Export

In the document object browser, you can export selected documents to multiple output formats. From isometric drawings it is possible to export data files that can be used by third-party software applications.

Note: If the drawing sheet or the drawing views of a document contain objects whose color is white or close to white, they are exported in black color.

Latest Published Version

You can export a file that fully matches the contents of the latest published document version.

Prerequisites

  • The document has been published at least once.

Do the following:

  1. In the document object browser, select the documents to export.

  2. Right-click the selection and select Export > Latest Published Version from the context menu. The Export Publication dialog opens.

  3. Define the export settings:

    • Format – Select the export format.

      • JPEG

      • DXF 2000

      • DWG 2004

      • DWG 2007

      • DWG 2010

      • DWG 2013

      • DWG 2018

      • DWF

      • PDF

      • SVG

      • BMP

      • PNG

    • Base Name – The default base name is the name of the document object; you can edit the name if you are exporting a single publication.

    • Output Directory – Click Browse to select the output folder.

  4. Click OK.

Current Version

You can export documents in their current state. If the document has already been published, the contents of the export file and the latest published version do not necessarily match.

Do the following:

  1. In the document object browser, select the documents to export.

  2. Right-click the selection and select Export > Current Version from the context menu. The Export 2D Drawing dialog opens.

  3. Define the general export settings:

    • Format – Select the export format.

      • DWG – Select also which specific AutoCAD format to use.

      • PDF

      • DWF

      • DXF

      • SVG

      • PNG

      • BMP

      • JPEG

      Most of the formats also have additional export settings that you can specify:

    • Base Name – The default base name is the name of the document object; you can edit the name if you are exporting a single document. The export files are named using the format <base name>.<page>.<file name extension>.

    • Output Directory – Click Browse to select the output folder.

    • Template Drawing – If exporting DWG or DXF format, you can click Browse to select a DWT or DWG file to be used as a template drawing.

  4. Define the other export options:

    • One-to-one scaling – If selected, select the scale to use from the Main scale field.

    • View exported file – If selected, the exported file opens in the viewer associated with the file type. If also Use built-in viewer for DXF/DWG/DWF files is selected, the exported file opens in CADMATIC Viewer.

    • Organize model objects to blocks – If selected, the export arranges model objects into blocks. If also Organize view geometry to blocks is selected, geometry object blocks are accessible from the top level of the exported file, instead of being stored under the drawing view they belong to.

      Note: Regardless of this setting, export to DWG or DXF places the data tables of the drawing sheet under blocks that are named using the format "PageX_PAGE_SHEET_GROUP_TABLE_Y" where X is the page number and Y is the extension of the table. For example, the revision table (extension: "rev") of the first page of the document can be found at Page1_PAGE_SHEET_GROUP_TABLE_rev. Moreover, anything that is not a symbol or a data table is assumed to be part of the title box and therefore placed under PageX_PAGE_SHEET_GROUP_TITLE.

  5. Click OK.

Current Version as Multi-page PDF

You can export the current state of a document as a multi-page PDF. If the document has already been published, the PDF might contain changes that have been done after the document was last published.

The export process is otherwise the same as that described in Current Version, but the file format is limited to PDF and in the advanced settings you can select a DWG or DXF file to be used as the front page of the PDF.

Export Main Document & Spools as Multi-page PDF

You can export the current state of a main document and the related pipe spool or duct spool documents as a multi-page PDF. If the document has already been published, the PDF might contain changes that have been done after the document was last published.

The export process is otherwise the same as that described in Current Version, but the file format is limited to PDF and in the advanced settings you can select a DWG or DXF file to be used as the front page of the PDF.

Advanced settings

In the Export 2D Drawing dialog, the Advanced button opens the advanced settings of the currently selected export format.

Advanced settings for DWG/DXF | Advanced settings for PDF/DWF | Advanced settings for BMP/JPEG/PNG

Advanced settings for DWG/DXF

  • Export colors – Select how to export colors:

    • Use current colors – Export everything using the colors shown on the screen.

    • Black & white – Export everything in black and white.

    • Grayscale – Export everything in grayscale.

    • Custom current colors – Export everything in current colors except items that are defined to be exported in black and white. See Configuring export colors.

    • Custom black & white – Export everything in black & white except items that are defined to be exported in color. See Configuring export colors.

    Note: If the drawing sheet or the drawing views contain objects whose color is white or close to white, they are exported in black color.

  • Exporting pages – Select how to export pages:

    • Export each page to model space in a separate file

    • Export each page to a paper layout in a single file

  • Summary information – Fill in the fields Title, Author, Subject and Keywords. See also Using tags in document attributes.

  • Post-processing – Select post-processing options:

    • Purge unused objects from export – Select this option to remove unused objects (such as unused layers and styles) from the export data.

    • Map exported colors to indexed colors – Select this option to replace each exported RGB color with the closest indexed color. Indexed colors are used in AutoCAD, for example.

Advanced settings for PDF/DWF

  • Size / Orientation / Color – Select the page size, the page orientation (Landscape or Portrait), and how to export colors:

    • Use current colors – Export everything using the colors shown on the screen.

    • Black & white – Export everything in black and white.

    • Grayscale – Export everything in grayscale.

    • Custom current colors – Export everything in current colors except items that are defined to be exported in black and white. See Configuring export colors.

    • Custom black & white – Export everything in black & white except items that are defined to be exported in color. See Configuring export colors.

    Note: If the drawing sheet or the drawing views contain objects whose color is white or close to white, they are exported in black color.

  • Summary information – Fill in the fields Title, Author, Subject and Keywords. See also Using tags in document attributes.

  • PDF specific – Select the options as appropriate.

    • Embed truetype fonts – Select to embed the fonts in the PDF file.

    • Include layers – Select to include the layers in the PDF file.

    • Fit to page – Select to fit oversized documents to the page size.

    • Export text as graphics – Select to export texts as graphics (and not as text).

    • Limit size to 5080x5080mm – Select to set the maximum page size to 5080 x 5080 mm, to make the PDF file comply with ISO 32000.

Advanced settings for BMP/JPEG/PNG

  • Size – Select the page size.

  • Color – Select how to export colors:

    • Use current colors – Export everything using the colors shown on the screen.

    • Black & white – Export everything in black and white.

    Note: If the drawing sheet or the drawing views contain objects whose color is white or close to white, they are exported in black color.

Using tags in document attributes

When exporting a Plant Modeller document in a format that allows specifying values for document attributes, it is possible to use tags within curly brackets in the attribute value fields: "{}". For example, to link document name to the title of the exported DWG or PDF, you can type something like "Document name: {.dU}" in the Title field. If the document name is "My Document", the title of the exported document would be: "Document name: My Document".

You can use the Manage COS tool to check which attribute tags relate to drawings and can therefore be used in document export.

This command exports production files for Transfluid and Addison McKee bending machines. See Transfluid and Addison McKee Link.

This command opens the settings for Transfluid and Addison McKee export. See Transfluid and Addison McKee Link.

This command is available if the PipeFAB link has been installed, you have a license for PipeFAB export, and the Transfluid and Addison McKee link is not active in your environment. See PipeFAB Link.

This command is available if Welding Book export has been enabled in Automatic Annotation Settings. See Welding Book Link.

This command is available if PCF export has been enabled in Automatic Annotation Settings. See PCF Export.

Related Topics

Document browser