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Hello everyone,

I am currently working on migrating sewer utility data from an AutoCAD Civil 3D (2022) DWG file into the Esri Utility Network Foundation (Sewer) feature class/file geodatabase.

Issue: The attribution for the DWG sewer layers is stored in tables that I need to join to my DWG/Feature class during the FME workflow by matching an ID field. However, the ID field in my DWG is not appearing in the reader I am using (Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D), not even as an “unexposed attribute”.

I discovered a legacy .fmw file that successfully reads this field using a different reader (Autodesk AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data), which I do not have a license for.

Questions:

  1. What is the necessary license for Autodesk AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data (aka AUTOCAD_OD)? Is it an FME-based license, or does it require an active AutoCAD Civil 3D license on my computer (which I currently don't have)?

  2. As an alternative, can anyone guide me on how to copy-paste the ID field that I can’t access in FME into a different field that I can access through FME? I can use a different machine with AutoCAD if needed.

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

PS - I put in a ticket with support but have not heard back from them yet, and have no reference for how long it might take for them to get back to me. I’m hoping for a quicker answer from the community.

I saw this on another post:

“FME is not dependent on AutoCAD being installed to use any of the AutoCAD formats (eg. ACAD, REALDWG, AUTOCAD_OD, CIVIL3D).”

So, you may not need an AutoCAD, AutoCAD Map 3D, or AutoCAD Civil 3D license to read the drawing(s).

How is the ID field stored in the AutoCAD drawing?  I’m happy to take a look at the drawing if you want to share it.


Another thought…

If the ID is accessible via AutoCAD Map 3D object data, you can have two separate readers:  one for Civil 3D and another for Map 3D OD.  You can use autocad_entity_handle to join.


@burgasser Thank you for the quote from the other post addressing licensing, that is helpful. Is there any chance you could provide a link to that post?

The ID field appears to be stored as object data. I’m having difficulty locating it at all in AutoCAD & FME, but I’ve seen it and confirmed its existence in two locations:

  • I can see it as an attribute for the feature when it is in the Autodesk AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data reader (now unlicensed) from the in a legacy FME workspace file
  •  

  • I can see it in FME Data Inspector’s “Feature Information” pane, wedged suspiciously between “extended_data_list{}” and “FME Attributes” (See photo below)

 

Any further insights you have would be greatly appreciated! Thanks


Here’s the link:

I don’t think that is Map 3D object data.  I think it’s AutoCAD extended data.  You won’t necessarily see extended data in AutoCAD unless you hunt for it.  3rd parties will often use it for their applications.

Regardless, it looks like you are able to access the ID in FME based on the screenshots or I am missing something?


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