Treesoft CAD Converter PDF/DXF/DWG

The brochure describes how you can convert floor plans provided to you as PDF, DWG, or DXF files into a Treesoft CAD ZNG file (drawing file) at the touch of a button. You can then use the bidirectional module to convert the floor plans with electrical installations back into a DXF/DWG file.

Import, convert, edit, and export PDF, DXF, DWG, and ZNG drawing files

As a rule, floor plans are arranged side by side in a PDF/DWG/DXF file. When you convert these floor plans into a Treesoft CAD building services ZNG file using the Treesoft CAD converter, a background drawing (vector graphic) is generated from each floor plan. All objects for a floor plan are stored on the “Graphic Elements” layer. You only need to transfer the objects that you need for the design of the electrical installation. If you wish, you can delete anything you don’t need.

You then create the electrical installations in Treesoft CAD. Of course, you can then save the finished floor plan drawings with the Treesoft CAD converter in all formats (DWG/DXF) for which you have purchased the corresponding modules. This generates a file from each floor plan with electrical installation.

Further pages

Advantages of the Treesoft CAD Converter

Simply transferring a scanned floor plan is a quick and high-quality alternative to drawing a floor plan from scratch. The key advantages of the Treesoft CAD converter over a scanned plan are:

All drawing functions, such as object snapping, are available.
The CAD converter's layer technology allows stored elements of a CAD drawing to be made visible or invisible in any combination. This makes it easier to maintain clarity, especially in complex CAD drawings.

Function overview of the modules

The Treesoft CAD Converter has a modular design. This allows us to sell you exactly what you need, no more and no less. In line with our open information policy, we list the prices for the individual modules in our price list. In addition to the individual prices listed, we also offer various packages at significantly lower prices.

The Treesoft CAD converter modules and the functions implemented therein can be used to solve all tasks arising from the circumstances described below.

The Treesoft CAD converter and two modules are included in the Building Technology Starter Package for the electrical trade and in the Control Technology Starter Package for maintenance.

DXF import/export + DWG import/export

DXF files can be generated from virtually any CAD program on the market. Unfortunately, the specifications defined by Autodesk are often not adhered to.

DWG files can now be created from a wide range of CAD programs. The specifications defined by Autodesk must be adhered to, otherwise such files cannot be opened at all.

If both formats are available to you, we recommend using the DWG file.

With each new AutoCAD® version, the specifications also change. Thanks to the Teigha® library we use, we can currently read and write all AutoCAD® formats and even convert between formats. This ensures that you can always deliver in the specified format for a tender.

Supported formats

reading:

reading and writing:

bidirectional module

If you want to preserve the original structure of the PDF/DWG/DXF file in order to return it to the data supplier, then the bidirectional module is the solution. It extends the Treesoft CAD converter with bidirectional data exchange.

The bidirectional module automatically generates a configuration file when converting floor plans into a Treesoft CAD floor plan file. This file stores all coordinates, sheet formats, scales, and a reference point for each floor plan. A copy of the original file is also created automatically.

Once you have completed the project planning for the electrical installations for the individual floor plans in Treesoft CAD Building Services, you can write them back to the original DWG/DXF file at the touch of a button. The background drawings are not written back. The data supplier thus receives the delivered DWG/DXF file back in its original state, with the electrical installations stored on attached layers. It couldn’t be better!

final sentence

As you can see, all tasks can be solved easily, quickly, and efficiently with the Treesoft CAD converter and the functions in the corresponding modules.

Working with the Treesoft CAD Converter

Below, we would like to give you an impression of how to work with the Treesoft CAD Converter. We describe all the necessary steps for converting floor plans from a PDF/DWG/DXF file into a Treesoft CAD building services drawing and then saving them again as a DWG/DXF file, or writing the created electrical installation back into the original DWG/DXF file.

Open PDF/DXF/DWG file(s)

To enable the best possible workflow, it is necessary to import the PDF/DXF/DWG files into your project.

Start Treesoft Office to open the project overview.
Create a new project or select an existing one.
In the document window, switch to the TreeCAD tab and double-click with the left mouse button on TreeCAD “Create document directory” in the document window.
Expand the CAD Converter branch and click the + button below the CAD Converter branch.
A file selection window will now open, in which you can select the PDF/DXF/DWG files that you want to include in the project.

Determine scaling

Scaling a DWG/DXF drawing is necessary because not every draftsman stores the scaling information in the DWG/DXF drawing.

First, enlarge the area to be determined using the Zoom command, then find a dimension from which you want to take the measurement for scaling.
Now press the Scale Function X-Axis or Y-Axis button.
Position the crosshairs on the first measuring point and confirm by clicking the left mouse button.
Then position the crosshairs on the second measuring point and confirm this as well by clicking the left mouse button.
The “Scaling” dialog box opens and the calculated dimension is displayed in the “Length” field. If the length specified in the dialog box does not match the dimension specified for the selected dimension, correct the length in the dialog box accordingly. Click the “OK” button to apply the entries. Click the “All” button to apply the entries to all open drawings.

Define export areas

Export areas mark the area in a drawing that you want to export. To define an export area, proceed as follows:

Click the Define Export Area button in the toolbar or select the command from the Export menu (key B).
Determine the starting point of the desired export area by clicking with the left mouse button. Move the crosshairs diagonally to the end point of the desired export area. Click again with the left mouse button to complete the function for defining an export area.

Show and hide layers

Determine reference points

This command is only available with the bidirectional module. Using the reference points, you can export the export areas so that the reference points are exactly aligned in the floor plans in the Treesoft ZNG file.

For the reference points, select objects in the drawing that you can find on every floor plan. These could be the inner edge of an elevator or a chimney, for example. The more precisely you define the reference points, the better the result will be.

The previously defined export areas are outlined with a frame in the drawing window. Now zoom in on an export area to set the reference point and left-click on the frame of the export area. The frame of the export area is now displayed as a dashed line. Yellow squares are visible at all corners of the export area. The “Define reference point” marker is automatically displayed in the center of the export area. Move the crosshairs to the marker until it changes to blue. Now click with the left mouse button. The marker changes its appearance and hangs on the crosshairs. Now move the marker within the export area to the desired reference point and click with the left mouse button to define the reference point.

Select sheet format and scale

export dialog

The export dialog allows you to assign the created export areas to the floor plans and drawing files.

In the Export Area Assignment tab, you will find a table with all open DWG/DXF drawings and the export areas created in them. Select an export area by left-clicking on it in the Export Area Assignment tab. The drawing window now shows a true-to-scale representation of the export area in the ZNG drawing to be exported. Click the “OK” button to complete the export.

Here, you can also assign the export areas to a different floor plan if you wish. In the Treesoft CAD ZNG file, the floor plans are superimposed on each other. Let’s assume you have defined three export areas (basement, ground floor, attic). In this case, it makes sense to assign the basement export area to floor plan 1, the ground floor export area to floor plan 2, and the attic export area to floor plan 3.

If the circuit diagram consists of many pages, we recommend the optional batch processing add-on module. The system automatically defines a suitable export area of the same size for all pages. This means that the export area does not have to be defined individually for each page.

Convert ZNG to DXF/DWG

After you have opened the exported areas as a ZNG file from your project in Treesoft CAD Building Services and added the electrical installation, the finished electrical installation plan can now be converted back to the original DWG or DXF drawing, true to scale and on separate layers, using the Treesoft CAD converter.

Select the Open Configuration… command in the File menu and select the desired configuration file in the file selection window. The finished file with all levels of the electrical installation can be viewed.

Select the Save As… command from the File menu. The destination directory, name of the DWG/DXF file, and file type are already correctly pre-filled in the file selection window, but these can be changed if desired. Click the Save button to confirm the settings and save the DWG/DXF file.

The DWG/DXF file created in this way is sure to meet all the requirements of your data supplier.

Video – Treesoft CAD Converter feature demonstration

Using a DWG drawing provided by the customer, we demonstrate the bidirectional data exchange between the architect and the electrical planner.

Treesoft ZNG file (drawing file)

Treesoft CAD Building Services includes automatic layer management. Floor plans created with Treesoft CAD Building Services and the associated electrical installations are automatically distributed across a total of 10 layers.

Floor plans in a ZNG file

You can create up to 8 floor plans in a ZNG file (drawing file). Eight files are managed in a project. This results in 64 floor plans (floors).

In Treesoft CAD, the floor plans (floors) are drawn on top of each other. Using the “Select floor plan” command, you simply select the desired floor plan, and Treesoft CAD automatically displays the 10 levels associated with the floor plan, according to the settings you have made. The drawing frame is stored on a separate layer and can be displayed if desired.

The Treesoft CAD ZNG format currently recognizes the following objects: points, lines, circles, rectangles, text, circular arcs, symbols, symbol definitions, and bitmaps. All objects stored in a symbol definition (block header) are assigned to the layer stored in the symbol.

DXF/DWG file

The development of the DWG and DXF formats is determined by Autodesk, the developer of the AutoCAD® CAD program. Each new version of AutoCAD may include a new, enhanced version of DWG and DXF. DXF is only ever enhanced; no elements are removed from the standard.

The DWG and DXF file formats developed for AutoCAD® are an industry standard for exchanging CAD data. According to Autodesk, around three billion files have been created in this format since the invention of the DWG format, of which one billion were actively edited in 2006.

In AutoCAD® Architecture, floor plans are displayed side by side. When the user selects a floor plan, the drawing is enlarged (zoomed) and the screen window is positioned so that only the desired floor plan is visible. The layers are not static here, but must be managed by the user. Most architectural CAD programs on the market are based on this method and work in exactly the same or a very similar way.

The AutoCAD® DWG format also recognizes complex objects such as polylines or Bézier curves. All objects stored in a block header (symbol definition) are placed on the layers stored in the symbol definition.

Autodesk and AutoCAD® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the United States and/or other countries.

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