Error Reading Shape File Autocad

In any case, AutoCAD cannot find the shape file. Search your machine and/or your network for this file. The actual shape file name is located in the file name portion of the “Select Shape File” dialog. If you choose “Ignore the missing SHX files and continue”, then you can continue working in the drawing. When creating text with a particular SHX font/shape/file in AutoCAD, a message appears at the command line that there was an 'Error reading shape file'. Any text using that font will then have a substitute font used, like Simplex.shx, for example. We are trying to open a.shp file using AutoCAD 14. I'm using the command 'Compile' to convert the.shp file to a.shx file, but when I execute the command it gives the following error: Command: COMPILE Compiling shape/font description file Bad shape definition at line 1 of S: SDSKPROJ 64055 ENVM DNR-data swPotFIDS swPotFIDS.shp. ESRI SHP files store both geometry and attributes (data) for features. A single shape can have as many as five physical files with the same filename, but different file extensions. To import from SHP Click Insert tabImport panelMap Import. In the Import Location dialog box, under Files Of Type, select shp. Select the file or folder to import. For formats with additional options, in.

Somebody wants a shapefile and you are an AutoCAD user or a Civil 3D user. How can you give them a shapefile? It's pretty easy. And it requires nothing but AutoCAD (assuming you have the ADESETCRDSYS and MAPEXPORT commands available) . But you need to learn a few new tricks and terms.
Let's assume you want to send a parcel shapefile 'parcel'.

New Concepts

First, you have to understand two new concepts.

Shapefile

First, the word 'shapefile' is used as shorthand for a group of GIS files in a folder that all have the same name and different extensions. So what your dear correspondent wants is probably not really a 'file', but a zipped up set of files among which is a file called parcel.shp. You will create this set of files in a new folder to keep things simple. Then you will zip them into a single compressed file called parcel.zip and send the zip file (or another compression format you both like better such as tar.gzip, rar, 7z, etc.).

Projection

Second, you can't create shapefiles unless your drawing is connected to geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude). This is done by creating or assigning a translation between your drawing's xy or ne coordinates and latitude and longitude coordinates. This translation turns your drawing into a 'geographic projection' of the earth's latitude and longitude onto a plane. In other words, a geographic projection makes your drawing ready to talk to the whole world. Once you choose or create a geographic projection, you can import/export GIS information to/from anybody in the world from/to your drawing in AutoCAD. You will use the ADESETCRDSYS command (or in Civil 3D, Toolspace, Settings, Edit Drawing Settings by right-clicking the drawing name, Unit and Zone) to set up your projection.

Set Your Drawing's Geographic Projection

Setting your drawing's projection can be the daunting part. Let's consider three options for setting up a projection for your drawing, starting from the easiest.

Method 1, easiest

Projection method one, choose and follow: The easiest way to set up a projection is to choose one that looks like it's for your area and then follow it using something like the GEOMAP command (requires an Autodesk login) or a shapefile import you can compare to.
1. Start the ADESETCRDSYS command (or in Civil 3D Toolspace, Settings, Edit Drawing Settings by right-clicking the drawing name, Unit and Zone).
2. Choose a projection. Click the Select Coordinate System button (or in Civil 3D, select from Zone Categories and Available coordinate systems). Search for something that looks right for your area. If you are confused or want to use the SI UTM projection system, a web search will help you select an appropriate projection.
3. Check your projection. Turn on aerial mapping using the GEOMAP command or use the MAPIMPORT command to import a known shape in your area if you have one or can get one from a web site like the USDA Web Soil Survey.

Export Shape File In Autocad

USDA Web Soil Survey shapefile export

4. Draw or move your objects at their correct locations to match the aerial mapping or imported shapefile.

Method 2, custom transformation

Projection method two (only with Civil 3D), choose and transform if you know the projection coordinates for a point on your project or have the inclination to experiment. The next easiest way is to choose a projection for your area and then transform your drawing in a custom projection instead of moving your objects.

Autocad Compiled Shape File

1. Follow method one, step 1.
2. Follow method one, step 2.
3. In Civil 3D Toolspace, Settings, Edit Drawing Settings by right-clicking the drawing name, Transformation, check the Apply transform settings. Then enter experimental or known Transformation settings.
4. Follow method one, step 3.
5. Loop back to step 3 and 4 until your projection and transformation fit your drawing to your satisfaction.

Error Reading Shape File Autocad Download

Method 3, the ultimate solution

Projection method three, create your drawing on a published projection. The hardest to accomplish, but easiest in the long run, and the way of the future, is to lay out your drawing from the beginning based on published projection horizontal control points from a surveyor or GIS professional. This is really much like method one, but done professionally by a specialist who delivers your drawing to you with a projection already set so you can effortlessly type MAPEXPORT and MAPIMPORT.

Export Your Objects

This part is easy. Use the MAPEXPORT command to choose your objects.

Choose a folder.
Choose ESRI Shapefile type.
Enter a name for the .shp file.
Use the Selection tab to select your objects

Use polygon for closed polylines
Ignore topology and profiles

Ignore the Data tab (see my other post for more info about data)
Under the Options tab,

Ignore Coordinate conversion
Check Treat closed polylines as polygons. (GIS people like polygons to mean 'areas')
Ignore Driver Options

Click okay.
Check that the expected number of objects were exported.
Check that several files were created where you expected them.
Zip the files together and send to your dear correspondent.

Autodesk AutoCAD DWG/DXF Reader/Writer
- Feature Types
- Feature Representation (Format Attributes)

You are here: Popular Formats > Autodesk AutoCAD DWG/DXF Reader/Writer

This chapter is about the AutoCAD DWG/DXF reader/writer and AutoCAD feature types supported by FME. For AutoCAD DWF information, please refer to the Autodesk AutoCAD DWF Reader/Writer.

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FME can read and write files used by Autodesk® AutoCAD® and compatible systems. AutoCAD drawing files consist of drawing settings and configuration, as well as a series of entities, or graphic elements, organized into layers.

FME provides broad support for many AutoCAD entity types and options. FME reads and writes AutoCAD file versions up to and including 2018.

When AutoCAD data is output, header information may be copied from a supplied template, or prototype, file.

Reader Overview

The AutoCAD reader first reads the header and table information from the drawing file being processed, and caches information on blocks, shape files, layers, linetypes, and applications. These cached values are referenced by entities throughout the file and are needed when processing the entities.

The reader then extracts entities, one at a time, from the entity section of the drawing file and passes them on to the rest of FME for processing. Complex entities such as polylines and inserts are extracted as single FME features. If the entity has attribution stored as extended entity data, then this is also read and placed in the feature.

When the AutoCAD reader encounters an entity type it does not know how to process, it simply sets the entity type of the feature and returns it. This feature is then logged by the FME correlation subsystem and the reader moves on to the next entity.

The AutoCAD reader consists of Source Autodesk AutoCAD DWG/DXF File(s).

Writer Overview

The AutoCAD writer provides the following capabilities when writing AutoCAD files.

Load Shape File Into Autocad

User-defined Linetypes: New linetypes can be defined on FME mapping file lines. These linetypes can then be referenced by features being written to the AutoCAD file.
User-defined Layers: Users must define the layers into which features are stored. The layers can also define the attributes to be stored within the feature.
Copy Block Definitions: Often users have existing AutoCAD drawing files that contain block definitions they want the translated data to carry. Specifying the Template File parameter results in block definitions being copied from the existing file to the output DWG/DXF file. These blocks can then be referred to by insert entities.
Copy Linetypes: Predefined linetypes within existing DWG/DXF files are copied making them available for use by features being written to the destination file. Specifying the Template File parameter in the mapping file results in the predefined linetypes being copied from the template file to the output drawing file. Feature entities can then refer to these linetype definitions.
Copy Layer Definitions: Layer definitions within an existing DWG/DXF file identified by Template File parameter enable layer definitions to be copied to the destination data set and then referenced.
Copy Shape Header Definitions: Shape header definitions are also copied from the file specified by the Template File parameter.
Automatic Block Creation: When a feature is passed to the writer that cannot be written as a single AutoCAD entity, such as a donut polygon, the writer automatically defines an AutoCAD block and inserts entities necessary to represent the feature. If a block is already defined with that name, either through previous block creation or through existence in the template file, then the existing block definition will be used and the multi-part feature will be added at an insert point calculated from the feature geometry. If the autocad_block_insert_[xyz] attributes are specified, they will be used to specify an insert point for the new block reference.
Multi-version support: The AutoCAD DWG/DXF writer supports files that are compatible with any current AutoCAD release.
Flexible Attribute Support: Attribute information can be written through the use of the autocad_attributes attribute being set as shown in the following table.

autocad_attributes value	Description
extended_entity_data	This results in the attribution being written to the extended entity for the feature.
insert_attributes	This results in the writer creating an insert entity for each feature and storing all attributes with the insert entity. The insert entity refers to a block that contains the geometry of the output feature.
external_attributes	This is the default value. Limited attributes are written to the AutoCAD file. This is useful if the attributes are being stored in an external database. Note that list formatted extended entity data as created by the AutoCAD Reader may still be written.

When creating AutoCAD files, the AutoCAD writer first defines the linetypes and layers defined within the FME mapping file. The writer then reads in a template file, if specified, and copies the linetypes, layer definitions, shape file header information, and block information from the template file to the output dataset.

The AutoCAD writer then outputs each feature it is given to the output file in the appropriate entity type.

When writing an AutoCAD file, the format of file output is determined as follows:

Error Reading Shape File Autocad

If the file name contains .dwg or .DWG, then the output data set is written in the ACAD format.
Otherwise, if the file name contains .dxf or .DXF, then the output data set is written in DXF format.
Otherwise, if an error exists in the mapping file, the translation is halted.
XRecord data Support: Currently the AutoCAD DWG/DXF writer supports the creation of XRecord writing to the extension dictionaries of written entities.

Free Autocad Files

The AutoCAD writer uses the above rules to enable the same underlying FME mapping file to be used to create both DXF and DWG output files. Users are able to specify their choice simply by changing the suffix of the output file being produced.