Export a Layout to Model Space

You can export all visible objects from the current layout to model space.

You can export all visible objects from the current layout to the model space with the EXPORTLAYOUT command. Objects that are outside the boundaries of “paper” in the layout are also exported.

Some objects are not exported to the model space drawing. The objects are

Materials
Cameras
Lights
Named views
Objects on layers that are disabled (off) or frozen
Model space objects not visible in a given viewport

Changes to Exported Objects

When exported, some objects become a different object type, or are modified in order to maximize visual fidelity with the layout.

Object Type	Representation in Exported Drawing
Dimensions	Dimensions that exceed the boundaries of the layout viewport are exploded.
Constraints	Dimensional constraints are removed.
Standard or dynamic block (with or without attributes)	Standard or dynamic blocks, with or without attributes, that exceed the boundaries of the layout viewport will be converted to a new, anonymous block. Attributes are converted to text objects in the block. NoteThe “Allow Exploding” setting (a setting on the block definition) is ignored if the block exceeds the boundaries of the layout viewport.
Annotative objects	Objects become non-annotative.
External reference (xref)	An Xref with nested objects that exceed the boundaries of the layout viewport is converted to a block reference and exploded.
Layout viewport	Layout viewports are represented by either a polyline or the clipped viewport object.
Custom objects	Custom objects are exploded and converted to anonymous blocks.
Xref clipped with the XCLIP command	Xrefs clipped with the XCLIP command are converted to a clipped block reference.
Visual Styles	The 2D wireframe visual style is used.
Perspective viewports	Objects within a perspective viewport will have parallel projection.

NoteObjects that can be directly trimmed without changing their types are not listed on the table.

Visual Changes to Objects

Not all objects when displayed in a layout will display the same in the Model tab of the exported drawing. This includes (but is not limited to) the following instances:

The same object displayed in multiple viewports becomes multiple objects in the exported model space drawing. In addition, objects are transformed and often scaled. Both of these can affect data extraction of blocks.
Some objects are converted or exploded in order to trim them.
Viewports in a layout can each have a different visual style; only a single visual style can be used in model space.
Polylines with width that is clipped by the viewport boundary may not be accurately trimmed in the exported drawing.

Recommendations

When exporting a layout to model space, consider the following:

The performance of the EXPORTLAYOUT command may be slower if a model space viewport is active.
In the exported drawing, the viewport displays the original linetype, which may not match the look of the original drawing. If this happens, assign “Continuous” linetype to viewports in the original drawing.
Linetype scaling may not be accurately maintained for objects in xrefs and blocks if PSLTSCALE is 0.
If you have a problem with xrefs during export, detach unresolved xrefs or manually bind xrefs and then use the EXPORTLAYOUT command.
Superhatch objects (from Express Tools) are exported, but the hatching may not stay within the original boundaries. You can use the TRIM command in the exported drawing to correct any problems with visual appearance.

Procedure

To export a layout to a model space drawing

To achieve better visual fidelity for a drawing containing AEC objects

Quick Reference

Commands