Layout Factory Methods

Recommended way to create DXF entities.

For all supported entities exist at least one factory method in the ezdxf.layouts.BaseLayout class. All factory methods have the prefix: add_...

import ezdxf

doc = ezdxf.new()
msp = doc.modelspace()
msp.add_line((0, 0, 0), (3, 0, 0), dxfattribs={"color": 2})

Thematic Index of Layout Factory Methods

DXF Primitives

Text Entities

Spline Entity

Block References and Underlays

Viewport Entity

Only available in paper space layouts.

  • add_viewport()

Dimension Entities

Linear Dimension

Radius and Diameter Dimension

Angular Dimension

Arc Dimension

Ordinate Dimension

Miscellaneous

ACIS Entities

The creation of the required ACIS data has do be done by an external library!

See also

Layout base class: BaseLayout

Factory Functions

Alternative way to create DXF entities for advanced ezdxf users.

The ezdxf.entities.factory module provides the new() function to create new DXF entities by their DXF name and a dictionary of DXF attributes. This will bypass the validity checks in the factory methods of the BaseLayout class.

This new created entities are virtual entities which are not assigned to any DXF document nor to any layout. Add the entity to a layout (and document) by the layout method add_entity().

import ezdxf
from ezdxf.entities import factory

doc = ezdxf.new()
msp = doc.modelspace()
line = factory.new(
    "LINE",
    dxfattribs={
        "start": (0, 0, 0),
        "end": (3, 0, 0),
        "color": 2,
    },
)
msp.add_entity(line)

Direct Object Instantiation

For advanced developers with knowledge about the internal design of ezdxf.

Import the entity classes from sub-package ezdxf.entities and instantiate them. This will bypass the validity checks in the factory methods of the BaseLayout class and maybe additional required setup procedures for some entities - study the source code!.

Warning

A refactoring of the internal ezdxf structures will break your code.

This new created entities are virtual entities which are not assigned to any DXF document nor to any layout. Add the entity to a layout (and document) by the layout method add_entity().

import ezdxf
from ezdxf.entities import Line

doc = ezdxf.new()
msp = doc.modelspace()
line = Line.new(
    dxfattribs={
        "start": (0, 0, 0),
        "end": (3, 0, 0),
        "color": 2,
    }
)
msp.add_entity(line)