Default colors in exported DWG file

Question:
I don’t use “Object color by layer” or “Use advanced line type and layer conversation” when exporting a drawing to DWG. Why don’t object colors set in a Tekla Structures drawing match the object colors in the exported DWG file?

Answer:
In “Drawing part properties” on the “Appearance” tab you can choose from 14 different colors (transparent + 13 visible colors). However, when you export your drawing to DWG format, only 7 default colors (black, red, green, blue, cyan, yellow and magenta) are used and that is why some colors do not match.

Here is the color conversion table

No.	Color in Tekla Structures	Color in exported DWG file
1.	Image  transparent	no line
2.	Image  black	Image  black
3.	Image  red	Image  red
4.	Image  green	Image  green
5.	Image  blue	Image  blue
6.	Image  cyan	Image  cyan
7.	Image  yellow	Image  yellow
8.	Image  magenta	Image  magenta
9.	Image  brown	Image  red
10.	Image  dark green	Image  green
11.	Image  dark blue	Image  blue
12.	Image  dark cyan	Image  cyan
13.	Image  orange	Image  yellow
14.	Image  gray	Image  magenta

If you want to use more colors (and line types and line weights) when exporting to DWG, you have to use “Object color by layer” or “Use advanced line type and layer conversion”. See the links below for detailed instructions.

See also:

• Exporting a drawing to a 2D DWG or DXF file
• Default line types in drawings
• Defining customized line type mappings in drawing export
• Layers in exported drawings
• Creating layers for drawing export
• Example: Setting up layers and exporting to DWG