DWG™ files are everywhere in construction. Floor plans, MEP layouts, site plans, detail drawings — decades of project data locked in a proprietary binary format that requires AutoCAD® or a compatible viewer just to open.

But here’s the thing: a lot of teams don’t need to view the drawing. They need the data. Entity counts, layer names, block attributes, text content, coordinates. That data should be in a spreadsheet, not trapped inside a CAD program.

The CAD2DATA Pipeline includes a DWG converter that reads .dwg files directly and exports everything to .xlsx + .pdf. No AutoCAD. No license. Runs on Windows® and Linux.

What data can you extract from a DWG™ file?

DWG files contain geometric entities, not building elements. The data you get is different from Revit® or IFC:

Block attributes are the goldmine here. Many companies store structured data in block attributes — door schedules, equipment tags, room numbers. The converter pulls all of that into clean Excel columns.

Quick start

git clone https://github.com/datadrivenconstruction/cad2data-Revit-IFC-DWG-DGN.git
cd cad2data-Revit-IFC-DWG-DGN

# Windows (use full paths!)
DDC_WINDOWS_Converters\DDC_CONVERTER_DWG\DwgExporter.exe "C:\Projects\FloorPlan.dwg"

# Linux
sudo apt install ddc-dwgconverter
ddc-dwgconverter input.dwg output_dir/

Output: FloorPlan_dwg.xlsx (data) + FloorPlan_dwg.pdf (visual rendering).

Supported DWG™ versions

Covers every DWG version you’ll encounter in practice. Files from AutoCAD® LT, BricsCAD®, ZWCAD, and other DWG-compatible software work the same way.

Batch processing

import subprocess
from pathlib import Path

converter = Path(r"C:\DDC\DwgExporter.exe")
for dwg in Path(r"C:\Projects").glob("*.dwg"):
    result = subprocess.run(
        [str(converter), str(dwg)],
        capture_output=True, timeout=300
    )
    status = "OK" if result.returncode == 0 else "FAIL"
    print(f"{dwg.name}: {status}")

We’ve had teams run this across entire project archives — thousands of legacy drawings, batch-converted in hours. The output is consistent, structured, ready for database import or analysis.

n8n™ workflows

Same workflow system as our other converters. Import n8n_1_*.json, change the converter path to DwgExporter, set your file. Works identically — the n8n workflows are converter-agnostic, they just call different executables.

Use cases we see most

• Legacy project migration — extract structured data from thousands of old DWG files into a database or ERP
• Equipment inventories — pull block attributes (equipment tags, specifications) into Excel for asset management
• Layer audits — check naming conventions, identify non-standard layers across hundreds of files
• QTO from 2D drawings — when you only have floor plans, not 3D models, entity counts and measurements still matter
• Text extraction — pull all text from drawings into a searchable spreadsheet

FAQ

Can I convert DWG™ to Excel® without AutoCAD®?

Yes. The converter reads DWG files natively. No AutoCAD, no viewer, no Autodesk® account needed.

Does it extract block attributes?

Yes — all block attributes with their tag names and values. Perfect for pulling door/window/equipment schedules from 2D drawings.

Does it handle DXF files too?

The converter is optimized for DWG. For DXF, convert to DWG first using any free tool, or use the DXF as-is if your workflow supports it.

What about 3D DWG files?

3D entities (3D solids, meshes, surfaces) are extracted as geometry data. For full 3D BIM data, consider using the Revit or IFC converter instead.

Best choice for DWG™ to Excel® conversion

Working with other formats? See our guides for Revit to Excel, IFC to Excel, DGN to Excel, and Revit to IFC conversion.

AutoCAD® and DWG™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. Revit® is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. Excel® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Docker® is a registered trademark of Docker, Inc. BricsCAD® is a registered trademark of Bricsys NV. n8n™ is a trademark of n8n GmbH. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.