How to Link DWG Files in Revit and Extract Their Coordinates

Linking DWG Files and Retrieving Coordinates in Revit

If the measurement point or project base point has not been defined using grid coordinates, you can link a site DWG file to obtain its geographic location. This enables you to establish shared coordinates and accurately position your model on the site.

This process assumes that the measurement points or project base points in your model are either undefined or their geographic locations differ from those in the DWG file.

To begin, go to the Insert tab and select the Link panel, then choose Link CAD.

In the Link CAD Format dialog box, set the File Type to DWG files (*.dwg).

Navigate to the folder containing your DWG file and select it.

For Positioning, choose Automatic – Center to Center.

Adjust other options as needed. For more details, please refer to the import and link options available in Revit.

Click Open to link the DWG file to your model. The geometric center of the DWG will align with the center of your Revit model.

Note: If the linked file is not visible, try entering a scale factor (e.g., ZF) to match the scale.

Next, use the Acquire Coordinates tool to retrieve grid (GIS) coordinates from the linked DWG file.

Revit will then align the measurement point and project base point to the geometric center of the linked file.

The coordinates of both points will reflect the GIS coordinates from the DWG.

Optionally, you can move the project base point and measurement point if needed.

To do this, unclip the project base point and relocate it within the model. Please refer to Revit’s guidelines on moving the project base point.

You can also move the measurement point relative to the project base and site location. This movement can be performed in either clipped or unclipped states, depending on your intent. Refer to the instructions on moving the measurement point for more information.

To verify the geographic location of your Revit model, navigate to the Manage tab and open the Project Location panel.

Within the Location tab, under Specify Location, ensure that Acquire Coordinates from Measurement Point is selected. The GIS Coordinate System, Latitude, and Longitude fields will display the geographic data acquired from the DWG file.

To synchronize this geographic location with other models linked to your Revit model, use the Publish Coordinates tool.

When exporting your model as DWG or DXF, you can configure options to include shared coordinates in the exported files.

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