Data Exchange
- AutoCAD is capable of creating, opening and processing DXF files, including files created within other CAD programs. The format is not unique to AutoCAD, it is universal among CAD programs. Autodesk, AutoCAD’s manufacturer, created the file format in 1982 strictly for the exchange of drawings and related data among similar CAD programs.
Formatting
- A DXF file format supports binary and ASCII data. Older DXF files can be opened with newer CAD programs, including SolidWorks eDrawings Viewer, IMSI TurboCAD, DWG2Image Converter and Open Office Draw on Windows and Linux systems.
DXF Sections
- A DXF file consists of a Header section containing generic information about the drawing(s) within the file. Following the Header section, a Classes component contains information related to the application the file was created in. A Tables component contains information on each item within the file, and a Blocks component contains descriptions of entities, such as drawings, within the file. An Entities component contains drawings, and an Objects component contains information related to any non-graphical objects within the file. A Thumb-Nail-Image component contains previews of each drawing and graphical elements within the file. Each DXF file contains an end-of-file marker that tells the CAD application that no additional information remains in the file.
Opening
- Open your CAD program and click “File.” Select “New” to create a blank drawing file. You need a blank drawing file to load information from a DXF file, otherwise the file's contents will not display properly. Click “File,” then select Open” and go to the directory with the DXF file you want to open. Double-click the file’s name to open it. The DXF file will open within the blank drawing for viewing, editing or printing.
