How to create eTransmit in AutoCAD – Complete tutorial

An AutoCAD drawing may contain lots of external data in the form of X-ref, font styles, images, excel tables, textures, materials for 3D drawings and other components.

Rather than collecting these objects manually and putting them in a folder you can create an eTransmit in AutoCAD and it will automatically collect all these objects and put it together in a folder or ZIP package.

You can then send this folder or zip package to stake holders and it will always contain all the files required for the project.

Starting eTransmit

To use eTransmit in AutoCAD make sure you have saved your drawing first. 

After saving click on application button (AutoCAD logo) on the top left of your software window and click on Publish and then eTransmit option as shown in the image above.

Create Transmittal window will pop up with a tree view of all attachments in your drawings.

If you want to view it in list view you can switch to Files Table tab.

In the tree view, you will find current drawings panel where all attachments will be visible.

You can add multiple files in the eTransmit package by clicking the Add File button on the bottom of Current Drawings panel as shown in the image below.

Below that you will find Enter Notes panel where you can add notes to the package for the recipient.

Once your eTransmit file is created a report will be generated and it will be transmitted as a TXT file along with complete package.

You can view that report using View Report button on the bottom left of the window as shown in the following image.

On the right side of create transmittal window, you will find Transmittal Setups button.

Click on it and a new window will pop up where you can modify settings for transmittal package and save it for further use.

Click on New button and name your setup then click on Continue.

Now you can customize settings of the eTransmittal package using Modify Transmittal Setup window.

Let’s have a look at some of the useful options of the window.

Transmittal type and location

From the "Transmittal package type" drop down menu of this panel, you can select the type of package to create, like a zip or a simple folder.

If your recipient uses an older version of AutoCAD then you can save drawings in an older version also using File format drop down menu.

Specify the location where you want to save the transmittal file using ellipses next to Transmittal file folder field.

Path Options

Here you will find three radio buttons as shown in the image below.

The first radio button will make the eTransmittal package with each component in a separate folder.

Place all files in one folder option will place all attached components inside a single folder.

The third option will create a structured folder such that each component will maintain it's path inside transmittal package.

For example, if an X-ref is placed inside folder B which is inside folder A then this transmittal will create a folder A inside folder B and then place the Xref inside folder B.

Actions

Here you will again find multiple radio buttons but most of them are self-explanatory.

The Bind external references radio button will bind your Xref inside current drawing i.e. it will convert Xref into a block and place it in the drawing.

Purge drawings radio button will clean your drawing of all unused components like layers, blocks, and linetypes and create the eTransmit package with those cleaned drawings.

Once you have made all required settings click on OK and close Modify Transmittal Setup window box and click OK again.

Your complete package will be published at the specified location with all settings you made so far.

Converting file version

If you want to convert the AutoCAD file version to a lower one so that it remains compatible with older software then you can do that as well in eTransmit options.

Start eTransmit then click the modify button and from the "Modify transmittal setup" window select an older file format in "File format" dropdown as shown in the following image.

This will convert all the files in eTransmit package into a compatible older version all at once.

Related reading: All about data extraction in AutoCAD.

Summary

eTransmit in AutoCAD is a great tool for creating a package of all drawing file without having to search for the files manually.

It also happens to have a great AutoCAD version conversion tool that you can use to convert AutoCAD file version to an older one with just a few clicks.

You can even batch convert the files using this option.

If you have questions related to this article let me know in the comments section down below.