CAD Import (DXF)
Turn a DXF, SVG, or PDF into editable garden design geometry — choose layers, set units, and align scale before placing.
CAD Import is a dedicated workspace that parses your DXF, SVG, or PDF file and lets you preview, configure, and place it directly onto the canvas. DXF and SVG files arrive as fully editable vector geometry — lines, polylines, arcs, text, and more — organized by the source file's layers. PDF files are placed as scalable background overlays ready for tracing.
The workspace walks you through four sequential tabs: File, Layers, Scale, and Import. Use it when you have a site survey, existing site plan, or landscape drawing from a CAD application that you want to reference or build on inside Gardenly3D.
Open the CAD Import workspace
In the top toolbar, open the Import menu and select CAD Import. The workspace opens as a full-screen panel with a live preview canvas on the right and a configuration sidebar on the left. The first tab, File, is shown automatically. A hint strip at the bottom of the screen guides you through each step.
Import a DXF file
Go to File > Import > CAD File. A file picker opens — select a DXF file. The CAD Import dialog opens showing import options.
Set units and check layer mapping
In the CAD Import dialog:
1. Units — the unit system is read from the DXF header. Verify that the detected unit (millimeters, centimeters, meters, feet, or inches) is correct. If the file uses a non-standard unit, change it using the dropdown. 2. Layer mapping — the dialog lists all DXF layers found in the file and the Gardenly3D layer each maps to. By default, DXF layer names are preserved. Rename or merge layers as needed before importing. 3. Geometry types — check which entity types to include: lines, polylines, arcs, circles, splines, text. Uncheck types you do not need.
If the DXF uses millimeters (common in UK/European CAD files), verify the unit detection — an incorrect unit will produce geometry at the wrong scale.
Complete the import
Click Import. The DXF geometry is converted and placed on the canvas.
Imported entities appear in the Layers panel under their mapped layer names. Each entity type is converted as follows:
- Lines and polylines → path entities
- Arcs and circles → arc/ellipse path entities
- Splines → smooth path entities
- Text → text annotation entities
3D geometry (Z-coordinates, 3D solids, meshes) is flattened to 2D by projecting onto the XY plane.
European and UK DXF files are most commonly in Millimeters. US files are typically in Feet or Inches. Check the CAD application's drawing setup or ask the file author if unsure.
Edit imported geometry
Imported DXF entities are regular Gardenly3D entities. You can:
- Select and move individual entities
- Edit nodes with the Node Edit tool (N)
- Apply materials and styles
- Use imported paths as the basis for garden design elements — e.g., trace a building footprint or use a boundary polyline as the project site boundary
- Assign entities to different layers via the Layers panel
Use Edit > Select All on a DXF layer to quickly select all imported geometry from a specific CAD layer, then move or style it as a group.
Review and import
Open the Import tab. A summary shows the file name, total entity count, number of selected layers, and the scale factor that will be applied. Under Grouping, choose Separate entities to import each object individually (best for editing individual lines), or Single group to import everything as one grouped object (best for moving the whole drawing as a unit). Click Import to place the geometry on the canvas.
Importing as a single group is recommended for large survey drawings — you can move, rotate, and scale the whole drawing together, then ungroup it once it is aligned to your site.
The CAD Import workspace remembers your source units, grouping mode, and spline settings for each file. Re-opening the workspace with the same file restores your previous configuration so you do not have to reconfigure from scratch.
PDF files are imported as background overlays for tracing, not as editable geometry. If you need editable lines from a PDF, you must convert it to DXF or SVG in a CAD application first, then import the converted file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which file types can I import?
DXF, SVG, and PDF. DXF and SVG come in as editable vector geometry with full layer selection. PDF is imported as a scalable background overlay for tracing — it does not produce editable geometry.
Which DXF entities are supported?
Lines, polylines, circles, arcs, ellipses, splines, points, text, and dimensions are all read. BLOCK references are expanded into their underlying geometry at import time so you get individual editable shapes, not nested blocks.
The imported drawing is the wrong size — what went wrong?
The most common cause is a Source Units mismatch. Re-open the workspace with the same file, go to the Scale tab, and change Source Units to the unit the drawing was originally created in. If you are unsure of the units, use the Scale Tool: click two points a known distance apart and enter the correct distance — the workspace will calculate the right scale automatically.
Can I import only some layers and leave others out?
Yes. The Layers tab lets you toggle individual layers on or off before importing. Only layers that are toggled on will be included. Use the solo (eye) icon to preview exactly which entities are on a layer before deciding.
How do I move or rotate the imported drawing after it is on the canvas?
If you imported as a Single group, select the group and use the standard Move and Rotate tools. If you imported as Separate entities, select all the imported objects (use a selection box over the drawing), group them with Ctrl+G / Cmd+G, then transform the group. You can ungroup at any time once the drawing is correctly positioned.