Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Be aware that not all programs that read DXF files accept all the data stored therein.
Many programs that claim to read DXF files throw away much of the DXF files' information.
Attributes are perhaps the most commonly ignored objects, followed by many of the 3D objects,
such as meshes and 3D faces.
Exporting and Importing DxF Files
To export your current drawing as a DXF file, follow these steps:
1.
Choose File
Save As from the menu bar to open the Save Drawing As dialog box.
2.
Click the File Format pop-up list. You can export your drawing under a number of for-
mats, including five DXF formats.
3.
Select the appropriate DXF format, and then enter a name for your file. You don't have to
include the .dxf filename extension.
4.
Select a folder for the file and click Save.
In step 3, you can select any of the DXF file formats shown in the following screen shot.
Choose the format appropriate to the program you're exporting to. In most cases, the safest
choice is AutoCAD R12/LT2 DXF if you're exporting to another CAD program, although the
complete functionality of the latest releases of AutoCAD won't be maintained for such files.
In addition to using the Save Drawing As dialog box, you can type
DXFOUT
↵ at the
Command prompt to open the Save Drawing As dialog box.
If you need to open a DXF file, you can do so by selecting DXF from the File Format pop-up
list in the Select File dialog box. This is the dialog box you see when you select File
Open from
the menu bar. You can also use the Dxfin command:
1.
Type
DXFIN
↵ at the Command prompt to open the Select File dialog box.
2.
Locate and select the DXF file you want to import.
3.
Double-click the filename. If the drawing is large, the imported file may take several min-
utes to open.
Using AutoCAD Drawings in Page-Layout Programs
As you probably know, AutoCAD is a natural for creating line art, and because of its popular-
ity, most page-layout programs are designed to import AutoCAD drawings in one form or
another. Those of you who employ page-layout software to generate user manuals or other
