Difference between revisions of "Drawing Exchange Format (DXF)"

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Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) is a file format designed by Autodesk to allow exchange with their AutoCAD software. While they publish specs it is not an open format as they alone control iterations to the format. Autodesk and the Open Design Alliance sell commercial licenses for accessing DXF files. There is generally good support for DXF in free/libre software.
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Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) is a file format designed by Autodesk to allow exchange with their AutoCAD software. While they publish specs it is not an open format as they alone control iterations to the format. Autodesk and the Open Design Alliance sell commercial licenses for accessing DXF files. There is generally better support for DXF in free/libre software, compared to DWG.
  
DXF can be thought of as an exchange version of the [[Drawing (DWG)]] format developed by Autodesk.
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DXF can be thought of as an exchange version of the [[Drawing (DWG)]] format developed by Autodesk. File sizes may be larger, as it is in plaintext, whereas DWG is binary, and it may not contains data of proprietary AutoCAD extensions. Autodesk has discouraged the use of DWG, by inserting an encrypted proprietary signature that determines whether or not a DWG comes from Autodesk software. However, despite this discouragement, DWG creation is commonplace.
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The [[LibreDWG]] project has an example application for SVG and Postscript conversion, converters from and to DXF.
  
 
The [https://www.opendesign.com Open Design Alliance] has a freely available proprietary [https://www.opendesign.com/guestfiles/oda_file_converter ODA File Converter] for converting between different versions of .dwg and .dxf
 
The [https://www.opendesign.com Open Design Alliance] has a freely available proprietary [https://www.opendesign.com/guestfiles/oda_file_converter ODA File Converter] for converting between different versions of .dwg and .dxf
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* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD_DXF DXF at Wikipedia]
 
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD_DXF DXF at Wikipedia]
 
* [https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=autodesk+dxf+reference Autodesk DXF Reference]
 
* [https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=autodesk+dxf+reference Autodesk DXF Reference]
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=Support for DXFs in free software=
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2D and 3D DXFs can be imported and exported by [[Blender]] and [[FreeCAD]]. 2D DXFs are supported in [[LibreCAD]], and [[QCAD]].
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Blender is capable of importing DXFs with absolute coordinates with the BlenderGIS add-on. However, this workflow may have issues in recent releases. Blender's support for DXF is based on an older DXF library, and therefore may have compatibility issues with newer DXFs being produced.

Revision as of 23:26, 13 August 2020

Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) is a file format designed by Autodesk to allow exchange with their AutoCAD software. While they publish specs it is not an open format as they alone control iterations to the format. Autodesk and the Open Design Alliance sell commercial licenses for accessing DXF files. There is generally better support for DXF in free/libre software, compared to DWG.

DXF can be thought of as an exchange version of the Drawing (DWG) format developed by Autodesk. File sizes may be larger, as it is in plaintext, whereas DWG is binary, and it may not contains data of proprietary AutoCAD extensions. Autodesk has discouraged the use of DWG, by inserting an encrypted proprietary signature that determines whether or not a DWG comes from Autodesk software. However, despite this discouragement, DWG creation is commonplace.

The LibreDWG project has an example application for SVG and Postscript conversion, converters from and to DXF.

The Open Design Alliance has a freely available proprietary ODA File Converter for converting between different versions of .dwg and .dxf

See also

Support for DXFs in free software

2D and 3D DXFs can be imported and exported by Blender and FreeCAD. 2D DXFs are supported in LibreCAD, and QCAD.

Blender is capable of importing DXFs with absolute coordinates with the BlenderGIS add-on. However, this workflow may have issues in recent releases. Blender's support for DXF is based on an older DXF library, and therefore may have compatibility issues with newer DXFs being produced.