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Comment: Rewrite for 10.1.5 draft. Adds New-in-10.1.5 (draft) info-panel, removes em dashes, expands ATTRIB-to-Tag Mapping, Naming Tokens, Import Options (default values verified against code), Coordinate Handling, Tutorial, Edge Cases.

Import tags and device points from AutoCAD DXF and DWG drawings, one tag per INSERT block reference.

Reference → Solution → Designer → Settings and Tools → Import Tags → AutoCAD File

Info

New in 10.1.5 (draft). Page is a work-in-progress preview. Screenshots and final wording will land before the 10.1.5 release.

The AutoCAD File Tag Importer creates FrameworX tags, channels, nodes, and device points from block references (INSERT entities) in AutoCAD drawings. Each block reference becomes one tag; the block's ATTRIB values become feature attributes available in the naming patterns.reads DXF and DWG drawings and produces one FrameworX tag per INSERT block reference. Block attribute tags (ATTRIB) are extracted into naming tokens so you build tag names, descriptions, and addresses from the ATTRIB values the drafter already set on each symbol.

Use this wizard on P&ID and one-line drawings where each equipment symbol carries its Typical use: an electrical or process engineer has a one-line diagram or P&ID drawing with standard equipment symbols tagged with their identifiers ( ISA-5.1 or site naming), and wants FrameworX tags created for every piece of equipment in the drawing.Access: Solution → Import Tags → AutoCAD Filetag as an ATTRIB. Every INSERT in the drawing becomes a tag with its own attributes, layer, and insertion point.

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Supported File Formats

Format

Extensions

Feature Source

Notes

DXF (AutoCAD Drawing Exchange Format)

.dxfAutoCAD Drawing Exchange Format. ASCII or binary

INSERT entities

Text-based format. All versions supported by ACadSharp are read.

DWG (AutoCAD native binary)

.dwg

INSERT entities

Binary AutoCAD native binary format. Contact support for specific version compatibility.

What gets imported

The wizard extracts every INSERT entity (block reference) in the drawing and emits one feature per INSERT:

  • The block name becomes {FeatureType} — used for equipment-type-based naming (PUMP, VALVE, FT, etc.).
  • The layer name becomes {Layer} — useful for per-layer channels.
  • The insertion point (X, Y) is captured as coordinates.
  • All ATTRIB tag/value pairs on the INSERT become feature attributes accessible via {Attr:TagName}.
  • A preferred ATTRIB (commonly TAG or NAME) becomes {Name}; if none is found, the block name is used.

What is NOT imported

  • Geometry primitives without an enclosing INSERT (standalone LINE, CIRCLE, ARC, TEXT).
  • External references (XREFs) are not followed.
  • 3D geometry — the Z coordinate is discarded.
  • Drawing appearance (layer colors, linetypes, hatches).

Version support follows ACadSharp.

Only INSERT block references are extracted in 10.1.5. Geometry primitives without an enclosing INSERT (LINE, CIRCLE, ARC, LWPOLYLINE, TEXT) are not emitted as tags. External references (XREFs) are not resolved. Z coordinates are discarded.

ATTRIB to Tag Mapping

An INSERT entity has a block name, a layer, an insertion point, and zero or more ATTRIB tag-value pairs attached to it by the drafter. The importer maps these to a FrameworX feature as follows.

INSERT property

Feature field

Naming token

First ATTRIB with tag TAG or NAME, otherwise the block name

Name

{Name}

Layer name

Layer

{Layer}

Block name

FeatureType

{FeatureType}

Insertion point X

Longitude

{Lon}

Insertion point Y

Latitude

{Lat}

All ATTRIB tag-value pairs

Attributes dictionary

{Attr:TAGNAME}

An INSERT with no ATTRIB tags falls back to the block name. {Attr:xxx} tokens referring to missing ATTRIB tags resolve to an empty string.

Import Process

Open Solution → Import Tags → AutoCAD File.

Import Wizard

The wizard has the same five steps as the GIS File Tag Importer — File Select, Protocol, Mapping, Preview, Generate — with differences noted below.

Step 1 differences (CAD-specific)

  • The file filter shows only .dxf and .dwg.
  • The summary lists block names as feature types (e.g., PUMP, VALVE) rather than GeoJSON geometry types.
  • The coordinate system shows "CAD Units (non-georeferenced)" for typical P&ID drawings, or the detected CRS for georeferenced drawings.

Pattern tokens

All standard tokens apply. For CAD the most useful are:

, with the file filter limited to .dxf and .dwg.

Step 1. File Select

  1. Click Browse and choose a .dxf or .dwg file.
  2. Step 1 loads the drawing and reports the INSERT count, the distinct block names found, the layer list, and the distinct ATTRIB tag keys across all INSERTs.
  3. Review the summary. Drawings with zero INSERTs disable the Next button and show "0 features".

Step 2. Protocol

  1. Select a Protocol.
  2. Set the Channel Name Pattern, the Node Name Pattern, and the Station Address Pattern using the naming tokens listed below.

Step 3. Mapping

  1. Set the Tag Name Pattern. Typical CAD choice is {Attr:TAG} or {Attr:EQUIP_NO}.
  2. Choose the Tag Type.
  3. Map the Description Attribute to an ATTRIB key.
  4. Set the Address Pattern and the Access Type.
  5. Optionally save the configuration as a mapping profile for reuse.

Step 4. Preview

The wizard shows the first 50 INSERTs with resolved names.

Step 5. Generate

Click Start. The wizard yields INSERTs from the in-memory CadDocument into the device-creation pipeline.

Naming Tokens

Every pattern field supports the tokens below.

Example

Token

Source

Typical use

{Name}

First ATTRIB with tag TAG or NAME, or the block name.

Tag Name Pattern.

{Layer}

INSERT's AutoCAD layer.

Channel Name Pattern (one channel per layer).

TokenTypical Source

{FeatureType}

Block name (PUMP, VALVE_BUTTERFLY, TX, and so on).

Node Name Pattern grouped by block type.

{LayerId}

AutoCAD layer

Utility_Water

{Attr:TAG}

ATTRIB named TAG

P-101, FT-103

{Attr:SERVICE}

Custom ATTRIB

Feedwater

Example — Typical P&ID

A process and instrumentation diagram with three layers (Pumps, Valves, Instruments) and standard ISA-5.1 tag ATTRIBs on each block.

Suggested mapping

Protocol

ModbusTCPIP (or OPC UA, depending on plant comms)

Tag Name Pattern

{Attr:TAG} produces P-101, V-102A, FT-103, etc.

Channel Name Pattern

{Layer}_Channel — one channel per drawing layer

Node Name Pattern

{FeatureType}_Node — one node per equipment type

Address Pattern

{Attr:ADDRESS} or {Attr:POLL_OFFSET} depending on your ATTRIB scheme

Description Attribute

SERVICE or DESCRIPTION

Hierarchical tag names

Use {Layer}/{Attr:TAG} to produce asset-tree folders per drawing layer: Pumps/P-101, Valves/V-102A, Instruments/FT-103.

Drawing-assigned handle if present.

Less common in CAD.

{Index}

Ordinal within the INSERT stream.

Fallback naming when ATTRIB is missing.

{Lat} / {Lon}

Insertion point Y / X. See Coordinate Handling below.

Address patterns when the drawing is georeferenced.

{Attr:TAGNAME}

Value of the ATTRIB with tag TAGNAME on the INSERT.

Tag Name Pattern, Address Pattern, Description.

Import Options

Option

Description

Default

Tag Name Pattern

Pattern used for each new tag name.

{Name}

Tag Type

Data type applied to created tags.

Analog

Description Attribute

ATTRIB key whose value populates the tag Description.

(none)

Protocol

Device protocol used for the channel.

ModbusTCPIP

Channel Name Pattern

Channel name pattern.

{Layer}_Channel

Node Name Pattern

Node name pattern. Nodes are shared across features with the same resolved node name.

{Name}

Station Address Pattern

Protocol-specific station address used on the node.

(empty)

Address Pattern

Address written to each device point.

{Attr:Address}

Access Type

Access mode for the device point.

ReadWrite

Update Existing

When on, re-importing the same drawing updates existing rows. When off, duplicate names are skipped.

On

Coordinate Handling

CAD drawings use arbitrary X and Y units. The importer treats the INSERT insertion point X as longitude and Y as latitude regardless of whether the drawing is georeferenced. Z is discarded.

Georeferenced drawings

AutoCAD Map 3D and Civil 3D drawings carry real-world coordinates. The insertion point is in lat/lon, UTM, or state plane. Auto-detection of georeferencing is not performed in 10.1.5, so coordinates are used as given. Non-WGS84 inputs produce offset positions in the display generator until a reprojection step is added.

Non-georeferenced drawings

P&ID and one-line drawings typically use abstract CAD coordinates (X=350, Y=200 means "350 units right, 200 up from origin"). The tag importer is unaffected, since device creation does not care about geography. The GIS/CAD Display Generator uses the same X/Y values as canvas coordinates via a relative-range projection, so non-georeferenced drawings render correctly in Canvas mode.

Tutorial

Import a small P&ID and verify the resulting tags.

  1. Open a solution in Designer.
  2. Choose Solution → Import Tags → AutoCAD File.
  3. Click Browse and pick a .dxf with known INSERTs. Click Next. The summary lists the INSERT count, block names, layers, and ATTRIB keys.
  4. Pick ModbusTCPIP. Keep the default channel and node patterns. Click Next.
  5. Set Tag Name Pattern to {Attr:TAG} (substitute the ATTRIB tag your drawings use). Set Description Attribute to SERVICE. Click Next.
  6. Review the preview. Click Next, then Start.
  7. Open Edit → Unified Namespace → Tags and confirm the new tags.

Edge Cases and Limitations

  • INSERT-only extraction. LINE, CIRCLE, ARC, LWPOLYLINE, and TEXT are not emitted as tags in 10.1.5.
  • No XREF resolution. External references are not walked. One-line diagrams that split equipment across XREF'd DWGs must be flattened by the drafter before import.
  • Nested blocks. INSERTs inside a block definition are part of the definition, not of the instance stream. Only the outer INSERT is emitted.
  • Scale and rotation. Non-unit scale and non-zero rotation on an INSERT are ignored for position. Device creation is unaffected. In the display generator, symbols appear un-rotated.
  • Password-protected DWG. Parsing fails at Step 1 with a clean error. Remove the password and retry.
  • Memory use. ACadSharp loads the whole drawing into memory. A 50 MB DWG with 100,000 INSERTs consumes several hundred megabytes during import.
  • File-type spoofing. The importer currently detects format by extension. A .dxf file with non-DXF content is rejected by the parser at Step 1 with a parse error.

Related Pages

In this section...

Notes and Limitations

  • INSERT entities only. Line/circle/arc primitives outside an INSERT are ignored.
  • Only ATTRIBs attached to INSERT entities are read.
  • Nested blocks — only the outer INSERT is emitted.
  • XREF drawings are not resolved. Import each referenced file separately.
  • Block scale and rotation are ignored. The insertion point is used as-is.
  • Very old DXF files in legacy encodings may need conversion first.
  • Password-protected DWG files cannot be read; unlock before importing.

See Also

In this section…

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