "Units will be Converted to" list.

If multiple CAD files have been imported, the units in the most recent import will be applied as the current conversion units.
If a CAD file is exported multiple times, the last applied conversion unit is recalled and reapplied.

AGi32 Unit	Conversion Unit	CAD Decimal Unit Value	CAD Architectural/ Engineering Unit (Inches) Value
Feet	Feet	1:1	12:1
Feet	Inches	1:12	1:1
Meters	Meters	1:1	N/A
Meters	Centimeters	1:100	N/A
Meters	Millimeters	1:1000	N/A

Conversion Units = Feet: When inserted into a Decimal Units drawing, one unit in AGi32 equals one Decimal unit. When inserted into an Architectural or Engineering Units drawing, one AGi32 unit equals one Inch. For example, a line 36" long in AGi32 would appear 3' long in CAD (36 Inches).

Conversion Units = Inches: When inserted into a Decimal Units drawing, one unit in AGi32 equals twelve Decimal units. For example, a line 3' long in AGi32 becomes 36 units long in CAD. When inserted into an Architectural or Engineering Units drawing, one AGi32 unit equals one Foot (twelve inches). For example, a line 36' long in AGi32 would appear 36' long in CAD (432 Inches).

Conversion Units = Meters: When inserted into a Decimal Units drawing, one (Meter) unit in AGi32 equals one Decimal unit.

Conversion Units = Centimeter: When inserted into a Decimal Units drawing, one (Meter) unit in AGi32 equals one hundred Decimal units.

Conversion Units = Millimeter: When inserted into a Decimal Units drawing, one (Meter) unit in AGi32 equals one thousand Decimal units.

Apply Scaling Factor

By default, the AGi32 scaling factor is set to 1. If a Scaling Factor was applied on import, the inverse Scaling Factor should be applied to export the drawing at the same scale as the original. For example, if a Scaling Factor of 0.5 was applied on import, a scaling factor of 2 would need to be applied on export, to output the resultant file at the same size as the original. However, if the applied scaling factor specified on Import is necessary to fix any scaling error, an inverse scaling error should not applied (the environment will be exported its actual size).

Reset Origin

The Reset Origin command is automatically applied if the Translate Origin command was used to apply a local User Coordinate System (UCS) to the model. It is desirable to Reset the Origin in the exported CAD file so that the original drawing locations are maintained. This is critical in the architectural construction process, where many consultants' drawings are overlaid and externally referenced on top of each other to create a complete construction drawing set.

The coordinates displayed in the Reset Origin section are the negative values of each of the X, Y and Z parameters specified in the Translate Origin command.

Export Types

This section allows users to select which entity types to export.

Entities must exist (and be visible) in Model Mode to be exported
Some entity types are dependent on others to be exported. In other words, if the main export type is deselected, its dependent metric is also deselected, as follows:

Luminaires must be selected for their dependent entities to be available: Templates, Photometric Webs and Aiming Vectors.
Calc Points must be selected for Statistical Areas to be available.

By default, the Model Mode symbol is exported. However, the Render Mode symbol may be exported instead.
The Select All and None buttons allow for quick selection and entity clearing.
Exporting Schedules:
- Room Surface Summary Schedule - Exports color number for color fields
- Isoline Schedule - Exports color number
- Luminaire Schedule - Exports symbol name and color number (for color fields)

Note: Parametric Mirror lines and labels are not exported; they are a design tool only.

Export Layers

By default, the exported CAD file layers are constructed based on entity type. This means that all entities of one type are placed on the same layer (e.g., all luminaire symbols are placed on the Luminaire layer). This methodology allows for the cleanest layer construction and entity management. Within each layer, entities are further organized by blocks for easy modification (see Blocks section below).

Layers are named using the following convention: Prefix-ProjectName-EntityType

For example, AGi32-Project_1-CALCPTS, AGi32-Project_1-ISOLINE are the layer names for the calculation points and Isolines, respectively, contained in Project_1, exported from AGi32.

Layer names are not restricted to a particular character limit. However, DWG versions prior to 2004 had 31 -character layer name restrictions and will truncate longer layer names to 31 characters. Therefore, if you export older file versions (RealDWG 2000 DWG/DXF or RealDWG R12 DXF), use the Entity Type (Abbreviated) option instead of the default Entity Type.
Imported drawing layers are grouped together in one layer when exporting unless the Layer by Entity Name method is used. By default, imported CAD layers are grouped together into a layer named "AGi32-CADImportName-DRAWING (e.g., AGi32-BurgerWorld-DRAWING).
You may change the Prefix assigned to exported layers. The default is AGi32.
You may change the delimiter assigned. The default is a hyphen (-).
To export individual layers for each entity (e.g., all F1 Luminaires on the LUMINAIRE-F1 layer, etc.), choose the Entity Name selection box in the Export Layers list. This selection will create a layer for each entity definition in AGi32 and may result in a lengthy layer list.
A Date/Time stamp may be added to differentiate different revisions from one another.
The Export Layers order may be reorganized. Use the Up and Down arrows to the left of the Export Layers list. An example is shown as each option is selected and modified. All options may be selected or deselected. To not include a Prefix or Delimiter, clear these selection boxes.

Entity Type	Abbreviated Type (if selected)	Default Entity layer organization
Calculation Points	CPT	AGi32-Project_1-CALCPTS
Calculation Points - Mark Points	MKP	AGi32-Project_1-MARKPOINT
Isolines	ISO	AGi32-Project_1-ISOLINE
LPD / UWLR Areas	LPD	AGi32-Project_1-LPD_UWLR_AREA
Statistical Areas	STA	AGi32-Project_1-STATISTICAL_AREA
Luminaires	LUM	AGi32-Project_1-LUMINAIRE
Luminaire Aiming Vectors	AIM	AGi32-Project_1-AIMINGVECTOR
Luminaire Templates	TMP	AGi32-Project_1-TEMPLATE
Luminaire Photometric Webs	WEB	AGi32-Project_1-PHOTOMETRICWEB
Luminaire Poles and Pendants	POL	AGi32-Project_1-POLE_PENDANT
Rooms	ROM	AGi32-Project_1-ROOM
Objects	OBJ	AGi32-Project_1-OBJECT
Drawing Entities	DWG	AGi32-Project_1-DRAWING - Not blocked
Schedules	SCH	AGi32-Project_1-SCHEDULE

Font Override

Many True Type Fonts are difficult to read in CAD drawings. This option overrides all of the AGi32 text styles with the default CAD font. Note: All of the text styles are still created and included in the CAD file, making it easy to change the text styles in CAD.

Color

By default, the ACI Color Method (256 color) is used. All AGi32 colors are converted to the nearest ACI color. This will result in the best WYSIWYG output.

24-bit color yields more accurate conversion of colors, but True Color values are not flipped in CAD. That is, with 24-bit color, black text will not appear white on a black background, as it does with ACI color in CAD.

Make Block Names Unique

When inserting CAD drawings exported from AGi32 into other CAD drawings, naming conflicts can arise causing block definitions to be overwritten. These conflicts do not cause errors, but happen silently, making them difficult to notice. When selected, the 'Make Block Names Unique' option will prevent these conflicts from occurring by assigning all blocks an unique identifier (ID). The ID is the same for all blocks in the current export, that is; the ID is unique for the export not for each individual block.

Example: Block Names With Unique ID:

AGI32-IDabcdef-Project_1-CALCPTS-Room_Floor
AGI32-IDabcdef-Project_1-LUMINAIRE-FixtureA_Symbol

Example: Block Names Without Unique ID:

AGI32-Project_1-CALCPTS-Room_Floor
AGI32-Project_1-LUMINAIRE-FixtureA_Symbol

If you want block names to be uniform across more than one export from AGi32, deselect this option. You can avoid naming conflicts in CAD by adding drawings to the master drawing with the XREF command rather than the INSERT command. Naming conflicts do not occur when adding drawings as external references (XREF) but can occur when adding drawings as block references.

Blocks

Each entity in AGI32 is exported as a block. These blocks may contain several levels of block hierarchy, as needed.

Block Reference	Block Name	Block Structure (default Layer Hierarchy)
Calculation Entity	AGi32-ProjectName-CALCPTS-EntityName	Calculation Entity - CALCPTS Layer - Nested Block: Calculation Points, Mark Points, Isolines, Calculation Points Label (Block), Boundary Lines Mark Points - MARKPOINT Layer - Nested Block (each Markpoint is also a block). Isolines - ISOLINE Layer - Block (each Isoline set is also a block, explodes to line segments). Block is on CALCPTS Layer.
Statistical Area	AGi32-ProjectName-STATISTICAL_AREA-EntityName	All Block components are on STATISTICAL_AREA Layer - (Boundary Line, Label).
LPD / UWLR Area	AGi32-ProjectName-LPD_UWLR_AREA-EntityName	All Block components are on LPD_UWLR_AREA Layer - (Boundary Line, Label).
Luminaire	AGi32-ProjectName-LUMINAIRE-EntityName	Luminaire (symbol) - LUMINAIRE Layer - Nested Blocks: Luminaire Location (Single, Arrangement, Group) Expanded Luminaire Location (Symbol, Photometric Web, Aiming Vectors, Aiming Point Labels (Block)) Template Poles and Pendants Luminaire Labels (Block) Aiming Vectors and Labels - AIMINGVECTOR Layer. Luminaire Templates - TEMPLATE Layer. Photometric Webs - PHOTOMETRICWEB Layer - Block. Poles and/or Pendants - POLE_PENDANT Layer. Block, Luminaire symbols and Labels are on LUMINAIRE Layer.
Rooms	AGi32-ProjectName-ROOM-EntityName	All Block components are on ROOM Layer - (3D Polylines, Label).
Objects	AGi32-ProjectName-OBJECT-EntityName	All Block components are on OBJECT Layer - (3D Polylines, Label).
Schedules	AGi32-ProjectName-SCHEDULE-EntityName	All Block components are on SCHEDULE Layer - (Gridlines, text, drawing lines).

Note: The block hierarchy is not affected by layer hierarchy. The layer hierarchy only affects the layers on which each block (and its internal entities) reside. That is, entities within each block (lines, text, etc.) are on the appropriate layers and the block may be on a different layer. Because of this, if you want to change the visibility of something in CAD, you should FREEZE/UNFREEZE layers instead of turning them ON/OFF.

Freeze/Unfreeze: Turns blocks (and all entities within the blocks) that are on that layer off/on.
On/Off: Turns entities (NOT blocks) on specified layer on/off.

Text

Calculation Point text is rotated to match orientation and tilt of all vertical surfaces; calculation points are readable in all Elevation views.

Highlight Values - Regardless of foreground or background selection in AGi32, the text foreground is colored in the CAD file (there is no equivalent to text background in CAD).

All AGi32 text is exported as MText with an attachment point top and left - Upper Left-hand Corner

CAD_Text_Height = AGI_Text_Size / Import_Text_Size_Factor
CAD_Y = AGI_Y - (CAD_Text_Height / (2 * Import_Text_Offset_Factor))
For more information on this, see Importing CAD Files - Concepts.

CAD Text Styles are created for each font-bold-italic combination. Other text formatting, such as underline and strike-through, are ignored (only bold and italic text formatting is supported at this time). Text Style names use the same prefix and delimiter as layers do.

Example Text Style Names:

AGi32-Courier New
AGi32-Courier New-Bold
AGi32-Courier New-Italic
AGi32-Courier New-Bold-Italic

AGi32 Export Text Size and Offset Factors

Text Size and Offset Factor are applied to text in CAD files when they are imported into and exported from AGi32. These parameters are applied to exported text so that in CAD it looks similar to its original appearance in AGi32.

The text size in AGi32 determines the size of the character block containing the font glyph and top and bottom leading spaces. In CAD software, the text is created without any top and bottom leading spaces.

Text Size Factor adjusts the CAD Text Size to correspond to the AGi32 Text Size, which includes the top and bottom leading spaces.

AGi32 Line Type Mapping

AGi32 Line Type	CAD Line Type
Solid	ConTinuous
DASH	DASHED
DOT	DOT
DASHDOT	DASHDOT
DASHDOTDOT	DIVIDE

AGi32 Line Weight Mapping

Lines are Mapped to nearest-millimeter line weight in CAD. Most lines in AGi32 are pixel thickness. However, Model Mode luminaire symbols can have thicker line weights applied, as can imported CAD drawing entities.