Beyond the Paper

Another DWF Resource

Jason Pratt, another member of the Autodesk family, recently posted a video of "How to make a DWF" on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjXmvu6fmRA

He used AutoCAD 2006 for the DWF creation and the content has been viewed more than 3,000 times to date. Well done, Jason!

This and other samples show that YouTube can also be a good resource when searching for DWF content.

--Volker

AutoCAD 2008 Publishing Tips

Here are some tips for DWF from our Senior Product Manager for DWF, Diane Li.

1. Use AutoCAD's built-in Publish or Plot commands. Do not plot to the DWF Writer from AutoCAD, since this approach lacks design metadata and can result in a 90 degree rotated DWF.

2. Publish from layouts, not modelspace.

3. Use Publish, not Plot for the easiest, most powerful publishing.

• Batch publish single- or multi-sheet DWFs

4. Use Auto-Publish DWF on Save/Close (new in 2008).

• Tools > Options

5. Publish DWFs from the Sheet Set Manager.

• One button Publish
• Fixed in 2008:  When using the Publish with 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.

In Design Review
See Bookmarks that display the sheet set hierarchy

6. Publish DWFx files to share with Microsoft Vista users.

• Download DWFx driver from http://www.autodesk.com/autocad/

Select Services and Support > Data & Downloads > Utilities and Drivers

7. Roundtrip and republish DWF files with markups. 

8. Import DWF in AutoCAD as underlay.

• Control over visibility of layers - select the DWF Layers option from the right-click menu with a DWF file selected, or use the DWFLAYER command.

9. Publish and Email DWFs (shell extension).

• Right click on a DWG in Explorer
• Select from Publish DWF, Publish DWF and Email options

10. Customize DWF6 ePlot.pc3.

• Publish high-resolution (dpi) for viewing, measuring

11.  Publish block attributes. More...

12.  3DDWF publish – available from Publish dialog.

Any questions? Let me know!

--Volker

Revit 2008 Publishing Tips

Enclosed are Revit 2008 publishing tips introduced to an audience at a recent event in Europe by our Senior Product Manager, Diane Li.

1. Use built-in DWF publishing – this replaces DWF Writer that was previously required with earlier versions of Revit (pre-version 9)

Publish 2D DWF

• Select File menu > Publish DWF > 2D DWF
• Enter file name and options
• Select Range to publish:
  
  • Current view
  • Selected views/sheets - publishes DWF hyperlinks between views
    o Select Save As to save this publishing configuration for later use
• Select Options to export object (BIM) data
• Click Print Setup
  
  • Customize paper size, zoom, offsets, raster, color and other settings
• Click Save to publish the DWF(s)

Publish 3D DWF

• Open a 3D view
• Click File menu > Publish DWF > 3D DWF
• Select a file name and location
• Click Save to publish the 3D DWF file

2. Publish object (BIM) data, including room and area data for use in FM Desktop or Design Review

2D

• Ensure that the model graphics style for selected views is set to Hidden Lines or Wireframe (not Shaded, nor Shaded with Edges)
• See ‘Publish 2D DWF’ above
• Select Rooms and Areas in addition to Model Elements

3D

• Object data is published by default

In Design Review

• If Rooms and Areas are published, room boundaries are selectable in Design Review, along with other objects (e.g. walls) 

3. Publish view hyperlinks

• See Publish 2D DWF above

4. Roundtrip (Import) DWF Markup sets

• Select File menu > Import/Link > Link DWF Markup Set
• Select the DWF with markups
• Change markup status, add notes to respond to markups: right-click, Element Properties
• After making updates in Revit, save and republish markups
  a. File menu > Manage Links > DWF Markups tab
  b. Save Markups
• To unlink: File menu > Manage Links > DWF Markups tab.  Select markup, then Unload

5. Publish directly to Buzzsaw

6. Define custom DWF paper sizes (as with DWF Writer previous

We hope that you find this information useful; a similar article covering publishing tips for AutoCAD 2008 will follow shortly.

--Volker

DWF Files from AutoCAD Map 3D

When you publish to DWF, you create an electronic version of the map that can be displayed using Autodesk Design Review. All layers and styles are published, with no loss of information. If you have joined data to  layers in your map, the joined data is also published. You can include graphical elements, including any draped raster files, as well as attribute data.

If your map has a coordinate system assigned to it, AutoCAD Map 3D includes that coordinate system for each sheet in the published DWF file.
Users who wish to create a multi-page DWF have to create a map book; the steps for publishing a map to DWF and publishing a map book to DWF are slightly different, but you set DWF publishing options the same way for both.

In any case, DWF files from AutoCAD Map 3D are useful for the following:

• Publishing complex maps that use a variety of feature sources to a compact file that can be used in the field. All information from the original map, including stylization, is represented.
• Sharing maps with people who don’t have a copy of AutoCAD Map 3D. These people can download the free viewer to see the maps.

As long as you have assigned a coordinate system to all the maps in your DWF file, the publishing operation will automatically convert the coordinate information to latitude/longitude coordinates, when it comes to Georeferenced DWF. Please note that users must use the Publish command to create a georeferenced DWF file, plotting to DWF will not work.

Autodesk Design Review 2008 can automatically navigate to a specific location when you enter coordinates, and displays coordinates of any location in the map when you move your mouse over that location.

Field workers can center the map to the coordinates provided by the integrated GPS device on their system and display the “my coordinates” icon within the map. Mind you, that requires that your system has GPS capability or is connected to a GPS device. Please note that GPS devices must use the NMEA 0183 protocol.

Note that earlier versions of the DWF Viewer do not support georeferenced DWF.

DWG File Association & Autodesk DWG TrueView

Ever wondered why Autodesk DWG TrueView 2008 appears to only associate the *.dwg file extension for the current user?

Even more so, that the file extension is not associated when another user logs on. And if the user runs the application, it will repair the missing association and work correctly. Say what?

To cut a long story short: AutoCAD development clarified the issue in a recent discussion group post. Autodesk DWG TrueView works the same as AutoCAD does - the file association will not be set until the user profile is launched, at which point the association will be established. Once the association is made, the user can use Autdoesk DWG TrueView to publish DWF files by double-clicking on a DWG and using the publish command.

Hope this explains the issue, especially for administrators who are trying to establish file associations before launching a user's profile.

--Volker

Informative Graphics: MYRIAD publishes 3D/2D DWF

Informative Graphics Corporation (IGC), a leader in content visualization, secure publishing and collaboration technology, announced the latest release of its MYRIAD® 3D/2D CAD viewer. MYRIAD 8 represents a complete architecture overhaul, improving speed and performance, fidelity and the overall user experience.

MYRIAD is a value-priced, multi-format CAD viewer for the manufacturing and AEC industries. It offers a single interface for multiple 3D and 2D CAD formats as well as popular image and document formats, including PDF. Users can view, print, markup, measure, compare and publish files in a very simple, intuitive interface. MYRIAD's 3D viewing features include multi-plane cut aways/cross sections, 3D measurement, interactive explode, part identification and part details.

"MYRIAD was Informative Graphics' first commercial viewer. We are very excited about its rebirth, incorporating our latest CDL technology improvements for better speed and fidelity," said Gary Heath, President and CEO of IGC. "MYRIAD 8 was redesigned from the ground up to improve the user experience for both 2D and 3D files, making it an excellent choice for non-CAD people that need to work with CAD drawings and models."

New in this release:

• Significant performance and fidelity improvements and a new interface
• Updated file format/version support
• Enhanced comparison feature to compare two files or versions
• Ability to fly through 3D models
• Publish 2D to PDF, TIFF, DWF or secure CSF with Visual Rights®
• Publish 3D models to 3D DWF or STL
• MYRIAD 8 is available with desktop, network and concurrent licensing. For more information, visit www.myriadviewer.com.

--Volker

What's New in DWF Writer 2008

As part of our work on the Nile project, we are releasing an update to the free DWF writer - DWF Writer 2008. Some of the what's new items from the Read Me include:

• The CATIA Publisher plug-in now supports CATIA V5 R15 and R16.
• The SolidWorks® Publisher plug-in now supports SolidWorks® 2006 and 2007.
• The Pro/ENGINEER® Publisher plug-in now supports Pro/ENGINEER® Wildfire™ 3.0.
• The DWF Writer for 3D is not installed by default. This is an optional install that can not be done on machines running Microsoft Windows Vista. DWF Writer for 3D does not run on Microsoft Windows Vista.
• The DWF Writer components now retain the last location where DWF files were published so you do not have to re-enter the location each time.
• A warning message notifies that a program's built-in DWF publisher should be used when trying to publish DWF files from DWF Writer for 2D or DWF Writer for 3D from programs that have built-in DWF publishing capabilities (such as AutoCAD).
• DWF Writer for 2D now has a plug-in for Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.
• DWF Writer for 2D now has a plug-in for Microsoft Office 2007.
• DWF Writer for 3D now supports SolidEdge version 19.
• DWF Writer for 3D now supports UG NX version 4.

The ability to get different forms of data into DWF, e.g. Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft Excel workbooks, Microsoft Project schedules is available via the Autodesk DWF Writer for 2D. The DWF Writer for 3D captures data via OpenGL. Whether data is in an Autodesk format or not, it can be placed into DWF. Having one file format that can house all of your project data, in one file, for all of your project members, that can be shared across the entire life cycle of your project, really makes DWF go beyond the paper.

--Scott

Between the lines: Download Autodesk DWG TrueView 2008 Free Viewer and Converter

Since the release of Autodesk Design Review 2008, many of you have been asking when you can download a new Autodesk DWG TrueView 2008. Well according to Shaan Hurley's Between the Lines blog, your day has come. Download Autodesk DWG TrueView 2008 Free Viewer and Converter As mentioned in Does Autodesk Design Review work with DWG files?, Autodesk Design Review integrates with Autodesk DWG TrueView to allow you to import DWG files and convert them to DWF on the fly.

The ability to "virtually open" DWG files and measure them with Autodesk Design Review helps design data, in this case being converted to DWF, go beyond what is done traditionally with paper. What's that image on the left you may ask? That's DWF on the fly. :-)

--Scott

AutoCAD DWFx Driver Available Now

As shipped, the AutoCAD 2008 line of products do not publish DWFx files. A separate driver is available later for download from the Autodesk web site. It is applicable to the following products.

• AutoCAD 2008
• AutoCAD LT 2008
• DWG TrueView
• AutoCAD Electrical 2008
• AutoCAD Mechanical 2008
• AutoCAD Map 3D 2008
• AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008
• AutoCAD Land Desktop 2008
• AutoCAD Raster Design 2008
• AutoCAD Architecture 2008
• AutoCAD MEP 2008
• AutoCAD P&ID 2008

The installer can be downloaded for 32-bit or 64-bit applications. For example, the English versions are named:

AutoCADDWFxDriver32bit_enu.exe
AutoCADDWFxDriver64bit_enu.exe

When adding the driver to an AutoCAD-based application, the driver manufacturer is listed as ‘Autodesk ePlot (DWFx)’. The driver model is listed as ‘DWFx ePlot (XPS Compatible)’. These names are visible in the ‘Add Plotter’ dialog on the Plotter Model dialog of the Add-a-Plotter Wizard and the Plotter Configuration Editor. The English driver can be downloaded from:

AutoCAD DWFx Driver Page

The other languages will be coming soon. This is the first release of DWFx publishing. As the format evolves, so too will the associated capabilities from AutoCAD. For AutoCAD users who have a desire to share design data with users who only need to view and print - who also do not have the free Autodesk Design Review 2008, DWFx is a viable alternative to traditional DWF files. The ability to view design data with a viewer that comes installed with an operating system will help DWF reach a wider audience of users through electronic distribution mechanisms. Keeping design data digital allows it to be integrated into more and more workflows. This allows it to go beyond what can be done with traditional paper.

DWG to DWF to Email: One Fell Swoop

I have AutoCAD 2007. Let's say I need to get a copy of my drawing to someone who doesn't have AutoCAD. Let's say I am in a hurry. I can browse folders for my drawing, select it, and right click:

This will invoke AutoCAD which will publish the DWF, invoke my email reader, create a new message, start drafting the email by inserting a subject and some message text, attach the DWF, and set me up me to edit the message. Although this functionality exists within Autodesk Design Review today, with the free Autodesk Design Review 2008, the message will look like:

Now wasn't that easy?