Getting started

Preparing DWG drawings

DWG files can't be uploaded directly, but converting them to vector PDF takes a couple of minutes and gives some of the best results you can get.

The short version

DWG files from AutoCAD can't be used directly, but they convert cleanly to vector PDF, which works very well. You can do this in AutoCAD itself or in the free Autodesk DWG TrueView software.

  1. Open your DWG.
  2. Select Plot and save the drawing to a PDF.

Optionally, for a noticeably better result:

  • Turn off extra layers to make the drawing clearer — you only need walls, doors, windows and space texts.
  • Rotate the view so walls sit at 90° angles relative to the screen.
  • Set a suitable plot scale so your PDF ends up at a known scale, for example 1:50 or 1:100.
A plotted PDF floor plan: thin black lines showing walls, doors, windows and room names on a white background
You get the best result when the plotted PDF looks like this — clean black linework, no annotation clutter.
One drawing per file
Each PDF you upload should contain a single drawing. If a sheet contains several plans, plot each one to its own file.

Turning off layers for clarity

A lot of drawing elements distract the AI — furniture and annotations in particular. For the best result, keep only the layers that describe the building itself.

Leave on layers containing:

  • Walls
  • Doors
  • Windows
  • Stairs
  • Space texts

Turn off layers with measurement lines, module lines, suspended ceiling lines, furniture, fixed furniture and similar annotation content. In AutoCAD you do this by clicking the lightbulb icons in the layers dropdown — the result is a much clearer drawing.

The layers dropdown open in DWG TrueView over a drawing crowded with furniture, dimension lines and grid annotation
Before: furniture, dimension lines and grid annotation compete with the building itself.
The same drawing with annotation and furniture layers switched off, leaving walls, doors, windows and room names
After hiding those layers by clicking the lightbulbs, only the building is left.

Straightening rotated drawings

If the drawing is rotated, align it so that most of the walls line up with the X and Y axes. The current AI models straight, 90° walls more accurately than diagonal ones, so straightening the view before plotting directly improves the model.

A floor plan sitting at an angle in the DWG TrueView viewport
A drawing at an angle like this should be rotated so the walls run along the X and Y axes.

Plot (print) settings

Before plotting, use the measuring tool to work out what one AutoCAD unit represents in the file — in most drawings it's 1 meter. You need this to choose a plot scale.

Measurements on a room in AutoCAD reading 1.8000 and 1.8500, consistent with one unit being one meter
Measuring a known room shows that 1 unit is 1 meter in this file.

Step by step

  1. Click Plot in the top left corner of AutoCAD.
  2. Set Printer/plotter to DWG To PDF.pc3. Other PDF plotters can also work.
  3. Under Plot area, set What to plot to Window (layouts can also work), then click Window< and draw a rectangle covering the single floor plan you want to export.
  4. Set Plot style table (pen assignment) to monochrome.ctb. This makes every line black.
  5. Under Plot scale, disable Fit to paper and set an explicit scale.
  6. Click OK and save the drawing to a file. Click Continue if a dialog box appears.
A window selection rectangle drawn around a single floor plan in the AutoCAD viewport
Draw the window around one floor plan only — each PDF should hold a single drawing.
The AutoCAD Plot dialog with DWG To PDF.pc3, ISO A3 paper, monochrome.ctb, Fit to paper unchecked and a 10 mm to 1 unit scale
The Plot dialog with the settings described above.

Choosing a plot scale

Experiment with combinations of the mm/inch value, the unit value, the paper size and the drawing orientation. For a drawing that uses meters as its length unit, these settings work well — essentially 1 unit (1 meter) becomes 10 mm (1 cm) on paper:

  • 10 mm
  • 1 unit
  • Paper size: ISO A3 (420.00 × 297.00 MM)
  • Drawing orientation: Landscape

You can also try disabling Plot object lineweights, which makes every line equally thin. This helps when the DWG contains very thick lines that hide other lines.

Set the scale on upload too
Because you now know the plot scale, you can select it directly with the Scale option when you upload the PDF, instead of measuring a reference line — see Uploading & scaling drawings.
Previous← Uploading & scaling drawingsNextGenerating your model →