I sometimes refer to AutoCAD as "DWF Creator." Yes, it is more than that, but this is the DWF blog.
Beginning in AutoCAD 2007, you could attach a DWF file as an underlay in your drawing enabling you to view, measure, and snap to the vector-based data without being able to edit it. The DWF underlay functionality is enhanced in AutoCAD 2008 giving you the ability to control the visibility of layers in the DWF file. Many of you asked for this. You can control layer visibility by selecting the DWF Layers option from the right-click menu with a DWF file selected, or by using the DWFLAYER command. Woo hoo.
When using the Publish using Page Setup Override option to create a DWF file, AutoCAD 2008 honors the Sheet Set Publish Options enabling you to publish to a multi-sheet DWF file. I believe I used the words "But nooooo!" to describe how this worked in AutoCAD 2007. Also, a new system variable, PUBLISHCOLLATE, allows you to disable homogeneous plotting when you publish using Page Setup Override option. AutoCAD 2008 also allows you to set options for automatically publishing a DWF file when you save your DWG.
AutoCAD 2008 includes a link to obtain a preview of Autodesk® Impression software. With Autodesk Impression you can create presentation-ready graphics from your AutoCAD drawings. This is DWF-related in that after opening a DWG or DWF file in Autodesk Impression, you can add everything from distinctive line types to textured color fills, using pre-built or custom appearance styles. Autodesk Impression gives you the option to work with DWG or DWF. So as a DWF guy, I am happy to see Autodesk Impression get even wider publicity.
In terms of the AutoCAD 2008 Read Me, there are only five items related to DWF:
DWF Underlay
- It is recommended that you insert DWF underlay files on locked layers to avoid editing them by mistake. When zooming in on DWF underlay files and then using a window selection method, the DWF underlay may be selected even though the geometry in the underlay does not appear to be selected.
- When using REFEDIT in a drawing, if you use PASTECLIP to paste a DWF underlay, you may be unable to save back your changes. An error message may also be displayed when you have a DWF underlay attached in the host drawing and then try to use DWFATTACH on the same DWF underlay file in the xref during REFEDIT. It is recommended that you do not DWFATTACH/PASTECLIP DWF underlays while using REFEDIT. The workaround to save back your other REFEDIT changes is to delete the DWF underlay that you attached or pasted during the REFEDIT session.
- When you attach a DWF as an underlay, the search path for the DWF underlay is not the same as attached drawing references (xrefs) or image files. For example, if there is a DWF underlay of the same name in the \My Documents folder, it is used instead of the DWF underlay in the same folder as the current drawing file. For data management purposes, the \My Documents folder is not a recommended storage location.
Plot and Publish DWF
- Raster images in DWF underlays are not plotted when plotting to DWF.
- Plotting DWF underlay files that contain raster images can produce unexpected results.
We are looking forward to AutoCAD 2008.
need dvf viewer if possible please
Posted by: Farhad | February 17, 2007 at 07:14 AM
I don't think you meant dvf - Sony Digital Voice Files. If you mean DWG, we will be releasing an Autodesk DWG TrueView 2008. Like its predecessor, it too is free.
Posted by: Scott Sheppard | February 17, 2007 at 09:21 AM