At Ideate, we are always digging and searching information to help improve your workflow. Have you ever needed to export your drawing to DGN because your work is going to be consumed by Microstation users without AutoCAD and hence no way to open a DWG? Read on for your options:
AutoCAD Civil 3D includes AutoCAD Map functionality and has historically included a command MAPEXPORT (not available in Civil 3D 2014 ribbon interface) to export to DGN and other formats listed in the picture below.
While this command is still available, Civil 3D now includes a newer command, DGNEXPORT (Application Menu > Export < DGN), to export to DGN. This command has options to specify the seed file and mapping setup such as layer, linetype – see picture below. Read the Help file to learn more about exporting to DGN and its limitations.
Tip: Before exporting Civil 3D objects to DGN, export the Civil features to AutoCAD using the appropriate EXPORTTOAUTOCAD (Application Menu > Export > DWG) command. In the resultant file, if need be, use BURST to reduce any blocks that remain to AutoCAD entities as well. Burst is similar to explode but maintains attributes and block entity layers and is well suited for this purpose.
You can access the same command using the command EXPORT (Application Menu > Export < Other Formats) and pick the appropriate DGN format.
Read further in the Help file about all the commands to import/export DGN files and associated system variables.
If you have to use MAPEXPORT and it does not work, follow the steps per this Autodesk technical solution.
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Gaurav Bagga
Senior Application Specialist Infrastructure
Gaurav is a Senior Application Specialist for Infrastructure Solutions at Ideate based out of San Francisco. He has over 18 years of experience in construction and related software industry. With this extensive design technology background he helps engineering and surveying companies, federal and state government agencies, and ENR 500 firms critically analyze and improve their construction drawing production process. He implements Civil infrastructure design technology led by InfraWorks and Civil 3D and has helped Ideate grow Civil Infrastructure Services. Being an industry recognized speaker he has presented cutting edge design technology at several industry conferences such as Autodesk University. Find Gaurav on Twitter.