AutoCAD Design Web Format

Use

You can import and view AutoCAD Design Web Format (.dwf) files. You can also save files to this format.

The .dwf format is a binary file used by AutoDesk AutoCAD for publishing models and drawings on the Internet. It is a package file format (based on .zip) and can contain either 2D or 3D files along with resources such as texture maps and BOM/object manifests.

2D files are stored internally as .w2d files, and contain vector-based description of drawings and illustrations. It is common for there to be more than one.w2d page in a .dwf file. 3D files are stored internally as .w3d files (based on the Hoops Stream Format). Currently the only producers of these files (AutoCAD products) store only .w3d per .dwf file.

Because .dwf files are highly compressed, they are smaller and faster to transmit than design files, without the overhead associated with typical CAD drawings (or the management of external links and dependencies). Publishers of design data can select the specific design data and plot styles they want recipients to see, and can publish multi-sheet drawing sets from multiple .dwg source files into a single .dwf file. They can also publish 3D models from nearly every AutoDesk design application.

Supported

  • Cameras

Export Limitations

  • Exporting 2D-multi page or 3D single page

  • Export of callouts and sprites

  • Cameras

Features

This format contains both import and export options. You can use them to customize the way in which your file is opened and saved.

Import Interface

Field

Functional Description

Import Pages

Determines whether one or all pages are imported for multi-page files

  • All: Imports each page as a model view

  • First: Imports only the first page

Show Paper in 2D Views

Determines whether a paper object is created for the scene for 2D pages. Paper objects are similar to the SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Author grid.

  • Always: Always creates a paper object according to the paper size specified in the file

  • Never: Does not create a paper object

  • By file: Creates a paper object if the paper is visible in the file

Import True Type Fonts as

Determines the way in which TrueType fonts are imported

  • Polygons: Imports fonts as tessellated polygons (solid fill)

  • Outlines: Imports fonts as polylines (contours). This is the fastest method for importing text

  • Character Primitives: Imports fonts as character primitives. These are able to be edited in the same way as a normal primitive. This is the slowest method for importing text. As each character is a separate object, any editing may take time.

Import Edges

Determines whether edges are imported

Export Interface

Field

Functional Description

Mode

The method used to export the file

Auto-Select

Saves multi-page or obviously 2D files (flat, viewed orthogonally from top) as a 2D file. Otherwise, exports the file as a 3D file.

3D Model

Saves the first model view, (or active view if there are no model views), as the 3D file