Autodesk DWG TrueView 2007 versus Autodesk Design Review 2007

I sometimes get questions from users. Here is a recent one:

Scott,
One of our project managers here recently purchased the upgrade from Autodesk DWF Composer R1 to R2. He claims that according to the Autodesk website, this version should be able to support 2007 drawings. I looked at the website and the website is very confusing when it comes to Autodesk DWF Composer R2 vs. Autodesk Design Review 2007. Are they actually different software? When you go to "How to Buy" on the website under Autodesk Design Review, it only lists Autodesk DWF Composer R2 or Autodesk DWF Composer R2 upgrade from R1. He purchased the upgrade expecting to get the latest version. Can you clear up the confusion for us? Is there anyway to get the latest version that supports 2007 DWGs? Is it a separate upgrade fee?

There are a few factors in this time of transition. Let me try to straighten this out for you. When you purchased the Autodesk DWF Composer R2 product, you actually got 4 applications:

1. Autodesk DWF Composer application (does not support the newest DWF files)
2. Autodesk DWG viewer (does not view AutoCAD 2007 drawings)
3. Autodesk Inventor View 10
4. Autodesk DWF Writer 2.0

Autodesk DWF Composer R2 is old. The product has since been renamed to Autodesk Design Review. When you purchase Autodesk Design Review 2007, you get 4 applications:

1. Autodesk Design Review 2007 application (supports the newest DWF files)
2. Autodesk DWG TrueView 2007 (supports AutoCAD 2007 drawings)
3. Autodesk Inventor View 11
4. Autodesk DWF Writer 3.1

The trial of Autodesk Design Review 2007 is not yet available. That page still allows people to download a trial of Autodesk DWF Composer R2. The same is true for the upgrade page. These pages will be updated to Autodesk Design Review 2007 near the end of July or early August.

The DWG viewer of Autodesk DWF Composer R2 has now been replaced by Autodesk DWG TrueView 2007. Autodesk DWG TrueView is free. You can now download Autodesk DWG TrueView 2007 from the Autodesk web site at: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=8077853 .

Autodesk Inventor View is also free. You can download it at: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=7333738.

At the same time that Autodesk DWF Viewer 7.0 and Autodesk Design Review 2007 were released, the free Autodesk DWF Writer was updated to version 3.1. It can be downloaded from the Autodesk web site at: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=6400324.

Though the Autodesk Design Review 2007 CD contains some applications that are available elsewhere, they are placed on the product CD because they are important to the review process. When you buy Autodesk Design Review, you are getting the ability to: aggregate DWF content, markup DWF files as well as other formats, measure DWF files, and batch print them. A key factor is that the markups round trip with Autodesk design software such as AutoCAD, Revit, and Inventor. Supporting an electronic review workflow is so key that the product has been renamed to Autodesk Design Review.

The ability to replace a paper-based review process with an electronic one is another way DWF goes beyond the paper.