Export

DXF Export

DXF Export generates industry-standard Drawing Exchange Format files from your SiteView measurements. Points become POINT entities, lines become POLYLINE entities, and areas become closed POLYLINE entities — all organised on named layers and output in grid coordinates for direct use in CAD software.

[Screenshot: DXF export dialog showing coordinate system selection (MGA2020 Zone 56 or NZTM2000), measurement type selection, and a layer name preview]
DXF export configuration with grid coordinate system and layer options.

Why DXF?

DXF is the universal exchange format for CAD software. Exporting measurements as DXF lets you:

  • Import site measurements directly into AutoCAD, BricsCAD, Civil 3D, or 12d Model
  • Overlay SiteView data with engineering drawings and design files
  • Share measurement data with engineers, designers, and surveyors who work in CAD
  • Archive spatial data in a widely supported, non-proprietary format

Coordinate System

DXF files use grid (projected) coordinates rather than geographic (latitude/longitude) coordinates. Select the coordinate system for the export:

SystemWhen to Use
MGA2020Construction sites in Australia. Select the appropriate zone (49-56).
NZTM2000Construction sites in New Zealand. Single zone covers the entire country.

The zone defaults to your coordinate settings preference. See Coordinate Settings for how to set your default.

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ℹ️ Did you know?

Grid coordinates ensure your DXF entities align correctly with other design and survey files in CAD. If your engineering drawings are in MGA Zone 56, export your SiteView measurements in MGA Zone 56 to ensure they overlay precisely.

Layer Structure

Measurements are organised onto named layers based on their type:

Layer NameMeasurement Types
DISTANCEDistance and bearing measurements
AREAArea measurements
VOLUME_BOUNDARYVolume measurement boundary polygons
ELEVATION_PROFILEElevation profile lines
GRADIENTGradient/slope measurements
COORDINATECoordinate readout points
HEIGHTHeight measurement points
ARCArc/curve measurements
GRADE_CHECKGrade check points
CROSS_SECTIONCross-section lines
POINT_SETImported point sets

Each layer uses a distinct colour in the DXF so entities are visually separated when opened in CAD.

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💡 Tip

In your CAD software, you can toggle individual layers on and off, change their colours, or move entities between layers after import. The layer structure provides a clean starting point for organising the data.

Entity Types

SiteView converts measurement geometry to standard DXF entities:

POINT Entities

Used for single-point measurements (Coordinate, Height, Grade Check) and for each vertex of multi-point measurements. Each POINT entity is placed at the grid coordinate position with the elevation as the Z value (if available).

POLYLINE Entities

Used for linear measurements (Distance, Elevation Profile, Gradient, Cross-Section). Each segment of the measurement becomes a vertex in the polyline. Open polylines represent paths; the start and end are not connected.

Closed POLYLINE Entities

Used for area and volume boundary measurements. The polyline is closed so that the last vertex connects back to the first, forming a complete boundary polygon.

ARC Entities

Arc/curve measurements are exported as ARC entities with the correct centre point, radius, and start/end angles.

Generating a DXF Export

  1. Select the measurements you want to export from the site Measurements tab or the Measurement Register
  2. Click Export and choose DXF
  3. Select the coordinate system (MGA2020 with zone, or NZTM2000)
  4. Optionally filter by measurement type to control which layers are included
  5. Click Download

The DXF file is generated and downloaded to your device.

Opening the DXF File

The exported DXF is compatible with major CAD applications:

ApplicationHow to Open
AutoCAD / AutoCAD LTFile > Open, select the DXF file
BricsCADFile > Open, or drag and drop
Civil 3DFile > Open, or use Data Shortcuts to reference the file
12d ModelFile > Import > DXF
ODA ViewerFree viewer — File > Open (useful for quick viewing without a CAD licence)
QGISLayer > Add Layer > Add Vector Layer (for GIS visualisation)
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⚠️ Watch out!

When opening the DXF in CAD, ensure your drawing is set to the same coordinate system as the export. If your CAD drawing uses a local coordinate system rather than a national grid, you may need to apply a transformation or shift to align the imported data.

Elevation Data

If measurements include elevation values (from the DEM or from RTK capture), the Z coordinate of each entity is populated. This means:

  • Points have full 3D coordinates (Easting, Northing, Elevation)
  • Polylines are 3D polylines with elevation at each vertex
  • You can use the imported data for surface modelling, cross-section analysis, or volume calculations in CAD

Measurements without elevation data have a Z value of zero.

What's Next?

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CSV Export
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MGA2020 (Australia)