Integrating CAD Data with Geographic Information Systems Using AutoCAD and ARC/INFO Software

Software for computer-aided design CAD and geographic information systems GIS are often used in conjunction with one another. This document proposes a methodology for effectively integrating data created using Autodesks AutoCAD R14, the most widely used CAD software package, with Environmental System Research Institutes ESRIs ARCINFO 7.2, the most widely used professional GIS software package. A brief discussion of software data models is provided, followed by an enumeration of certain entities that should never be used to represent AutoCAD data that is going to be converted using ARCINFO. The document concludes with an example implementation of the proposed integration methodology.