AutoCAD Drawing Database (DWG) and AutoCAD Drawing Interchange Format (DXF)
AutoCAD Drawing Database (DWG) files are vector files used as a native format for AutoCAD drawings.
The Drawing Interchange Format (DXF) is a tagged data representation of the information contained in an AutoCAD drawing file. The Drawing Interchange format is a native file format of AutoCAD. It has become a standard for exchanging CAD drawings and is supported by many CAD applications. The Drawing Interchange format is vector-based and supports up to 256 colors.
Enhanced support for the AutoCAD Drawing Database (DWG) format simplifies working with dimension shapes when you import those files. Corel DESIGNER recognizes dimension shapes in DWG files, allowing you to use the Dimension tools to easily change arrowheads on dimension lines, reposition dimension text, and update associative dimensions when modifying a shape. You also have the option of maintaining the exact look of the dimension shape, which converts it to curves and text. And when you export to DWG/DXF, dimension shapes are editable in CAD applications, such as AutoCAD or CorelCAD. For more information about dimension lines, see Dimension lines.
Corel DESIGNER recognizes dimension shapes in AutoCAD (DWG/DXF) files.
To import an AutoCAD Drawing Database file (DWG) or AutoCAD Drawing Interchange Format (DXF)
1
Click
File 
Import.
2
Locate the folder in which the file is stored.
3
Choose
DWG - AutoCAD (*.dwg) or
DXF - AutoCAD (*.dxf) from the list box next to the
File name box.
6
From the
3D projection list box in the
Import AutoCAD file dialog box, choose a plane projection of a three-dimensional object as seen from a given focal point.
If you want to reduce the number of nodes on the imported object, enable the
Auto-reduce nodes check box.
7
In the
Scaling area, enable one of the following options:
•
Automatic — scales the drawing using the scale of the AutoCAD source file
•
English (1 unit = 1 inch) — lets you scale the drawing in inches
•
Metric (1 unit = 1 mm) — lets you scale the drawing in millimeters
If the file is password protected, type the password in the
Password box.
If views are specified in your file, they appear automatically in the 3D projection list box.
If your computer is missing a font that is included in a file you are importing, a PANOSE font matching dialog box appears and lets you substitute the font with a similar font.
To export an AutoCAD Drawing Database file (DWG) or an AutoCAD Drawing Interchange file (DXF)
1
Click
File Export.
2
Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
3
From the
Save as type list box, choose one of the following options:
4
Type a filename in the
File name list box.
6
In the
Export to AutoCAD dialog box, choose an AutoCAD version from the
Export version list box.
7
Choose a unit of measure from the
Export units list box.
8
In the
Export text as area, enable one of the following options:
•
Curves — lets you export text as curves
•
Text — lets you export text as editable characters
9
In the
Export bitmap as area, enable one of the options to export the bitmaps in a drawing to a supported bitmap format.
10
In the
Fill unmapped fills area, enable one of the following options:
•
Color — fills all unmapped fills with color. To change the color, click the
Color picker and choose a color on the
palette.
•
Unfilled — leaves unmapped fills unfilled
AutoCAD Data Interchange Format (DXF) technical notes
•
The program supports AutoCAD files from version R2.5 to 2018.
•
Layers are retained on import and export.
Importing an AutoCAD DXF file
•
If a DXF file is too complex to import into Corel DESIGNER, you can configure your AutoCAD output device as an HP7475 plotter and perform a plot-to-file of the drawing. Then you should be able to import this plot file using the import filter. Newer versions of AutoCAD allow you to create EPS files.
•
Corel graphics programs try to center the imported image. The image is scaled down if the coordinates are larger than the maximum page size available in Corel DESIGNER — 150 by 150 feet.
•
Model space pages are imported as master pages.
•
Solid and trace entities are filled.
•
Dimension lines are imported as dimension objects.
•
A point is imported as an ellipse of minimum size.
•
Files exported as "Entities only" may not appear as expected in the Corel program because of a lack of header information.
•
Imported AutoCAD files that contain formatted paragraph text preserve text formatting such as spacing, alignment, and indents.
•
Justification of text entries may not be preserved, especially if fonts are replaced in the imported files. For best results, avoid justification of text.
•
If the DXF file contains a font that is not on the user’s computer, the
PANOSE font matching dialog box lets the user replace the font with an available one.
•
Lines with a number of points that exceed the maximum supported in Corel DESIGNER will be broken into multiple lines, and their fills will be dropped.
•
3D solids are not directly supported in Corel DESIGNER. Users can import 3D solids with the 3D Import program.
Exporting an AutoCAD DXF file
•
Corel DESIGNER saves drawings in a vector format accepted by computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) programs and devices, such as AutoCAD and certain computer-driven sign and glass cutters.
•
Password protection is not available in the exported files.
•
Only the outlines of objects are exported.
•
Filled objects with no outlines have an outline appended to them on export.
•
All text is exported by using a generic font. Text formatting is not preserved.
AutoCAD Drawing Database (DWG) technical notes
•
Corel DESIGNER can import and export AutoCAD files from version R2.5 to 2018.
•
Password protection is not available in the exported files.
•
If the DWG file contains a font that is not on your computer, the
PANOSE font matching dialog box lets you replace the font with an available one.
