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January 11, 2007

Comments

E A

No question that PDF plots direct from DWG are superior to PDF plots from DWF-published DWG, and superior to direct plots from DWF. All web browsers read PDF's. So what's AutoDesk hoping to accomplish re DWF? File size hasn't been a selection criteria for CAD conversion software since Win 3.1, 26kbs dial-up and 60MB HDD's.

Scott Sheppard

Thank you for the question. Ignoring file size (which was just an observation on my part), what separates DWF from PDF is precision/accuracy, metadata, and how the data is modeled. A DWF is viewport aware so electronic measurements can be taken from different parts of a page, and the user will get correct results. In addition to the graphics to get the right picture on the screen or on the paper, a DWF can have meaningful metadata such as the fire rating on a door. A DWF is an information model - not a picture of a model. If the same door appears on multiple sheets in a PDF, it may get counted multiple times. In a DWF, the door is in the file once with each sheet having its own view of the door. We provide our users with a choice: PDF or DWF.

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