Parse AutoCAD DWG files into structured vector JSON.

DWG is AutoCAD's native binary format and has never been publicly documented by Autodesk. Every version of the format — R14, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025 — uses a different binary structure. Building reliable DWG parsing means either licensing a commercial SDK or maintaining a reverse-engineered reader against a moving target.

CADLens handles this for you. Submit a DWG file; receive clean JSON. The conversion and parsing infrastructure runs on our end.

Common use cases for DWG parsing via the API:

• Quoting and estimating tools — extract geometry to calculate material lengths, areas, or cut counts automatically from customer-uploaded drawings.
• CNC and laser cutting software — read polylines and arcs as toolpaths without requiring the operator to export to another format first.
• Construction tech — parse floor plans to extract room boundaries, dimensions, and layer-based object counts.
• Document automation — index drawing metadata (units, extents, layer names) into a database without opening a CAD application.
• Preview generation — render a PNG thumbnail of any DWG file uploaded by your users, at scale.

Authentication is an API key in the Authorization: Bearer header. The base URL is https://api.cadlens.co/v1.

Step 1 — Upload the DWG file:

POST /v1/parse
Content-Type: multipart/form-data
Authorization: Bearer <api_key>

file=<your-drawing.dwg>

// Response
{ "jobId": "job_01hw..." }

Add wait=true as a query parameter for files under roughly 2 MB to receive the full result in the same response. For larger files, the job is queued and typically completes within 30 seconds on standard plans.

Step 2 — Poll for completion (or use a webhook):

GET /v1/jobs/job_01hw...
Authorization: Bearer <api_key>

// Response
{
  "jobId": "job_01hw...",
  "status": "COMPLETED",   // PENDING | PROCESSING | COMPLETED | FAILED
  "fileName": "floor-plan.dwg",
  "fileSize": 284521,
  "createdAt": "2024-10-14T09:12:00Z",
  "completedAt": "2024-10-14T09:12:08Z"
}

Pass webhook_url in the initial upload to receive a POST callback when the job completes — no polling required.

Step 3 — Fetch the result:

GET /v1/jobs/job_01hw.../result
Authorization: Bearer <api_key>

The result schema is versioned at 2024-01. Every field below is present for a successful DWG parse:

{
  "jobId": "job_01hw...",
  "status": "COMPLETED",
  "metadata": {
    "units": "mm",
    "boundingBox": { "width": 4200, "height": 2970 }
  },
  "layersJson": [
    { "name": "WALLS",      "colorHex": "#ffffff", "entityCount": 142 },
    { "name": "DIMENSIONS", "colorHex": "#00ff00", "entityCount": 38  },
    { "name": "TEXT",       "colorHex": "#ff0000", "entityCount": 21  }
  ],
  "vectorJson": [
    {
      "type": "POLYLINE",
      "layer": "WALLS",
      "closed": true,
      "vertices": [
        { "x": 0,    "y": 0    },
        { "x": 4200, "y": 0    },
        { "x": 4200, "y": 2970 },
        { "x": 0,    "y": 2970 }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "imageUrl": "https://cdn.cadlens.co/results/job_01hw.../preview.png?..."
}

DWG is the most complex format CADLens supports. A few constraints apply:

• File size: approximately 10 MB per file on standard plans.
• Entity count: up to approximately 50,000 entities per drawing.
• Processing time: up to 30 seconds on standard plans; typically faster.
• 3D geometry: CADLens extracts 2D projections of 3D entities; full 3D mesh extraction is not currently supported.
• External references (Xrefs): referenced drawings are not resolved. Only geometry embedded in the submitted file is parsed.
• Password-protected DWG: not supported. The file must be unlocked before submission.