Unable to convert AutoCAD 2000 or later version DXF files to a coverage

Description

The conversion tools in ArcToolbox and the DXFARC command in ArcInfo Workstation command line both fail to convert AutoCAD 2000 and later version files into coverages.

Cause

The DXFARC command in ArcInfo Workstation only supports DXF files through version 14. ArcInfo Workstation will not have further enhancements made to it, so AutoCAD 2000 and later DXF file versions cannot be converted to a coverage format.

Solution or Workaround

• Open the AutoCAD DXF file in the native application and save the file to an r14 or r12 DXF file format.
• Import the original AutoCAD 2000 or later version file to a geodatabase. This can be done by using Import from CAD (ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 and earlier versions) or CAD to Geodatabase (ArcGIS Desktop version 10.x). The data in the geodatabase can then be exported to an ArcInfo coverage format.
  
  

  Note:
  Knowledge Base article 27540, linked under Related Information, includes useful information about managing ArcInfo coverages and the coverage data model.