Home/Products/Server/ArcGIS for AutoCAD

ArcGIS for AutoCAD

ArcGIS for AutoCAD is a free, downloadable tool that provides AutoCAD and ArcGIS interoperability. Within the AutoCAD environment, you gain easy access to enterprise GIS basemaps published by ArcGIS Server.

In addition, ArcGIS for AutoCAD gives you the ability to prepare CAD data for use with the ArcGIS platform while leveraging your existing CAD standards.

Use ArcGIS for AutoCAD to

  • Streamline information sharing between GIS and CAD groups.
  • View live GIS maps and display GIS symbology of underlying GIS data inside AutoCAD.
  • Include the results of GIS analysis in AutoCAD designs.
  • Create, manipulate, and define how CAD data is organized and attributed as GIS content so it can be used in ArcGIS Desktop or AutoCAD.

View demos to learn how you can leverage ArcGIS for AutoCAD

ArcGIS Server Map Services

  • View one or more georeferenced ArcGIS Server map services in AutoCAD without data management, transformation, or conversion.
  • Access free and premium map service content from ArcGIS Online Services
  • Project map services on the fly using the current specification in the CAD drawing.
  • Identify features in the map service by picking locations on the map service image.
  • Dynamically refresh the map service when the AutoCAD view changes.
  • Control map draw order of overlapping map services.
  • Control visibility of individual map layers in a map service.
  • Convert map services to AutoCAD image entities.
  • Store and connect to favorite map services with the map service palette.
  • Get support for ArcGIS Server map services version 9.2 and above on secure servers.
  • Get support for ArcGIS Server cached map services version 9.3 and above.

File Management Tools

  • Customize mapping applications with the included AutoLISP tools.
  • Use mapping specification tools to
    • Create and edit GIS data in standard (.dwg) files.
    • Create and edit GIS feature classes in standard AutoCAD files.
  • Add attributes to any AutoCAD entity.
  • Includes ESRI coordinate system definition files (.prj) are included.

When are new versions of ArcGIS for AutoCAD released?

ArcGIS for AutoCAD versions are released independently of other ArcGIS products and are made available for download at no cost when new functionality is added. Check back frequently for updates. The current version of your ArcGIS for AutoCAD can be viewed using the About ArcGIS menu selection found on the ArcGIS menu in AutoCAD. Use this to compare to the current version found on ESRI.com.

Back to top

What types of GIS data can be accessed through ArcGIS for AutoCAD?

Any and all GIS data types supported by ArcGIS Server are accessible through ArcGIS for AutoCAD without conversion, translation, or configuration. ArcGIS Server manages all connections to the data and passes the display of features through the map service image. Requests to identify features are handled on the server, and the results are passed along to the ArcGIS for AutoCAD Identify dialog box.

Back to top