How do I Import and Export Drawings for use with HCL?

What file types can be used for digital drawings in HCL?

The HCL tablet currently accepts .dwg, .dxf, and .ifc files for drawings that can be imported into the tablet.

This means that both 2D and 3D models can be uploaded to the tablet. It is important to note that there are drawing tools within the tablet software as well through which you can draw CAD elements, which can later be exported as part of the drawing if needed (see below).

Does the software also work with PDF's?

No, PDF's cannot be imported, nor can they be converted within HCL. If you are working with PDF's, it is recommended that you request the original CAD version from which the PDF was exported from. If this is not possible, use a CAD software and an expert to convert that PDF back to one of the file types above to use on the tablet (typically only possible when the PDF is vectorized). Be very careful to ensure, however, that the scaling is correct.

If you have concerns regarding any of your digital files, speaking with your designated drafting department would be a good first step.

How to Import Projects

Step 1 - Open a Project

Start by opening the Project menu - you will first have to create or open a project in which you would like to import a drawing file.

Click the "plus" icon at the top of the screen to create a new project, or open a project by pressing the green check mark to then move to the "jobs" screen, where a drawing can then be imported:

Step 2 - Tap the Import Button for the Correct Job

Tap either on the "+" icon on the drawing column to add a new drawing, or on the thumbnail icon of an existing drawing to replace a drawing that already exists:

Step 3 - Import the Drawing

Indicate that you intend to import a drawing with the pop-up window:

Step 4 - Select the Drawing + Correct Units

Locate the drawing within your file path and press the green check mark:

Select the correct units, and press the green check mark:

Understanding "Units:"

CAD or digital drawings are made of lines, arcs, circles, etc. Naturally, each of these elements has certain lengths or geometry information associated with them. For instance, a certain line could be 10 "units" long, a circle has a 3 "units" wide radius, etc. Drafters define what "units" they like to work in in their design software settings.

Some examples:

• For civil drawings, METERS is often used (in the US, decimal FEET is often used)
• For architectural drawings, MILIMETERS is often used (in the US, INCHES is often used)

If you are unclear what unit was used for your drawing, asking the drafter or the party that provided the drawings should be a good start. Remember, however, you can also perform a trial and error by importing and checking the measurements using the HCL measuring applications for CAD to confirm distances are reading correctly. If the measurements are out of scale (reading too large or too small), simply re-import with another type of unit.

It is always a best practice to collaborate with the design team to verify drawings are imported correctly.

Step 5 - Verify Import is Correct

Several tools on the HCL software allow you to check your drawing for scaling:

By using these tools, you can see information about your CAD to see if the line work is reading properly:

In addition, you can verify that the drawing falls within the locations of the point data you have imported. If the points do not seem to be falling in the correct locations, there is probably a units issue - either with the drawing, or with the points. You will need to investigate:

Troubleshooting Tips when No Drawing Seems to be Showing Up

Sometimes, after importing a drawing, it seems like you have imported a blank screen - nothing seems to be showing up when opening the CAD file. There are four main reasons this could happen, which can be investigated:

1. The CAD file has elements that are extreme distances from each other: When a CAD file is imported, it appears on the screen for the first time zoomed out to the extents of the drawing. If, for whatever reason, the CAD file has objects that are extremely far away from each other (thousands of meters, even) it will look almost blank when fully zoomed out. Asking the drafter to inspect the file to ensure just the relevant information is included in the file should help solve this problem.
2. The CAD file does not have the expected elements in it: This is something that could happen because the drafter assumed they provided a file with all relevant objects within it, but in reality, the objects do not appear. This often is related to an external reference issue within CAD, where digital computer software that drafters use makes it seem like the objects are part of a file, but in reality, they are only temporarily visible. Again, reaching out to a drafter should help start troubleshooting this issue.
3. The CAD file (or point file) is imported with the wrong units: If a CAD drawing is imported into a job that has points that are scaled differently from the CAD file, it could happen that the CAD is so small in comparison to the points that it seems almost invisible (or vice versa). This is simply a units issue - either the points were imported with wrong units, or the CAD file was. Verifying the units of the CAD and perhaps inspecting that the points were also imported correctly should solve scaling and alignment issues.
4. The CAD file does not match the point file coordinate system: Sometimes, a CAD file is imported in a job that has points already in the file. If these points are on a different coordinate system to the CAD file, the points could appear very far away from the CAD, making the CAD seem extremely small. If this is the issue you are facing, you may just have mis-aligned coordinate systems between the points and CAD file. Explaining the issue to the drafter and to the party responsible for providing point data should help start troubleshooting the issue.

You may also get the following error that may prevent you from importing a drawing "Some elevation values are out of supported range. The drawing cannot be imported." If this is appearing on your screen, it is because the CAD elements within the CAD file are at an extreme height differences from each other (beyond a reasonable distance for a construction project). The recommendation is to see if your designer can inspect the elements in the drawing and remove or fix the objects at the extreme height ranges.

How to Export Projects

Step 1 - Open a Project

The same as importing, you must open the project to start the export process:

Find the project within your list and press the green checkmark to obtain the "jobs" menu:

Step 2 - Tap the Export Button for the Correct Job

Click on the drawing thumbnail from the job you desire to export, and press the green checkmark to access the export drawing option:

Your can then select the file path you would like to export the drawing to.

Exporting Tips:

Remember that the software will export everything as CAD elements that it is able to see in the "CAD view" of your drawing. If a point or linework exists on any layer, that data will export. If there are layers turned on or off in your layers menu, those layers will also be turned on or off when you open the CAD in another CAD based software.

If you have added any linework or points to the project, they will be added on "Hilti" layers, as the screenshot below from AutoCAD software suggests. This helps drafters quickly identify what was added through the HCL software and what was in the original CAD file.

Remember that HCL is not able to delete or move any CAD elements that is from the original CAD file, it can only turn layers on and off. This gives the drafter confidence that modifications to the original digital design cannot occur either on purpose or on accident when put into the software.

So - this means that any linework or points (station points, measured points, staked points, or layout points) will be part of the CAD file on its own Hilti layer when exported.

What units does the CAD file get exported in?

Remember that CAD files have "units" associated to the file. For instance, if a line in CAD is 3 units long, the software needs to define if that is 3 feet, meters, millimeters, etc.

HCL will export the CAD file in whatever units is established in settings. In the screenshot below, since my distance units are set to "meters," my CAD file will also be exported in meters. This is something you should coordinate with your drafter if you intend on sharing the exported file with others.