DWF to DWG converter for AutoCAD version R14, 2000 and 2000(i). All DWF elements generated by AutoCAD 2000 "plot to DWF" are supported, including true type fonts, ellipses, arcs and elliptical arcs. DWF files can be previewed before being imported into current drawing.
If layers are saved in DWF, they will be recreated in DWG. Even though layers in DWF don't have color (each entity is saved with it's screen color), this program manages to restore original layer color correctly in 99.9% cases.
This program restores original units, i.e. line parallel to the screen when DWF was generated will be restored with the same length as in original DWG.
Few of the possible applications for our converter:
Plotting DWF to scale:
One of possible uses for our program is importing of DWF file into AutoCAD for the purpose of plotting to scale, as there are problems with plotting DWF files to scale from Internet Explorer's WHIP viewer.
Flattening 3D model views:
Many engineering companies these days design in 3D to avoid costly mistakes, but deliverables often have to be 2D drawings that are easier to handle by client's document control staff. IcDWFin could be used to generate flattened versions of 3D model (via use of AutoCAD generating DWF file and our IC_DWFIN command to change it back into flattened AutoCAD drawing). It’s possible now with our program to grab paperspace with its viewports showing 3D model in different orientations and create out of it simple 2D AutoCAD drawing with layer separation, colors and projected sizes preserved throughout the process.
Producing 2D backgrounds
Producing 2D drawings from 3D model so they can be used as simple background xrefs for other disciplines, without overhead of all 3D intelligence.
Recovering lost drawing:
Our customers reported in the past some incidents, where they permanently lost the original DWG file but they had DWF produced from it. Our converter allowed them to create DWG file from DWF, modify it and plot it again.
Reviewing and plotting engineering drawings using DWF:
DWF seems to be very good format for engineering communication of today. They are stripped of much intelligence of 3D DWG models, protecting intellectual property of the company that created them, yet they are much more than just dumb plot files: they can be viewed using Internet browser, zoomed and panned to see the fine detail, layers can be switched on and off as in AutoCAD drawing. They are leaner than DWG so they can be easier transferred via Internet. Yet they have weak points: they can’t be plotted to scale or edited should you need to do some minor changes. Our converter removes these weak points. Now you can import DWF into AutoCAD, do some editing, if necessary and plot it to scale using the same plot parameters as original DWG file.
