Export to Other File Formats-Autocad ActiveX VBA-kxcad

If you need to use an AutoCAD drawing in another application, you can convert it to a specific format by using the Export method. This method exports the AutoCAD drawing to a WMF, SAT, EPS, DXF, or BMP format. The Export method takes three values as input: the name for the new file to be created, the extension for the new file, and the selection set of objects to export.

When exporting to WMF, SAT, or BMP format, you must provide a nonempty selection set. This selection set specifies the objects from the drawing to export. If no selection set is specified, nothing is exported and a trappable invalid argument error results.

When exporting to EPS and DXF formats, Export ignores the selection set argument, but it is still required. The entire drawing is automatically exported for these formats.

Export a drawing as a DXF file and import it again

This example creates a circle in the current drawing. It then exports the drawing to a file called DXFExprt.DXF, opens a new drawing, and imports the file. Note that an empty selection set is provided as an argument to Export. The Export method ignores selection set information when exporting a DXF file, but a syntax error results if the argument is omitted.

Sub Ch3_ImportingAndExporting()

    ' Create the circle for visual representation

    Dim circleObj As AcadCircle

    Dim centerPt(0 To 2) As Double

    Dim radius As Double

    centerPt(0) = 2: centerPt(1) = 2: centerPt(2) = 0

    radius = 1

    Set circleObj = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.AddCircle _

                    (centerPt, radius)

    ThisDrawing.Application.ZoomAll

    ' Create an empty selection set

    Dim sset As AcadSelectionSet

    Set sset = ThisDrawing.SelectionSets.Add("NEWSSET")

    'Export the current drawing to a DXF file in the

    ' AutoCAD temporary file directory

    Dim tempPath As String

    Dim exportFile As String

    Const dxfname As String = "DXFExprt"

    tempPath = _

       ThisDrawing.Application.preferences.Files.TempFilePath

    exportFile = tempPath & dxfname

    ThisDrawing.Export exportFile, "DXF", sset

    ' Delete the empty selection set

    ThisDrawing.SelectionSets.Item("NEWSSET").Delete

    ' Open a new drawing

    ThisDrawing.Application.Documents.Add "acad.dwt"

    ' Define the import

    Dim importFile As String

    Dim insertPoint(0 To 2) As Double

    Dim scalefactor As Double

    importFile = tempPath & dxfname & ".dxf"

    insertPoint(0) = 0: insertPoint(1) = 0: insertPoint(2) = 0

    scalefactor = 2#

    ' Import the file

    ThisDrawing.Import importFile, insertPoint, scalefactor

    ThisDrawing.Application.ZoomAll

End Sub