Get DWG Info

Description

The Get DWG Info node analyzes AutoCAD DWG files and extracts detailed information such as blocks, layers, layouts, external references (Xrefs), and paper configurations.
It can detect whether a DWG originated from Autodesk Inventor and, if not, performs a full structural breakdown of the drawing using the MinuteView DWG Interop Engine.

This node is particularly useful in workflows that validate drawing quality, detect missing references, or prepare data for downstream automation (e.g., publishing PDFs, extracting title blocks, or generating reports).

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How It Works

When executed, the node:

1. Validates that the input file exists.
2. Checks whether the DWG was created in Autodesk Inventor.
3. If Inventor DWG → Logs and exits early (no further breakdown needed).
4. If standard AutoCAD DWG → Extracts:
   • Blocks
   • Layers (including off/frozen/locked states)
   • Layouts and plot settings
   • External references (Xrefs)
   • Paper sizes and plot configurations
5. Logs the results and stores all extracted data as task output variables.

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Input Fields

Field	Type	Description	Required
File Path	Text	Full path to the DWG file to analyze.	✅

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Output Data

The node returns a structured dataset describing the contents and state of the DWG file.
Below is a list of all populated output variables:

Output Variable	Type	Description
IsInventorDWG	Boolean	True if the file originated from Autodesk Inventor.
Blocks	List<BlockInfo>	List of all block definitions found in the DWG.
BlockCount	Number	Number of blocks found.
Xrefs	List<XrefInfo>	List of external references (paths, status, etc.).
XrefCount	Number	Number of Xrefs detected.
Layers	List<LayerInfo>	Full list of drawing layers, including status flags.
LayerCount	Number	Total number of layers.
OffLayers	List<LayerInfo>	Layers that are turned off.
FrozenLayers	List<LayerInfo>	Layers that are frozen.
LockedLayers	List<LayerInfo>	Layers that are locked.
OffLayerCount	Number	Count of layers that are off.
FrozenLayerCount	Number	Count of frozen layers.
LockedLayerCount	Number	Count of locked layers.
Layouts	List<LayoutInfo>	All layouts (model and paper space).
LayoutCount	Number	Number of layouts.
HasModelSpace	Boolean	Whether a model space layout exists.
PaperSpaceLayouts	List<LayoutInfo>	Paper space layouts only.
PaperSpaceLayoutCount	Number	Number of paper space layouts.
PaperSizes	List<string>	Unique canonical paper sizes found.
PlotConfigurations	List<string>	Unique plot configuration (.pc3) names found.
MissingXrefs	List<XrefInfo>	List of missing Xrefs (where Status = NotFound).
HasMissingXrefs	Boolean	True if any Xrefs are missing.

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Example Output

{
  "IsInventorDWG": false,
  "Blocks": [
    { "Name": "TITLEBLOCK_A3", "DefinitionCount": 1 },
    { "Name": "NORTH_ARROW", "DefinitionCount": 2 }
  ],
  "Xrefs": [
    { "Name": "ELECTRICAL_PLAN", "Path": "Xrefs/Electrical.dwg", "Status": 0 },
    { "Name": "MECHANICAL_PLAN", "Path": "Xrefs/Mechanical.dwg", "Status": 1 }
  ],
  "HasMissingXrefs": true,
  "MissingXrefs": [
    { "Name": "MECHANICAL_PLAN", "Path": "Xrefs/Mechanical.dwg", "Status": 1 }
  ],
  "Layers": [
    { "Name": "DIMENSIONS", "IsFrozen": false, "IsLocked": false, "IsOff": false },
    { "Name": "NOTES", "IsFrozen": true, "IsLocked": false, "IsOff": false }
  ],
  "Layouts": [
    { "Name": "Model", "IsModelSpace": true },
    { "Name": "A3_SHEET", "IsModelSpace": false, "PlotConfigName": "DWG To PDF.pc3" }
  ],
  "PaperSizes": ["ISO_A3_(420.00_x_297.00_MM)"],
  "PlotConfigurations": ["DWG To PDF.pc3"],
  "taskMessage": "Done",
  "statusReturn": "Completed"
}

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Example Use Case

✅ Scenario: Pre-Publish Drawing Validation

Goal: Ensure all Xrefs are found and layers are in the correct state before PDF export.

1. Vault Get File → Retrieve the latest DWG from Autodesk Vault.
2. Get DWG Info → Analyze the DWG for missing Xrefs, locked layers, or invalid layouts.
3. Condition Node → Check for HasMissingXrefs = false.
4. If true → Proceed to AutoCAD Export node (to PDF).
5. If false → Log issue and send alert via Email Notification.

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Task Flow Summary

Step	Action
1	Validates that the DWG file exists.
2	Determines whether file originated from Inventor.
3	If Inventor DWG → Ends task early (no breakdown needed).
4	Otherwise reads blocks, layers, layouts, and Xrefs.
5	Identifies off/frozen/locked layers.
6	Detects missing Xrefs.
7	Gathers paper setup and plot configuration info.
8	Outputs data for downstream nodes.

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Status Messages

Status	Description
Completed	The DWG file was successfully analyzed.
Fail	The file was missing or could not be read.

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Error Handling

If an error occurs, the task logs the detailed error and returns Fail. Common causes include:

• DWG file not found at the specified path.
• Corrupted or unsupported DWG file format.
• Permission issues preventing file access.
• Incompatible AutoCAD or DWG Interop version.

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Notes

• Inventor DWGs are identified and skipped (since they store drawing views differently).
• The node uses the MinuteView.DWG.Interop library to interact with DWG data structures directly (no AutoCAD instance required).
• Extracted data can be passed into other nodes (e.g., AutoCADExport, CollectionOperations, AI Analyzer) for automation or reporting.
• File paths can include dynamic placeholders (e.g., {workingFolder}, {FileName}) to adapt across environments.

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Typical Workflow Example

graph LR
    A[Vault Get File] --> B[Get DWG Info]
    B -->|No Missing Xrefs| C[AutoCAD Export (PDF)]
    B -->|Has Missing Xrefs| D[Log Issue & Email Alert]

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Category: CAD → AutoCAD Task Name: GetDwgInfo