AutoCAD Drawings for Everyone

As an AutoCAD beginner or expert you have the ability to manipulate drawings however you wish. However, for every one AutoCAD capable person there are another ten people who would like to have access to the AutoCAD drawing files and cannot. This course will teach you many methods to share your DWG file with others. Topics include DWF, DXF, PDF, DXB, WMF, JPG (and other raster formats) as well as methods for getting AutoCAD drawings into Microsoft Office products and on the web.

 

 

Table of Contents

AutoCAD Drawings for Everyone. 1

AutoCAD® provides plotter drivers to create the following types of files: 2

Configure ePlot to Create DWF Files. 2

Configure the Adobe PostScript Driver 2

Configure DXB File Formats. 3

Configure Raster File Formats. 3

Creating a PDF.. 4

Creating an EPS.. 4

Creating a DXB.. 5

To create a DXB file. 5

Creating a WMF.. 6

Creating a JPG.. 7

Raster Formats. 7

Publish an Electronic Sheet Set 8

Open a Sheet Set and View a Sheet 8

Create and Publish a DWF File. 9

Include Layer Information. 10

Add a Password. 10

Publish and View a Password-Protected DWF File. 11

Wrap Up. 11

 

AutoCAD® provides plotter drivers to create the following types of files:

*       Autodesk ePlot (DWF)

*       Adobe PostScript

*       DXB file format

*       Raster file formats

Configure ePlot to Create DWF Files

With ePlot, you can generate electronic drawing files that are optimized for either plotting or viewing. The files you create are stored in Design Web Format (DWF). DWF files can be opened, viewed, and plotted by anyone using Autodesk® View or Autodesk® Express Viewer. With Autodesk View or Autodesk Express Viewer, you can also view DWF files in Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.01 or later. DWF files support real-time panning and zooming and the display of layers and named views.

Configure the Adobe PostScript Driver

If you configure a PostScript driver in the Add-a-Plotter wizard, you can output your drawings in PostScript format. To configure the PostScript driver, in the Add-a-Plotter wizard, select Adobe from the Manufacturer list, and select a PostScript level from the Model list.

AutoCAD supports three levels of PostScript. Level 1 works with most devices but does not support color images and produces larger plot files than the newer PostScript levels. Level 1 Plus is for Level 1 devices that also support color images. Level 2 is for newer printers and produces smaller files and faster output on Level 2 devices.

AutoCAD supports PostScript printers and plotters using a Centronics-type parallel I/O port, an RS-232C serial I/O port, or plotting across a network. If you use a serial port, configure the printer to match the settings you select in the Configure Port dialog box in the Add-a-Plotter wizard, Ports page.


Configure DXB File Formats

DXB (drawing interchange binary) file formats are supported using the AutoCAD DXB nonsystem file driver.

The output is compatible with the AutoCAD DXBIN command and with the ADI DXB driver delivered with earlier AutoCAD releases. The DXB driver shares the following limitations of the ADI driver:

*       The driver produces 16 bit integer DXB files containing only vectors.

*       DXB output is monochrome; all vectors are color 7.

*       Raster images and embedded OLE objects are not supported.

*       The driver ignores object and plot style lineweights.

Configure Raster File Formats

AutoCAD can view drawings that contain raster images such as TIFF or JPEG.

With the raster file format driver, AutoCAD can also export raster files in the formats listed in the Add-a-Plotter wizard. To configure a raster format driver, select Raster File Formats from the Manufacturer list.

 

Creating a PDF

The most common PDF writer is the Adobe Acrobat PDF writer.

Also, several free and low cost PDF writers exist.

Creating an EPS

Using the Adobe PostScript driver, you can use DWGs with an array of page layout programs and archive tools such as the Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF).

You can use the nonsystem PostScript driver to plot drawings to PostScript printers and PostScript files. Use the PS file format for printers and the EPS file format for files. If you plot to a hardware port, PS output is automatic. If you plot to a file and plan to copy the file to a printer, configure for PS output.

Use the custom Properties dialog box in the Plotter Configuration Editor to customize the output. To display this dialog box, on the Device and Document Settings tab, in the tree view, select Custom Properties. Then under Access Custom Dialog, choose the Custom Properties button.

The PostScript driver supports three types of PostScript.

Level 1: Use for most plotters.

Level 1.5: Use for plotters that support color images.

Level 2: If your plotter supports Level 2 PostScript, use to produce smaller files that print more rapidly.

The Tokenize PostScript Code and Compression options in the PostScript Custom Properties dialog box reduce output file size and improve printing speed on devices that support these options. If you have problems printing, try clearing all the options. If you successfully print with no optimizations, you can try turning the options on one at a time to determine the options your printer supports.

Some desktop publishing applications only support Level 1 PostScript. If you have problems using your EPS files, try a lower PostScript level and turn off the optimizations just described.

Including a preview thumbnail in your EPS file makes the file substantially larger but allows quick preview by many applications. The WMF preview is for Windows; the EPSF preview is for Macintosh and other platforms.

Note:  Including both preview images can triple your file size.

 

Creating a DXB

DXB (drawing interchange binary) file formats are supported using the DXB nonsystem file driver. This is commonly used to "flatten" 3D drawings to 2D.

 

The output is compatible with the AutoCAD DXBIN command and with the ADI DXB driver delivered with earlier AutoCAD releases. The DXB driver shares these limitations of the ADI driver:

 

*       The driver produces 16-bit integer DXB files containing only vectors.

*       DXB output is monochrome; all vectors are color 7.

*       Raster images and embedded OLE objects are not supported.

*       The driver ignores object and plot style lineweights.

To create a DXB file

 

  1. Make sure you have configured a plotter driver for DXB file output. (See Configure for File Output  above.)
  2. On the File menu, click Plot.
  3. In the Plot dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, in the Name box, select a DXB format configuration from the list.
  4. Select plot settings for the DXB file as needed.
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the Browse for Plot File dialog box, select a location and enter a file name for the DXB file.
  7. Click Save.

 

 

 

 

Creating a WMF

To save objects to a Windows metafile

  1. From the AutoCAD command prompt type: WMFOUT
  2. In the standard save as dialogue, select a folder and filename to save.
  3. Select objects:  Use an object selection method and press ENTER when you finish selecting objects

The selected objects are saved to a file in Windows metafile format.

To insert the WMF into a Microsoft Word document, drag and drop the file you’re your word document

Creating a JPG

  1. From the AutoCAD command prompt type: JPGOUT.
  2. In the Create Raster File dialog box, select a folder, enter a file name, and click Save.
    AutoCAD appends the .jpg extension to the file name.
  3. Select the objects you want to save.

The selected items are saved to a JPG file

To insert the WMF into a Microsoft Word document, drag and drop the file you’re your word document.

Raster Formats

The following raster file formats are supported using the Raster HDI driver:

*       CALS MIL-R-28002A Type 1 (CCITT G4 2D Compression)

*       CALS Type 1 (CCITT G4 2D Compression)

*       Independent JPEG Group JFIF (JPEG Compression)

*       MS-Windows BMP (Uncompressed DIB)

*       Portable Network Graphics PNG (LZH Compression)

*       TIFF Version 6 (CCITT G4 2D Compression)

*       TIFF Version 6 (Uncompressed)

*       TrueVision TGA Version 2 (Uncompressed)

*       ZSoft PC Paintbrush PCX (ZSOFT PACKBITS Compression)


Publish an Electronic Sheet Set

You use the Sheet Set Manager to publish an electronic version of a sheet set that you can email to a client who does not use AutoCAD. You publish the sheet set as a Design Web Format (DWF) file. DWF files can be viewed and plotted with the Autodesk DWF Viewer, a free viewer available from www.autodesk.com. For security, you can also add a password to your DWF file.

Note: Before you begin the tutorial, if you have not already done so, copy the Tutorials folder from the Destination Desktop CD to My Documents.

Open a Sheet Set and View a Sheet

You open and view a sheet set in the Sheet Set Manager.

  1. If you have not already done so, copy the Tutorials folder from the CD-Rom to My Documents.
  2.  In AutoCAD, if the Sheet Set Manager is not already open, on the Standard toolbar, click Sheet Set Manager.
  3. In the Sheet Set Manager, click the arrow next to the Open box, and then click Open.
  4. In the Open Sheet Set dialog box, browse to the My Documents\Tutorials\PublishSheetSet folder, select School Project.dst, and then click Open.

The School Project sheet set is displayed in the Sheet Set Manager.

  1. In the Sheet Set Manager, on the Sheet List tab, double-click the sheet Plan 1.

The Existing Conditions Plan drawing opens, with the Plan 1 layout tab currently active. This drawing contains the sheets you want to include in your DWF file.


Create and Publish a DWF File

When you publish a DWF file using the Publish to DWF button, the DWF file is published using the default settings (output directory, single- or multi-page DWF, and layer information). You can change any of the default settings.

  1. In the Sheet Set Manager, on the Sheet List tab, click the Existing Conditions subset to select it.
  2.  In the Sheet Set Manager, click Publish to DWF.
  3. In the Select DWF File dialog box, in the File Name text box, enter Existing Conditions, and then click Select.

Before the DWF is published, a message is displayed notifying you that the publishing job is processing in the background. While the job is publishing, you can continue to work.

  1. Click OK to close the message.

The DWF file is published. This may take several seconds. When publishing is complete, a balloon message is displayed in the status bar tray.

  1. In the Plot and Publish Job Complete balloon message, click the link to view plot and publish details.

In the Plot and Publish Details dialog box, information (file name, page setup, paper size, and so on) about each published sheet is displayed.

  1. Click Close to close the Plot and Publish Details dialog box.
  2.  On the status bar tray, right-click the Plot and Publish icon, and on the shortcut menu, click View DWF File.

The Existing Conditions DWF file opens in Autodesk DWF Viewer. The file contains all the sheets in the Existing Conditions subset.

  1. Close the Autodesk DWF Viewer.

Include Layer Information

When you publish a DWF file with a single click, the DWF file is published using the default settings (output directory, single- or multi-page DWF, and layer information).

  1. In the Sheet Set Manager, on the Sheet List tab, click the Site Grading subset to select it.
  2.  In the Sheet Set Manager, click Publish, and then click Sheet Set Publish Options.
  3. In the Sheet Set Publish Options dialog box, make sure Multi-sheet DWF and Prompt for Name are selected.
  4. Under DWF Data, click Layer Information, and select Include.

When layer information is included in a DWF file, you can use the Autodesk DWF Viewer to control layer visibility in the file.

Do not close the Sheet Set Publish Options dialog box.

Add a Password

When you need to control who can open and view a confidential drawing set, you can publish a DWF file that is protected with a password. A password-protected file can be opened only by someone who knows the correct password.

  1. In the Sheet Set Publish Options dialog box, under DWF Security, click Password Protect Published DWF. Make sure Specify Password is selected, and then enter my password.
  2. Click OK to close the Sheet Set Publish Options dialog box.
  3. In the Confirm DWF Password dialog box, enter my password again, and then click OK.

Publish and View a Password-Protected DWF File

DWF files can be opened and viewed with the Autodesk DWF Viewer. Because you protected the DWF file with a password, you need to enter the password before you can open the file.

  1.  In the Sheet Set Manager, click Publish to DWF.
  2. In the Select DWF File dialog box, enter Site Grading, and then click Select.

Before the DWF is published, a message is displayed notifying you that the publishing job is processing in the background. While the job is publishing, you can continue to work.

  1. Click OK to close the message.

The DWF is published. This may take several seconds. When publishing is complete, a balloon message is displayed in the status bar tray.

  1. Close the Plot and Publish Job Complete balloon message.
  2.  On the right side of the status bar tray, right-click the Plot and Publish icon, and on the shortcut menu, click View DWF File.
  3. In the Enter Password dialog box, enter my password.

Because you entered the correct password, you are able to open the DWF file. The Site Grading DWF file opens in Autodesk DWF Viewer. The DWF contains all the sheets in the Site Grading subset.

  1. Close the Autodesk DWF Viewer.
  2. To close the School Project sheet set, in the Sheet Set Manager, on the Sheet List tab, right-click School Project, and on the shortcut menu, click Close Sheet Set.

Wrap Up

You use the Sheet Set Manager to publish a Design Web Format (DWF) file. A DWF file is an electronic version of a drawing set. A DWF file can be viewed and plotted with the Autodesk DWF Viewer, a free viewer available from www.autodesk.com. For security, you can protect a DWF file with a password.