Why is my DWG/DXF not exported with real world coordinates?

Issue description

When you export your model as a DWG file, the resulting drawing does not align with real world or survey coordinates. The exported DWG appears at the project origin instead of the expected survey location. Coordinates in the DWG do not match those provided by the surveyor, and the file opens in DWG/DXF viewers with incorrect placement.

Solution

This behaviour occurs when the Survey Point is not set or the DWG export settings are not configured to use survey coordinates. By default, exports use the project origin. Additionally, exporting from a layout will not preserve real world coordinates; only model space exports support this feature.

You can follow these steps to export a DWG with real world (survey) coordinates.

Set the survey point if your model is at the project origin

If you began modeling at the project origin, you must define the survey point with the correct surveyor-provided values.

1. Open Location settings:
   • Go to Options > Project Preferences > Location Settings.
   • Or right-click the project name in the Navigator and select Location Settings.

2. In the Survey Point panel, enter the surveyor’s easting and northing coordinates as under Position (use negative values for correct display of coordinates in Coordinate objects and export)

   

3. Click OK to save your changes.

Configure the DWG translator to use the survey point

By default, DWG export uses the project origin. To export using the survey point:

1. Make sure you are in the model space or a view.
2. Choose File > Save As and select DWG as the file type.
3. In the Save As dialog, click Settings next to the Translator field.
4. In the DXF-DWG Translation Setup dialog, go to the Save Options panel.
5. Under Match Files Origin, select Survey Point from the dropdown menu.
6. Click OK to confirm and return to the Save As dialog.
7. Complete the export.

Export from Model Space, not from Layout

DWG coordinates are preserved only when exporting from model views (e.g., Floor Plan, Section, 3D View). Exporting from a layout will not maintain real world coordinates, as layouts are based on paper space and use different coordinate systems.

• To ensure correct coordinates, always export from a model view window.
• Do not export from the layout book or publisher if you require survey coordinates in the DWG.

If you need more help…

Check out more content on the Support Site, Graphisoft Community, or the Graphisoft Learn Portal. You can also contact Technical Support for further assistance.