How to Convert Dwg to Shapefile

AutoCAD can open DWG files and save them as shapefiles.

A DWG file is a binary file used to store 2D and 3D design data. It is used by many CAD tools, such as AutoCAD. A shapefile is a popular vector data format used by geographic information systems software, such as ESRI ArcGIS. Although DWG files can contain metadata, you can convert them to shapefiles by using the same tool that created them, such as AutoCAD. Shapefiles generated by AutoCAD are fully compatible with ESRI ArcGIS and other GIS software.

Things You'll Need

• AutoCAD 2007 or newer

Instructions

1. Double-click the AutoCAD icon on your desktop or click the AutoCAD icon in the Start menu to start the software.

2. Go to the File menu and select the Open option. DWG files are CAD drawing files so, by default, AutoCAD is able to open them.

3. Use the resulting file browser to locate and highlight the DWG file. If it does not appear, select "All files" in the file type drop-down box. Click the "Open" button to open the DWG file in AutoCAD, as a new project.

4. Edit the DWG file. Shapefiles are very difficult to convert back to drawings, so if you want to edit the drawing, do it before you convert it to a shapefile.

5. Go to the File menu and click on the Save As option to start saving the DWG file. Enter a name for your shapefile in the Name box and click on the "Browse" button to select a location where to save it.

6. Click on the Format drop-down box at the bottom of the Save As window and select "Shape File" from the resulting list. Click on the "Save" button to convert and save the DWG file to a shapefile.

References

• ESRI: ESRI Shapefile Technical Description
• AECbytes: AutoCAD 2007

Resources

• CADTutor: Drawing Objects
• AutoDesk: AutoCAD