The Dusty for AutoCAD plugin lets your VDC team prepare robot-ready layout files inside AutoCAD and send them straight to the Dusty Portal for printing on the jobsite. This reference explains what the plugin does, what you need to run it, and which AutoCAD versions it supports. If you are asking "does Dusty work with my version of AutoCAD," "what does the Dusty AutoCAD add-in do," or "what are the system requirements for the Dusty plugin," start here.

What the plugin does

The plugin adds a Dusty tab to the AutoCAD ribbon. From there you prepare a drawing and export it as a Dusty layout file (.dusty) that uploads directly to the Dusty Portal — no separate file handling required.

Core capabilities:

• Pre-process a DWG into a print-ready layout. The plugin reads your linework, text, and coordinate scaling and packages it for the FieldPrint Platform.
• Export to Dusty (.dusty) format and upload to the Portal. The Portal normalizes the file to a single coordinate system and combines it with any other layouts and point files into one "Ready to Print" file.
• Fit into the Revit → AutoCAD → Dusty workflow. Export one floor plan per DWG from Revit, clean it up in AutoCAD, then export with the Dusty plugin.

A few behaviors to know before you export:

• Export one floor plan per DWG. Avoid linked models unless they have been reviewed and tested.
• Reference geometry (XREFs) must be included in the exported file itself. The plugin does not export XREFs into the Portal separately.
• Arrays, attributes, and dimensions do not integrate with the plugin — explode them into linework before exporting.

For layer setup and file-prep detail, see the related articles below.

Supported AutoCAD versions

The plugin is not compatible with:

• AutoCAD LT
• AutoCAD MEP
• AutoCAD Civil 3D
• Other Autodesk products

If you run an unsupported version, the Dusty tab will not load or appear, and reinstalling will not fix it. It can also cause the plugin to sign in successfully but then fail to connect to the Portal. Confirm your version is supported before upgrading AutoCAD.

Requirements

To install and run the Dusty for AutoCAD plugin you need:

• A supported version of AutoCAD or AutoCAD Architecture (2021–2026), running on Windows (64-bit). macOS is not supported.

  

• A Dusty Portal account. The plugin signs in to the Portal to upload layouts, so an active account is required.

  

• Administrator rights to install. Run the installer as an administrator with AutoCAD fully closed so Windows does not block the required file or registry access.
• Outbound network access to the Dusty Portal. Corporate firewalls, endpoint-protection software, and restricted VPNs can allow sign-in but block the ongoing communication needed to load projects, sync, and publish. Coordinate with IT early if your environment restricts outbound traffic.
• Files prepared in inches at true 1:1 scale. In AutoCAD, set Type = Architectural and Insertion Scale = Inches (type UNITS to check). Unitless or mismatched files produce distorted dimensions because the plugin reads coordinate scaling from the file.

Installation notes

• The plugin is distributed through the Autodesk App Store and installs as a .bundle directory in Autodesk's ApplicationPlugins folder. Where it lands (per-user vs. all-users) determines who can see the Dusty tab.
• Reinstalling may be required after some Windows or AutoCAD updates, which can remove or disable plugin components. Rebooting alone will not restore it.
• Other integrations that share authentication libraries (for example, Procore, Revizto, or Autodesk Construction Cloud) can interfere with Dusty sign-in. If sign-in fails, temporarily disable them, launch Dusty, confirm sign-in, then re-enable.

Need help?

Contact Dusty Technical Support at +1 (510) 210-3658 or support@dustyrobotics.com. When reporting a plugin issue, include your AutoCAD version, plugin version, and a brief description of your network environment. For training and certification, visit Dusty Academy.