DXF/DWGFiles(*.dxf,*.dwgFiles)
YoucanimportandexportDXF/DWGfiles.
TheDXF/DWGImportWizardappearsduringmostimportoperations.YoucanalsoinsertDXF/DWGfilesintopartdocuments.
YoucancopyandpasteentitiesfromanAutoCAD DXForDWGfileintoSolidWorkspart,assembly,anddrawingdocuments.
BitmapsstoredinDXF/DWGfilesinAutoCAD'snativebitmapformatarenotsupported.
TheDXF/DWGtranslatorsupportstheimportandexportofholetables.
Import
TheDXF/DWGtranslatorimportsDXForDWGfiles,includingMechanicalDesktopfiles,asSolidWorkspartordrawingdocuments,accordingtotheoptionsettingsinthe
DXF/DWGImportWizard.ThistranslatoralsoimportsDXF3Dfileswithoutthewizard.Inadrawingdocument,youcanimportthegeometrytothedrawingsheetorthe
drawingsheetformat.Entitiesineitherpaperspaceormodelspaceareimported.
ImportedentitiescanbecomeSolidWorksblocks.
Whenyouimportdrawings,themostpopularAutoCADSHXorTrueTypefontsaresupported,eventhoughyoumaynothavethefontsinstalled.
IfyouimportaDXForDWGfilethatcontainsalargenumberofblocks(morethan200),youarepromptedtoenabletheExplodeBlocksoption.Explodetheblocksto
improveimportperformance.
TheDXF/DWGtranslatorimports:
AutoCADMechanicalannotations,knownasproxyentities,(suchassurfacefinishsymbolsorGTOLframes)andautomaticallydrawnobjects(suchascamsandsprings)
whenyouimportDXForDWGfilesasSolidWorksdrawingdocuments.ThetranslatorconvertstheseimporteditemstoequivalentSolidWorksobjects,orcreatesthem
asblocksofprimitivegeometry,asappropriate.
Associativeandnonassociativecrosshatchesasareahatches.
XREFsinAutoCADDWGfiles.
DWGfileswithmultiplesheets.
Afiletoanewpartasa2Dsketchorascurvesin3D.
3Dsolids.
WhenyouimportDWGfiles,youcanseeathumbnailimageofthefileinthePreviewpaneloftheOpendialogbox.PreviewsappearforDWGfilescreatedbyboth
SolidWorksandAutoCAD.InAutoCAD,thebitmappreviewoptionmustbeenabledwhenthefileislastsaved.TheOpendialogboxremembersthePreviewcheckbox
statefromthelasttimeyouopenedaDWGfile.
Datathatdoesnotbelongtoaviewportisimportedtothedrawingsheet.Drawingsheetdataisselectableifyouactivatethedrawingsheet.IfDynamicdrawingview
activationisenabled,youmustlocksheetfocustoselectdrawingsheetdata.
TheDXF/DWGtranslatoralertsyoutoproblemsencounteredwhenimportingaDXForDWGfile.
YoucanimportentireDWGfilesheetsinnativeformatinSolidWorksdrawingsheets,whichallowsthedirectdisplayoftheoriginalDWGfileentitiesinsideSolidWorks
drawingdocuments.Youcanview,pan,zoom,andprintthesesheets.SelectEmbedasasheetinnativeDXF/DWGformatintheDXF/DWGImportWizard.
YoucanimportDXFandDWGfilesfromAutoCAD2004andlaterthatarepasswordprotected.TheSolidWorkstranslatordetectstheencryptedpasswordandpromptsyou
forthepassword.IfyouexportthefilebacktoDXF/DWGformat,itissavedwithoutencryption.
Export
TheDXF/DWGtranslatorexportsonlydrawingdocumentsas.dxf or.dwg files.Whenyouexportadrawingasa.dxf or.dwg file,thedrawing'ssheetscaleisusedfor
thenewfile.Allentities(suchasedges,annotations,andassemblycomponents)onlayersareexportedtotheassignedlayer.
SolidWorkscrosshatchpatternsaretranslatedintoAutoCADhatchpatternswhenyouexportSolidWorksdocumentsasDXForDWGfiles.TheSolidWorkssoftware
translatestheSolidWorkscrosshatchpatternsasnonassociativehatchdefinitions,andpreservesthelayerandcoloroftheoriginalcrosshatch.TheSolidWorksapplication
alsosupportscrosshatchexportwhenyoumaplayerswithamappingfile.
YouhavetheoptiontomaponlythoseitemswhoselayersarenototherwisedefinedwhenyouexportSolidWorksdrawingdocumentsasDXForDWGfiles.Allentitytypes
thatyoucanassigntoAutoCADlayersthroughthemappingfilesupportlayeringintheSolidWorksdrawingformat.
TheDXF/DWGtranslatorsupportslinethickness,hiddensketches,andautocenterlines.Youcanexportcustomlinestyles.However,onimport,customlinestylesin
AutoCADfilesarenotrecognized.
YoucanexportcolorstoDXF/DWGfilesbylayerandbyblock.ColorsaremappedwithTrueColorsforbothimportandexport.
Sheetmetalflatpatterns.Youcancreate.dxf filesofsheetmetalflatpatternsdirectlyfromsheetmetalpartdocumentswithoutflatteningthemodel.Thewords
Flatpattern areprependedtothefilename.
ClickFile>SaveAsandselectDXF(*.dxf)forFileoftype.
RightclickFlatPatternintheFeatureManagerdesigntreeandselectExportFlatPatterntoDXF/DWG.
Youcanalsoexportsheetmetalentities.
CONTENTS
DXF/DWGFileExportOptions
YoucansetoptionswhenyouexportSolidWorksdrawingdocumentsas.dxf or.dwg files.
DXF/DWGOutputPropertyManager
UsetheDXF/DWGOutputPropertyManagertoexportanyplanarfaceornamedviewfromapartfiletooneormoreDXForDWGfiles.Apreviewletsyouremove
entities.Anexpandedsetofgeometricalentitiesisavailablewhenyouexportasheetmetalflatpattern.
ExportingDrawingsasDXForDWG
YoucanexportdrawingsasDXForDWGfiles.Youcansettheoptions.
PreservingSolidWorksDrawingLayersonDXF/DWGExport
YoucanpreserveSolidWorkslayerswhenexportingdrawingstoDXForDWGfiles.
CopyingandPastingfromAutoCADtoSolidWorks
YoucancopyandpasteentitiesfromanAutoCADDXForDWGfileintoSolidWorkspart,assembly,anddrawingdocuments.
DXF/DWGFileMapping
DXF/DWGPropertyManager
ImportedDXF/DWGFileEntities
InsertingDXF/DWGFiles
DXF/DWGFileExportOptions
YoucansetoptionswhenyouexportSolidWorksdrawingdocumentsas.dxf or.dwg files.
Toselect.dxf or.dwg fileexportoptionswhensavingafileasa.dxf or.dwg file,fromtheSaveAsdialogbox,clickOptionsbeforeclickingSave.
GeneralOptions
Version
SelectsthetargetAutoCADversion.
Fonts
Selectoneofthefollowing:
AutoCAD
Usesthedrawingfontmap.txtmappingfile.
StandardOnly
TrueType
Line
Styles
Selectoneofthefollowing:
AutoCAD
Standard
Styles
MapsSolidWorkslinefontstoAutoCADstocklinetypes.ForAutoCADversionR2000andlater,alsomapslinefontweighttotheclosest
AutoCADlineweightvalue.
SolidWorks
Custom
Styles
UsesSolidWorkssoftwarelinestyles.
CustomMapSolidWorkstoDXF/DWG
Enable
Exportsmappingspecifiedintheselectedmapfile.
Mapfile
Specifiesthedefaulttargetmapfile.
Don'tshowmappingoneachsave Whenyouselectamapfile,suppressestheSolidWorkstoDXF/DWGMappingdialogboxwhenyouexport.
Scaleoutput1:1(Drawingsonly)
Enable
Exportsthedrawingusingamodelgeometryscaleof1:1accordingtoyourselectedbasescale.
Thepaperorsheetscaleisnotnormallyusedwhenyouenablethisoption.
Base
scale
Selectsthebasisusedforthe1:1scaleoutputofthegeometry,basedonthevariousdrawingviewscalesonthesheet.Ifyouhaveselectedaview,thebase
scaleoptionsincludetheViewscaleandCountvaluesfortheview.Otherwise,theviewscalewiththehighestcountisdisplayed.Countindicatesthenumber
ofoccurrencesofthisscaleinthedrawingdocument.
Viewsaregroupedbyscale.Ifyouenable1:1scaledoutput,thegroupwiththelargestnumberofviewsisexportedwitha1:1scale,andtheremaining
viewsarescaledcorrespondingly.Ifthedrawingcontainsnoviews,thesheetisexportedwitha1:1scale.
Warn
Displaysawarningmessagewhenyouenablesheetscaling.
meif
Ifyouturnoffthesewarningmessageswhenoneappears,youcanturnthemonagainfromthisoption.
enabled
Endpointmerging
Enablemerging
Eliminatesgapsbetweenlineendpointsforgapslessthanthespecifiedtolerance.
HighqualityDWGexport Exportsatahigherlevelofquality.
Selectingthisoptionmightincreasetheexporttime.
Splineexportoptions
Exportallsplinesassplines
Exportallsplinesaspolylines DisplayssplinesaspolylinesinAutoCAD.
Multisheetdrawing
Exportactivesheetonly
Exportallsheetstoseparatefiles
Exportallsheetstoonefile
Exportalldrawingsheetstopaper
space
Exportsdrawingsheetstopaperspaceratherthanmodelspace.
CONTENTS
1:1ScaleOutputWarning
DXF/DWGOutputPropertyManager
UsetheDXF/DWGOutputPropertyManagertoexportanyplanarfaceornamedviewfromapartfiletooneormoreDXForDWGfiles.Apreviewletsyouremoveentities.
Anexpandedsetofgeometricalentitiesisavailablewhenyouexportasheetmetalflatpattern.
Withapartopen,openthePropertyManagerby:
Savingthepart(File>SaveAs)toa.dxf or.dwg filetype.
Selectingoneormoreplanarfaces,clickingFile>SaveAs,andchoosinga.dxf or.dwg filetype.
SelectingoneormoreplanarfacesandclickingExporttoDXF/DWG.
IntheFeatureManagerdesigntreeforasheetmetalpart,rightclickingFlatPatternandclickingExporttoDXF/DWG.
AfteryouclickSave,thePropertyManagerappears.
Export
ThetypeofexportdependsonthecontextfromwhichyouopenedthePropertyManager:
Sheetmetal
ExportssheetmetalflatpatternstoDXForDWGfilesfor
cutting.
Faces/loops/edges
ExportsplanarfacestoDXForDWGfilesformachining.
Annotationviews
ExportsviewssuchasFrontorIsometric.
WhattoExport
EntitiestoExport
Sheetmetal.Choosethetypeofentitiestoexport.Geometryisselectedbydefault.
EntitiestoExport
Faces/loops/edges.Whenyouselectentitiesinthegraphicsarea,theirnamesarelisted.
ViewstoExport
Annotationviews.Selectthestandardorcustomviewstoexport.Standardviewsaremarkedwithan
asterisk.
OutputAlignment
Origin
Setstheorigin.Clickanyvertexorleaveblanktousethemodelorigin.
Xaxis,Yaxis
SetstheXandYaxes.Selectorthogonaledges.
ReverseXAxisDirection,ReverseYAxis
Direction
ExportOptions
Singlefile
Exportsallselectionstoasinglefile.
Separatefiles
Ifyouselectmultiplefaces,edges,orsketchestoexport,exportseachtoitsown
file.
PreviewWindow
Whenyouclick
,theDXF/DWGCleanupwindowappears.Usestandardviewcommandstoexaminetheresult.Removeentitiesthatyoudonotwanttoexport.
PreviousLayout,NextLayout
Forexportingtomorethanonefile,changesthepreviewtothepreviousornext
file.
PreviousView
Returnstothepreviousview.
ZoomtoFit
DisplaystheentireentitywithintheCleanupwindow.
ZoomtoWindow
Selectsasmallerareaoftheentitytoviewinthewindow.
ZoomIn/Out
Displaysthepreviewinmoreorlessdetail.
Pan
Changesthepositionofthepreviewdisplay.
RemoveEntities
Deletesallselectedentities.
Undo
Restorestheentitiesyoulastremoved.
Redo
Deletestheentitiesyoulastrestored.
ExportingDrawingsasDXForDWG
YoucanexportdrawingsasDXForDWGfiles.Youcansettheoptions.
1.ClickFile>SaveAs.
2.Inthedialogbox,forSaveastype,selectDXForDWG.
3.ClickOptions.
4.SetoptionsandclickOK.
Whenexportingmultisheetdrawingsas.dxf or.dwg files,youcanspecifythatthedrawingsbedefinedinpaperspace,ratherthanmodelspace.Inthe
ExportOptionsdialogbox,forMultiplesheetdrawing,selectExportalldrawingsheetstopaperspace.
5.IntheSaveAsdialogbox,typethefilenameandclickSave.
6.IftheSolidWorkstoDXF/DWGMappingdialogboxappears,specifymappingoptionsandclickOK.
PreservingSolidWorksDrawingLayersonDXF/DWGExport
YoucanpreserveSolidWorkslayerswhenexportingdrawingstoDXForDWGfiles.
1.Fromadrawingfile,clickFile>SaveAs.
2.IntheSaveAsdialogbox,setSaveastypetoDXForDWG,andthenclickOptions.
3.IntheExportOptionsdialogbox,underCustomMapSolidWorkstoDXF/DWG:
SelectEnable.
ClearDon'tshowmappingoneachsave.
ClickOKtoclosetheExportOptionsdialogbox.
4.TypeanameforthedrawingfileinFilenameandclickSave.
5.IntheSolidWorkstoDXF/DWGMappingdialogbox,selectOnlymapentitiesthatarenotinSolidWorkslayers,setotheroptions,andclickOK.
IfyoudonotselectOnlymapentitiesthatarenotinSolidWorkslayers,themappingfiledefinitionsoverwriteallthecurrentSolidWorksdrawingfile
layers.
CopyingandPastingfromAutoCADtoSolidWorks
YoucancopyandpasteentitiesfromanAutoCADDXForDWGfileintoSolidWorkspart,assembly,anddrawingdocuments.
IntheSolidWorksdrawingdocument,thelines,arcs,notes,annotations,andsoforththatyoupasteareattachedtoeitheradrawingvieworthesheet,whicheveris
active.Thepastedentitiesinheritscaling,grouping,visibility,andotherpropertiesfromthedrawingvieworsheet.
InSolidWorkspartandassemblyfiles,youmustselectaplanarfaceontowhichyoupastetheentitiesasasketch.
TocopyandpasteentitiesfromAutoCADtoaSolidWorksdrawingdocument:
1.InAutoCAD,openaDXForDWGfile.ThisexampleshowsaDWGfile.Selecttheentitiesinsidethebox,thenclickEdit>Copy.
2.InSolidWorks,opentheSolidWorksdrawingdocumentintowhichyouwanttopastetheentities.Clickinsidethesheetinthegraphicsareawhereyouwanttopaste
theentities.
3.ClickEdit>Pastetopastetheentitiesontotheactivesheet.
AutoCADfileentities
AutoCADfileentitiespastedintoSolidWorksdocument
DXF/DWGFileMapping
YoucanmapselectedSolidWorksentitiesorcolorstodifferentlayersorcolorswhenexportingaSolidWorksdrawingtoa.dxf or.dwg file.Youcreatemapfilesinthe
SolidWorkssoftwaretoassignselecteditemstodesignatedlayersorcolorsinthe.dxf or.dwg file.
Tocreateamapfile:
1.ClickFile>SaveAs.
2.IntheSaveAsdialogbox,setSaveastypetoDxf(*.dxf)orDwg(*.dwg)files,thenclickOptions.
3.IntheExportOptionsdialogbox,underCustomMapSolidWorkstoDXF/DWG:
a.SelectEnable.
b.ClearDontshowmappingoneachsave.
c.ClickOKtoclosetheExportOptionsdialogbox.
4.TypeanameforthedrawingfileinFilename,thenclickSave.
5.IntheSolidWorksToDXF/DWGMappingdialogbox,definelayers,mapentities,andmapcolors.
SelectOnlymapentitiesthatarenotinSolidWorkslayerstoapplythemappingfilesettingsonlytothoseentitieswhoselayersarenotdefinedandto
preserveexistingSolidWorksdrawingfilelayersintheexportedfile.Ifyoudonotselectthisoption,themappingfiledefinitionsoverwriteallthecurrentSolidWorks
drawingfilelayers.
LoadanexistingmapfilewithLoadMapFileorsavethecurrentsettingswithSaveMapFile.
6.ClickOKtosavetheSolidWorksdrawingwithmappingappliedtothedocument.
DXF/DWGPropertyManager
TheDXF/DWGPropertyManagerappearswhenyouimporta.DXF or.DWG fileasadrawingandselectEmbedasasheetinnativeDXF/DWGformatintheDXF/DWG
ImportWizarddialogbox.DrawingsinDXF/DWGnativeformatareviewonly.
Toimporta.DXF or.DWG file:
1.ClickFile>Open.
2.SelectDXForDWGforFilesofType,selectthefile,andclickOpen.
3.SelectCreatenewSolidWorksdrawing,selectoptions,andclickFinish.
LinkReference
Linkto EnableslinkingofthenativeformatsheetintheSolidWorksdrawingdocument(*.slddrw )toitssourceDWGfile.IftheDWGsourcefileismodifiedafterthe
*.slddrw fileiscreated,thenativeformatsheetappearanceupdatesaccordingly.
Folder SpecifythepathtothelinkedsourceDWGfile.
Update ManuallyupdatethelinkandthenativeformatdisplayafteryoubrowsetothesourceDWGfileintheFolderbox.
ImportedDXF/DWGFileEntities
Entitiesthatareimportedfroma.dxf or.dwg filecanappeartobedimensionedandtoberelatedtooneanother.Toactuallyaddthedimensionsandrelations,youmust
attachthedimensionsandfullydefinetheentities.Youcanthencreateasketchinapartorassemblyfromtheimportedentities.
AttachDimensions
Toattachdimensions:
Withanimported.dxf or.dwg filedrawingdocumentactive,clickTools>Dimensions>AttachDimensions.
FullyDefineSketch
Tosolverelationsinanimporteddrawing:
ClickTools>Dimensions>FullyDefineSketch.
TheSolidWorkssoftwareaddsalltheapparentrelations.
SketchfromDrawing
Toinsertentitiesfromadrawingtoanopenpartorassemblysketch:
1.Withthedrawingdocumentopen,openasketchinapartorassembly.
2.Inthesketch,clickInsert>SketchfromDrawing.
Ifthisitemdoesnotappearonthemenu,clickInsert>CustomizeMenu,andselectSketchfromDrawing.
3.Makeyourdrawingtheactivewindowandselectthesketchentities.
Thesketchentitiesmustlieentirelywithinthedrawingviewborder.
4.Makeyourpartorassemblytheactivewindowtoseethesketchentitiesintheopensketch.
InsertingDXF/DWGFiles
YoucaninsertDXForDWGfilesdirectlyintothecurrentSolidWorksdrawingorpartdocumentwithInsert>DXF/DWGl.ThemenuitemactivatestheDXF/DWGImport
Wizardattheappropriatedialogbox,withsimplifiedoptionstohelpyouinsertthesefiles.
WhenyouinsertDXForDWGfilesintoSolidWorksdrawingdocuments,theSolidWorkssoftwareinsertsanewsketchonthecurrentsheet.WhenyouinsertDXForDWG
filesintoSolidWorkspartdocuments,theSolidWorkssoftwareinsertsanewsketch,andthesoftwarepromptsyoutoselectaplaneorfaceforthesketchifyouhavenot
selectedone.
Forexample,youcaninsertaDXFfileasasketchintoaSolidWorkspartdocument,thenusetheinsertedsketchtomodifythepart.
ToinsertaDXForDWGfileintoaSolidWorkspartdocument:
1.Selectafaceonthepart.
Thefileisinsertedasasketchontothefaceorplaneyouselect.
2.ClickInsert>DXF/DWG.
3.OpenaDXForDWGfile.
4.IntheDXF/DWGImportWizard,clickNexttogototheDocumentSettingsscreen,orclickFinishtoacceptthedefaultsettings.
TheDXFfileentitiesareinsertedintotheSolidWorkspartdocumentasasketchontheselectedface.Nowyoucanusetheinsertedsketchtomodifythepart.
5.ClickExtrudedCut
(Featurestoolbar)orInsert>Cut>Extrude.
6.UnderDirection1:
SetEndConditiontoThroughAll.
SelecttheFlipsidetocutcheckbox.
7.ClickOK
TheimportedDXFsketchcreatesthecutontheSolidWorkspart.