Tips for Reading Esri MSC Files

The Esri MSC Reader Workbench Reader Parameters are set to defaults that will produce the best generic result to any non-AutoCAD destination format, resulting in the best presentation at the cost of some of the original AutoCAD types being lost. For example, blocks and dimensions will be resolved into their component parts.

However, when performing an AutoCAD-to-AutoCAD translation, the original drawing is best preserved when using the parameter settings below:

  • Store Bulge Info: Yes
  • Store Spline Definitions: Yes
  • Explode Blocks Into Entities: No
  • Explode Dimensions: No
  • Read Visible Attributes as Text Entities: No
  • Ignore User Coordinate System (UCS): Yes
  • Preserve Complex Hatches and MPolygons: Yes
  • Ignore Hidden Layers: No
  • Resolve Entity Color: No

For more information on AutoCAD-to-AutoCAD translation parameter settings, see the Autodesk AutoCAD DWG/DXF Reader/Writer

Notes: 

  • When reading, the default values for MSC feature class attribute definitions are used if values for those attributes are not found on entities selected by the feature class, but the actual default value is not given to FME by the Esri MSC Reader.
  • If a single entity is selected by multiple MSC feature classes, all feature classes may have an attribute definition with the same name and type. If this MSC attribute is found on the entity, then that attribute value will be added on the features created for each feature class.
  • If an MSC feature class defines attributes for entities that are a part of a block reference, and the Explode Blocks Into Entities reader parameter is set to Yes, then the feature class query must select the outermost block reference in order for the entity parts to be selected for that feature class.