File Export: DWG

Export views or sheets to AutoCAD-compatible DWG files for CAD coordination and consultant exchanges. This format is part of the File Export add-in.

Overview

DWG export produces AutoCAD-compatible files from Revit views or sheets. Each view or sheet is exported as a separate DWG file. Supports view type filtering, pattern matching, and sheet set selection.

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Options

Option	Description	Default
Export Source	Views or Sheets	Views
View Selection	All Views / Floor Plans / Sections / By Pattern	Floor Plans
View Name Pattern	Wildcard filter for view names	(none)
Sheet Selection	All Sheets / By Pattern / By Sheet Set	All Sheets
Sheet Number Pattern	Wildcard filter for sheet numbers	A-*;S-*
Sheet Set Name	Name of a Revit ViewSheetSet to export	(none)
AutoCAD Version	2018 / 2013 / 2010 / 2007	2018
Export Text as Text	Preserve text editability in AutoCAD	On
Export Rooms and Areas	Export room/area boundaries as polylines	On
Subfolder	Output subfolder path	DWG/{FileName}
File Name	Output file name pattern	{FileName}_{ViewName}

See File Name Placeholders for all available placeholders.

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Export Source

Views

Exports individual views as DWG files. Filter by view type or name pattern.

View Selection	Exports
All Views	Every non-template view in the document
Floor Plans	Floor plan views only
Sections	Section views only
By Pattern	Views matching the wildcard pattern

Example view patterns:

Pattern	Matches
Level *	Views starting with “Level”
*Plan*	Any view with “Plan” in the name
*Coord*;*Export*	Multiple patterns combined

Sheets

Exports sheets as DWG files, including all views placed on each sheet. Selection works the same as PDF sheet selection.

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Output Files

Each view or sheet is exported as a separate DWG file. When multiple items are exported from a single Revit file, view or sheet identifiers are automatically appended to the filename if no identifier placeholder is already present.

Exportable view types include Floor Plans, Ceiling Plans, Sections, Elevations, Details, and Drafting Views. The export uses ACIS solid geometry and shared coordinates by default.

Example output:

OutputFolder/
  DWG/
    MyProject - Level 1.dwg
    MyProject - Level 2.dwg
    MyProject - Section A.dwg

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AutoCAD Version

Choose the DWG file format version. Use the newest version your recipients can open.

Version	Compatibility
2018	AutoCAD 2018 and newer (recommended)
2013	AutoCAD 2013 and newer
2010	AutoCAD 2010 and newer
2007	AutoCAD 2007 and newer (maximum compatibility)

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Requirements

• At least one matching view or sheet must exist in the document
• Views must be non-template views

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Tips

• Export Text as Text keeps text editable in AutoCAD; disable if text formatting causes issues
• Export Rooms and Areas adds boundary polylines useful for area calculations in CAD
• Floor Plans is the most common view selection for coordination DWGs
• AutoCAD 2018 is recommended unless consultants use older software
• Use dedicated views with simplified visibility settings for cleaner DWG output

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Limitations

Limitation	Details
One DWG per view/sheet	Cannot combine multiple views into a single DWG
Complex fills may simplify	Some Revit fill patterns may not translate perfectly to AutoCAD hatches

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Troubleshooting

No views match selection

The view type or pattern filter did not find any matching views.

Solution: Try “All Views” to verify views exist, then narrow with type or pattern filters. Check view names for typos in patterns.

Text appears wrong in AutoCAD

Revit text may render differently in AutoCAD depending on font availability and export settings.

Solution: Enable Export Text as Text for editable text. If formatting issues persist, the recipient may need to install matching fonts.

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