
dwg-to-excel
Convert AutoCAD DWG files (1983-2026) to Excel databases using DwgExporter CLI. Extract layers, blocks, attributes, and geometry data without Autodesk licenses.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/datadrivenconstruction/ddc_skills_for_ai_agents_in_construction --skill dwg-to-excel- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads dwg-to-excel automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
DWG to Excel Conversion
Business Case
Problem Statement
AutoCAD DWG files contain valuable project data locked in proprietary format:
- Layer structures with drawing organization
- Block references with attribute data
- Text annotations and dimensions
- Geometric entities (lines, polylines, arcs)
- External references (xrefs)
Extracting this data typically requires AutoCAD licenses or complex programming.
Solution
DwgExporter.exe converts DWG files to structured Excel databases offline, without Autodesk licenses.
Business Value
- Zero license cost - No AutoCAD license required
- Legacy support - Reads DWG files from 1983 to 2026
- Data extraction - Layers, blocks, attributes, text, geometry
- PDF export - Generate drawings from DWG layouts
- Batch processing - Convert thousands of DWG files
Technical Implementation
CLI Syntax
DwgExporter.exe <input_dwg> [options]
Output Formats
| Output | Description |
|---|---|
.xlsx | Excel database with all entities |
.pdf | PDF drawings from layouts |
Supported Versions
| Version Range | Description |
|---|---|
| R12 (1992) | Legacy DWG |
| R14 (1997) | AutoCAD 14 |
| 2000-2002 | DWG 2000 format |
| 2004-2006 | DWG 2004 format |
| 2007-2009 | DWG 2007 format |
| 2010-2012 | DWG 2010 format |
| 2013-2017 | DWG 2013 format |
| 2018-2026 | DWG 2018 format |
Examples
# Basic conversion
DwgExporter.exe "C:\Projects\FloorPlan.dwg"
# Export with PDF drawings
DwgExporter.exe "C:\Projects\FloorPlan.dwg" sheets2pdf
# Batch processing all DWG in folder
for /R "C:\Projects" %f in (*.dwg) do DwgExporter.exe "%f"
# PowerShell batch conversion
Get-ChildItem "C:\Projects\*.dwg" -Recurse | ForEach-Object {
& "C:\DDC\DwgExporter.exe" $_.FullName
}
Python Integration
import subprocess
import pandas as pd
from pathlib import Path
from typing import List, Optional, Dict, Any
from dataclasses import dataclass
from enum import Enum
class DWGEntityType(Enum):
"""DWG entity types."""
LINE = "LINE"
POLYLINE = "POLYLINE"
LWPOLYLINE = "LWPOLYLINE"
CIRCLE = "CIRCLE"
ARC = "ARC"
ELLIPSE = "ELLIPSE"
SPLINE = "SPLINE"
TEXT = "TEXT"
MTEXT = "MTEXT"
DIMENSION = "DIMENSION"
INSERT = "INSERT" # Block reference
HATCH = "HATCH"
SOLID = "SOLID"
POINT = "POINT"
ATTRIB = "ATTRIB"
ATTDEF = "ATTDEF"
@dataclass
class DWGEntity:
"""Represents a DWG entity."""
handle: str
entity_type: str
layer: str
color: int
linetype: str
lineweight: float
# Geometry (depends on entity type)
start_x: Optional[float] = None
start_y: Optional[float] = None
end_x: Optional[float] = None
end_y: Optional[float] = None
# Block reference data
block_name: Optional[str] = None
rotation: Optional[float] = None
scale_x: Optional[float] = None
scale_y: Optional[float] = None
# Text data
text_content: Optional[str] = None
text_height: Optional[float] = None
@dataclass
class DWGBlock:
"""Represents a DWG block definition."""
name: str
base_point_x: float
base_point_y: float
entity_count: int
is_dynamic: bool
attributes: List[str]
@dataclass
class DWGLayer:
"""Represents a DWG layer."""
name: str
color: int
linetype: str
is_on: bool
is_frozen: bool
is_locked: bool
lineweight: float
entity_count: int
class DWGExporter:
"""DWG to Excel converter using DDC DwgExporter CLI."""
def __init__(self, exporter_path: str = "DwgExporter.exe"):
self.exporter = Path(exporter_path)
if not self.exporter.exists():
raise FileNotFoundError(f"DwgExporter not found: {exporter_path}")
def convert(self, dwg_file: str,
export_pdf: bool = False) -> Path:
"""Convert DWG file to Excel."""
dwg_path = Path(dwg_file)
if not dwg_path.exists():
raise FileNotFoundError(f"DWG file not found: {dwg_file}")
cmd = [str(self.exporter), str(dwg_path)]
if export_pdf:
cmd.append("sheets2pdf")
result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True)
if result.returncode != 0:
raise RuntimeError(f"Export failed: {result.stderr}")
# Output file is same name with .xlsx extension
return dwg_path.with_suffix('.xlsx')
def batch_convert(self, folder: str,
include_subfolders: bool = True,
export_pdf: bool = False) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Convert all DWG files in folder."""
folder_path = Path(folder)
pattern = "**/*.dwg" if include_subfolders else "*.dwg"
results = []
for dwg_file in folder_path.glob(pattern):
try:
output = self.convert(str(dwg_file), export_pdf)
results.append({
'input': str(dwg_file),
'output': str(output),
'status': 'success'
})
print(f"✓ Converted: {dwg_file.name}")
except Exception as e:
results.append({
'input': str(dwg_file),
'output': None,
'status': 'failed',
'error': str(e)
})
print(f"✗ Failed: {dwg_file.name} - {e}")
return results
def read_entities(self, xlsx_file: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Read converted Excel as DataFrame."""
xlsx_path = Path(xlsx_file)
if not xlsx_path.exists():
raise FileNotFoundError(f"Excel file not found: {xlsx_file}")
return pd.read_excel(xlsx_file, sheet_name="Elements")
def get_layers(self, xlsx_file: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Get layer summary from converted file."""
df = self.read_entities(xlsx_file)
if 'Layer' not in df.columns:
raise ValueError("Layer column not found in data")
summary = df.groupby('Layer').agg({
'Handle': 'count'
}).reset_index()
summary.columns = ['Layer', 'Entity_Count']
return summary.sort_values('Entity_Count', ascending=False)
def get_blocks(self, xlsx_file: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Get block reference summary."""
df = self.read_entities(xlsx_file)
# Filter to INSERT entities (block references)
blocks = df[df['EntityType'] == 'INSERT']
if blocks.empty:
return pd.DataFrame(columns=['Block_Name', 'Count'])
summary = blocks.groupby('BlockName').agg({
'Handle': 'count'
}).reset_index()
summary.columns = ['Block_Name', 'Count']
return summary.sort_values('Count', ascending=False)
def get_text_content(self, xlsx_file: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Extract all text content from DWG."""
df = self.read_entities(xlsx_file)
# Filter to text entities
text_types = ['TEXT', 'MTEXT', 'ATTRIB']
texts = df[df['EntityType'].isin(text_types)]
if 'TextContent' in texts.columns:
return texts[['Handle', 'EntityType', 'Layer', 'TextContent']].copy()
return texts[['Handle', 'EntityType', 'Layer']].copy()
def get_entity_statistics(self, xlsx_file: str) -> Dict[str, int]:
"""Get entity type statistics."""
df = self.read_entities(xlsx_file)
if 'EntityType' not in df.columns:
return {}
return df['EntityType'].value_counts().to_dict()
def extract_block_attributes(self, xlsx_file: str,
block_name: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Extract attributes from specific block type."""
df = self.read_entities(xlsx_file)
# Find block references
blocks = df[(df['EntityType'] == 'INSERT') &
(df['BlockName'] == block_name)]
# Find associated attributes
# Attributes typically follow their parent INSERT in handle order
result_data = []
for _, block in blocks.iterrows():
block_handle = block['Handle']
block_data = {
'Block_Handle': block_handle,
'X': block.get('InsertX', 0),
'Y': block.get('InsertY', 0),
'Rotation': block.get('Rotation', 0)
}
# Add any attribute columns
for col in df.columns:
if col.startswith('Attr_'):
block_data[col] = block.get(col)
result_data.append(block_data)
return pd.DataFrame(result_data)
class DWGAnalyzer:
"""Advanced DWG analysis tools."""
def __init__(self, exporter: DWGExporter):
self.exporter = exporter
def analyze_drawing_structure(self, dwg_file: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Analyze complete drawing structure."""
xlsx = self.exporter.convert(dwg_file)
df = self.exporter.read_entities(str(xlsx))
analysis = {
'file': dwg_file,
'total_entities': len(df),
'layers': self.exporter.get_layers(str(xlsx)).to_dict('records'),
'entity_types': self.exporter.get_entity_statistics(str(xlsx)),
'blocks': self.exporter.get_blocks(str(xlsx)).to_dict('records')
}
# Calculate extents if coordinates available
if 'X' in df.columns and 'Y' in df.columns:
analysis['extents'] = {
'min_x': df['X'].min(),
'max_x': df['X'].max(),
'min_y': df['Y'].min(),
'max_y': df['Y'].max()
}
return analysis
def compare_drawings(self, dwg1: str, dwg2: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Compare two DWG files."""
xlsx1 = self.exporter.convert(dwg1)
xlsx2 = self.exporter.convert(dwg2)
df1 = self.exporter.read_entities(str(xlsx1))
df2 = self.exporter.read_entities(str(xlsx2))
layers1 = set(df1['Layer'].unique()) if 'Layer' in df1.columns else set()
layers2 = set(df2['Layer'].unique()) if 'Layer' in df2.columns else set()
return {
'file1': dwg1,
'file2': dwg2,
'entity_count_diff': len(df2) - len(df1),
'layers_added': list(layers2 - layers1),
'layers_removed': list(layers1 - layers2),
'common_layers': list(layers1 & layers2)
}
def find_duplicates(self, xlsx_file: str,
tolerance: float = 0.001) -> pd.DataFrame:
"""Find duplicate entities at same location."""
df = self.exporter.read_entities(xlsx_file)
if 'X' not in df.columns or 'Y' not in df.columns:
return pd.DataFrame()
# Round coordinates for grouping
df['X_rounded'] = (df['X'] / tolerance).round() * tolerance
df['Y_rounded'] = (df['Y'] / tolerance).round() * tolerance
# Find duplicates
duplicates = df[df.duplicated(
subset=['EntityType', 'Layer', 'X_rounded', 'Y_rounded'],
keep=False
)]
return duplicates.sort_values(['X_rounded', 'Y_rounded'])
# Convenience functions
def convert_dwg_to_excel(dwg_file: str,
exporter_path: str = "DwgExporter.exe") -> str:
"""Quick conversion of DWG to Excel."""
exporter = DWGExporter(exporter_path)
output = exporter.convert(dwg_file)
return str(output)
def batch_convert_dwg(folder: str,
exporter_path: str = "DwgExporter.exe",
include_subfolders: bool = True) -> List[str]:
"""Batch convert all DWG files in folder."""
exporter = DWGExporter(exporter_path)
results = exporter.batch_convert(folder, include_subfolders)
return [r['output'] for r in results if r['status'] == 'success']
Output Structure
Excel Sheets
| Sheet | Content |
|---|---|
| Elements | All DWG entities with properties |
| Layers | Layer definitions |
| Blocks | Block definitions |
| Layouts | Drawing layouts/sheets |
Entity Columns
| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Handle | string | Unique entity handle |
| EntityType | string | LINE, CIRCLE, INSERT, etc. |
| Layer | string | Layer name |
| Color | int | Color index (0-256) |
| Linetype | string | Linetype name |
| Lineweight | float | Line weight in mm |
| X, Y, Z | float | Entity coordinates |
| BlockName | string | For INSERT entities |
| TextContent | string | For TEXT/MTEXT |
Quick Start
# Initialize exporter
exporter = DWGExporter("C:/DDC/DwgExporter.exe")
# Convert single file
xlsx = exporter.convert("C:/Projects/Plan.dwg")
print(f"Output: {xlsx}")
# Read and analyze
df = exporter.read_entities(str(xlsx))
print(f"Total entities: {len(df)}")
# Get layer statistics
layers = exporter.get_layers(str(xlsx))
print(layers)
# Get block usage
blocks = exporter.get_blocks(str(xlsx))
print(blocks)
# Extract text annotations
texts = exporter.get_text_content(str(xlsx))
for _, row in texts.iterrows():
print(f"{row['Layer']}: {row.get('TextContent', 'N/A')}")
Common Use Cases
1. Layer Audit
exporter = DWGExporter()
xlsx = exporter.convert("drawing.dwg")
layers = exporter.get_layers(str(xlsx))
# Check for non-standard layers
standard_layers = ['0', 'WALLS', 'DOORS', 'WINDOWS', 'DIMENSIONS']
non_standard = layers[~layers['Layer'].isin(standard_layers)]
print("Non-standard layers:", non_standard['Layer'].tolist())
2. Block Schedule
# Extract all door blocks with attributes
doors = exporter.extract_block_attributes(str(xlsx), "DOOR")
print(doors[['Block_Handle', 'Attr_DOOR_TYPE', 'Attr_DOOR_SIZE']])
3. Drawing Comparison
analyzer = DWGAnalyzer(exporter)
diff = analyzer.compare_drawings("rev1.dwg", "rev2.dwg")
print(f"Entities added: {diff['entity_count_diff']}")
print(f"New layers: {diff['layers_added']}")
Integration with DDC Pipeline
# Full pipeline: DWG → Excel → Analysis → Report
from dwg_exporter import DWGExporter, DWGAnalyzer
# 1. Convert DWG
exporter = DWGExporter("C:/DDC/DwgExporter.exe")
xlsx = exporter.convert("project.dwg")
# 2. Analyze structure
analyzer = DWGAnalyzer(exporter)
analysis = analyzer.analyze_drawing_structure("project.dwg")
# 3. Generate report
print(f"Drawing: {analysis['file']}")
print(f"Entities: {analysis['total_entities']}")
print(f"Layers: {len(analysis['layers'])}")
print(f"Blocks: {len(analysis['blocks'])}")
Best Practices
- Check DWG version - Older files may have limited data
- Validate layer structure - Clean up before processing
- Handle external references - Bind xrefs if needed
- Batch overnight - Large files take time
- Verify entity counts - Compare with AutoCAD if possible
Resources
- GitHub: cad2data Pipeline
- Video Tutorial: DWG to Excel Pipeline
- DDC Book: Chapter 2.4 - CAD Data Extraction
FAQ
What does the dwg-to-excel skill do?
Convert AutoCAD DWG files (1983-2026) to Excel databases using DwgExporter CLI. Extract layers, blocks, attributes, and geometry data without Autodesk licenses.
How do I install dwg-to-excel?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/datadrivenconstruction/ddc_skills_for_ai_agents_in_construction --skill dwg-to-excel in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/dwg-to-excel/ (personal) or .claude/skills/dwg-to-excel/ (project).
Which AI agents can use dwg-to-excel?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is dwg-to-excel safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains dwg-to-excel?
It is published by datadrivenconstruction in datadrivenconstruction/ddc_skills_for_ai_agents_in_construction. It has 309 recorded installs.
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