dwg-to-excel
Convert AutoCAD DWG files (1983-2026) to Excel databases using DwgExporter CLI. Extract layers, blocks, attributes, and geometry data without Autodesk licenses.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/datadrivenconstruction/DDC_Skills_for_AI_Agents_in_Construction /tmp/dwg-to-excel && cp -r /tmp/dwg-to-excel/1_DDC_Toolkit/CAD-Converters/dwg-to-excel ~/.claude/skills/dwg-to-excelSKILL.md
# DWG to Excel Conversion
## Business Case
### Problem Statement
AutoCAD DWG files contain valuable project data locked in proprietary format:
- Layer structures with drawing organization
- Block references with attribute data
- Text annotations and dimensions
- Geometric entities (lines, polylines, arcs)
- External references (xrefs)
Extracting this data typically requires AutoCAD licenses or complex programming.
### Solution
DwgExporter.exe converts DWG files to structured Excel databases offline, without Autodesk licenses.
### Business Value
- **Zero license cost** - No AutoCAD license required
- **Legacy support** - Reads DWG files from 1983 to 2026
- **Data extraction** - Layers, blocks, attributes, text, geometry
- **PDF export** - Generate drawings from DWG layouts
- **Batch processing** - Convert thousands of DWG files
## Technical Implementation
### CLI Syntax
```bash
DwgExporter.exe <input_dwg> [options]
```
### Output Formats
| Output | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `.xlsx` | Excel database with all entities |
| `.pdf` | PDF drawings from layouts |
### Supported Versions
| Version Range | Description |
|---------------|-------------|
| R12 (1992) | Legacy DWG |
| R14 (1997) | AutoCAD 14 |
| 2000-2002 | DWG 2000 format |
| 2004-2006 | DWG 2004 format |
| 2007-2009 | DWG 2007 format |
| 2010-2012 | DWG 2010 format |
| 2013-2017 | DWG 2013 format |
| 2018-2026 | DWG 2018 format |
### Examples
```bash
# Basic conversion
DwgExporter.exe "C:\Projects\FloorPlan.dwg"
# Export with PDF drawings
DwgExporter.exe "C:\Projects\FloorPlan.dwg" sheets2pdf
# Batch processing all DWG in folder
for /R "C:\Projects" %f in (*.dwg) do DwgExporter.exe "%f"
# PowerShell batch conversion
Get-ChildItem "C:\Projects\*.dwg" -Recurse | ForEach-Object {
& "C:\DDC\DwgExporter.exe" $_.FullName
}
```
### Python Integration
```python
import subprocess
import pandas as pd
from pathlib import Path
from typing import List, Optional, Dict, Any
from dataclasses import dataclass
from enum import Enum
class DWGEntityType(Enum):
"""DWG entity types."""
LINE = "LINE"
POLYLINE = "POLYLINE"
LWPOLYLINE = "LWPOLYLINE"
CIRCLE = "CIRCLE"
ARC = "ARC"
ELLIPSE = "ELLIPSE"
SPLINE = "SPLINE"
TEXT = "TEXT"
MTEXT = "MTEXT"
DIMENSION = "DIMENSION"
INSERT = "INSERT" # Block reference
HATCH = "HATCH"
SOLID = "SOLID"
POINT = "POINT"
ATTRIB = "ATTRIB"
ATTDEF = "ATTDEF"
@dataclass
class DWGEntity:
"""Represents a DWG entity."""
handle: str
entity_type: str
layer: str
color: int
linetype: str
lineweight: float
# Geometry (depends on entity type)
start_x: Optional[float] = None
start_y: Optional[float] = None
end_x: Optional[float] = None
end_y: Optional[float] = None
# Block reference data
block_name: Optional[str] = None
rotation: Optional[float] = None
scale_x: Optional[float] = None
scale_y: Optional[float] = None
# Text data
text_content: Optional[str] = None
text_height: Optional[float] = None
@dataclass
class DWGBlock:
"""Represents a DWG block definition."""
name: str
base_point_x: float
base_point_y: float
entity_count: int
is_dynamic: bool
attributes: List[str]
@dataclass
class DWGLayer:
"""Represents a DWG layer."""
name: str
color: int
linetype: str
is_on: bool
is_frozen: bool
is_locked: bool
lineweight: float
entity_count: int
class DWGExporter:
"""DWG to Excel converter using DDC DwgExporter CLI."""
def __init__(self, exporter_path: str = "DwgExporter.exe"):
self.exporter = Path(exporter_path)
if not self.exporter.exists():
raise FileNotFoundError(f"DwgExporter not found: {exporter_path}")
def convert(self, dwg_file: str,
export_pdf: bool = False) -> Path:
"""Convert DWG file to Excel."""
dwg_path = Path(dwg_file)
if not dwg_path.exists():
raise FileNotFoundError(f"DWG file not found: {dwg_file}")
cmd = [str(self.exporter), str(dwg_path)]
if export_pdf:
cmd.append("sheets2pdf")
result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True)
if result.returncode != 0:
raise RuntimeError(f"Export failed: {result.stderr}")
# Output file is same name with .xlsx extension
return dwg_path.with_suffix('.xlsx')
def batch_convert(self, folder: str,
include_subfolders: bool = True,
export_pdf: bool = False) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Convert all DWG files in folder."""
folder_path = Path(folder)
pattern = "**/*.dwg" if include_subfolders else "*.dwg"
results = []
for dwg_file in folder_path.glob(pattern):
try:
output = self.convert(str(dwg_file), export_pdf)
results.append({
'input': str(dwg_file),
'output': str(output),
'status': 'success'
})
print(f"✓ Converted: {dwg_file.name}")
except Exception as e:
results.append({
'input': str(dwg_file),
'output': None,
'status': 'failed',
'error': str(e)
})
print(f"✗ Failed: {dwg_file.name} - {e}")
return results
def read_entities(self, xlsx_file: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Read converted Excel as DataFrame."""
xlsx_path = Path(xlsx_file)
if not xlsx_path.exists():
raise FileNotFoundError(f"Excel file not found: {xlsx_file}")
return pd.read_excel(xlsx_file, sheet_name="Elements")
def get_layers(self, xlsx_file: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Get layer summary from converted file."""
df = self.read_entities(xlsx_file)
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