I was configuring the measurement system in Autodesk Design Review and noticed a unit which was new to me. It was close to Point, the printing unit, so that was a clue but I’d never encountered a Twip before today!
Twip - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A twip (derived from TWentieth of an Inch Point) is a typographical measurement, defined as 1/20 of a typographical point.
Somebody, who might be involved in authoring this blog, thought wouldn’t it be cool if Autodesk Design Review could remember the location of 3D objects moved during a review session?
The scenario I thought of was objects being moved/rotated, or whatever, during a review then those changes could be used as a true 3D design review. Opening a DWF, moving objects then saving it didn’t work. When you opened it everything was back to as published. I even went as far as posting a wish for this to be considered for “a future release”.
It was then I was politely informed that this had been possible for some time. It just required saving a custom view before, then after the changes. Doh!
Joseph has posted the process on the Beyond the Paper blog. Below you can see somebody, who might be involved in authoring this blog, using it to avoid rearranging the furniture…
Save custom views in DWF using Autodesk Design Review - Beyond the Paper
Ever wondered how you could switch off selected layers and save the DWF file in that state?…
Robert Grandmaison made rather stunning model of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in AutoCAD and shared as a DWF. With his permission I’m hosting it and if you have a free DWF Viewer you can "Right click >Save target as" to download FSM-RG.dwf (226.3K)
If not try the not try the “no install” Freewheel viewer version below. You can zoom, orbit (spin in 3D) to view the FSM from any direction. If “he” orbits off screen use “Pan” to move back or “Fit” to return to the original view.
Using DWF + Freewheel to view a deity from any perspective…
Autodesk Freewheel is an Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) based web service/application built to provide CAD model viewing, printing and collaboration, through the dynamic rendering of DWF file data and graphics information. You can think of Freewheel as a set of componentized Web Services and JavaScript frameworks. Together these components make up the Interactive Ajax DWF Viewer.
All rights for FSM, Freewheel and the DWF itself remain with their respective authors. Combined use of their content or technology does not imply any endorsement of one by the other.
Some might recognise Scott Sheppard, below, formerly of Beyond the Paper – The DWF Blog. He’s handed that over to Volker Joseph's capable hands and moved into the Lab. I met Scott for the first time at Autodesk University last year, however his face did seem familiar…
It’s Alive in the Lab
Welcome to my new blog. Some of you may already know me as "that DWF guy" from my work on the Beyond the Paper blog. I recently returned to my roots and accepted a new position within the company - software development manager for Autodesk Labs…
Autodesk Design Review 2008 (ADR) introduces many new features and you certainly can’t complain about the price, free! 
However new is always not always better. ADR 2007 exposed the format tools for mark-ups on a “Format and Animation” Toolbar. This was great, especially for use with a Tablet PC where you could easily pick the various tools with a pen as you created mark-ups.
Sadly ADR 2008 has hidden these tools in a fly-out from the 
“Change Text“ button. It remembers the last fly-out tool you use, within the current session, but there is no way to make it “stick” open or get these tools on a separate Toolbar. Given ADR exists to allow review I don’t think hiding mark-up format tools is an improvement 
.
Maybe something to test before you update from 2007, especially if using ADR on a Tablet PC.
Today I visited the DWF website to download Autodesk Design Review 2008 (free!) only to see a promo running. Having just returned from a cycle tour, which included a relentless 900m hill-climb, I thought…
Nice surprise tonight when I got home from work tonight:
AutoCAD Architecture 2008 has arrived in New Zealand! *
* Well, mine has anyway!
Also, after a quick download, has Autodesk Design Review 2008:
Beyond the Paper: Autodesk Design Review 2008 Now Available
After hours of tireless effort working on the Nile project, Autodesk Design Review 2008 has been released. It is available for download from the Autodesk web site…
UPDATE 03–04–2007: Yay, another big box, with a little box, with a DVD containing Viz 2008 arrived today!
Beth beat me to press, to blog?, with an AutoCAD 2008 feature that caught my eye. No point repeating her fine work here so click thru for more detail on Automatic DWF Publish.
Automatic DWF Publish in AutoCAD 2008 - Beth's CAD Blog
I always like to look at the Options dialog box to see what jumps out at me as different from previous releases. While doing so recently, I ran across this at the bottom of the Plot and Publish tab…
I can add I’ve been experimenting and found the “publish on save” option a little intrusive as it does take some time for the DWF publish to complete on complex files. There is an option to “Publish on Close” or “Prompt on Close” which better suits my work-flow. You can save without “Publish lag” and, when set to prompt, have the choice to accept/reject publish when the file is closed.
For AutoCAD Architecture users I’ve still to experiment how Auto DWF publish and ACA projects work together, something for a future post.
Don’t Panic
It’s 2008!
Did that your attention? Don’t panic, it’s not the end of all those products, mostly re-alignment of the new release names. However there is a rationalisation of the DWF Viewer/Reviewer lineup.
In a flurry of press releases Autodesk announced that the 2008 releases due soon will see the application titles Architectural Desktop/Autodesk Building Systems and Revit Building/Revit Systems consigned to history.
The new AutoCAD shouldn’t be any great surprise:
The AutoCAD based AEC and Civil “verticals” acknowledge their base platform & adopt simplified naming:
I’m OK with AutoCAD Architecture but can’t read AutoCAD MEP without thinking of OddTodd’s character MEP
who only ever says “MEP!”
Revit gets similar naming revisions with the historic build number being replaced by “year”. Of course it’s the “Autodesk year” which doesn’t match the calendar for about 10 months 
At least this ends the “Is Building 9 the same version as Systems 2 and Structure 4” kerfuffle.
Goodbye DWF Viewer:
The free DWF Viewer has been retired but it’s replaced by the equally free Autodesk Design Review 2008. It has all the features you know from DWF Viewer and adds Measure (Length/Area), Mark-up and more. Scott has already burst into print blog(?) with more about that:
Beyond the Paper: What's New in Autodesk Design Review 2008
Well the big news for Autodesk Design Review is that it is the first new version that is free right from the get-go…
Hello Impression:
More details on what’s actually in these new releases to follow or visit the Preview 2008 “Buzz” site to subscribe for RSS or Email previews.
I don’t know how I missed this great Kiwi BIM/Software Blog until now but check out David Harrison’s StressFree Blog. I found it via a great Design Review review (?) but also check out other great posts on BIM and software. Subscribed!
Reviewing Autodesk Design Review | StressFree Solutions
Recently Autodesk dropped the price tag off their Autodesk Design Review package making it far more accessible to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry…
Behind the Building Information Model Buzz | StressFree Solutions
Last week I was invited to attend a meeting of a few local architects where they discussed the Building Information Model and its relationship to documentation….
Identifying where BIM ends and the wilderness begins | StressFree Solutions
The term Building Information Model (BIM) is used fairly loosely in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) technology industry…
Yep, finally, you can mark-up, measure and merge in Design Web Format (DWF) files for the very nice price of a free download.
FREE FREE FREE... Autodesk? - Between The Lines ~ AutoCAD Blog
Yes, Autodesk Design Review is now free to download.Now you can convert, markup, group, and more all for to your hearts content all for FREE...Downloads
Design Review – FREE*
Autodesk DWF Viewer – FREE*
Autodesk DWF Writer – FREE*Autodesk Design Review is free - Beyond the Paper DWF Blog
Autodesk is offering Autodesk® Design Review software free-of-charge…My [Scott’s] summary of features from the Autodesk Design Review 2007 launch…
At Autodesk University it was announced that the Freewheel DWF Viewer – http://dwfit.com/ – now supports both 2D & 3D Design Web Format files. It seems fitting to try it out with the little airplane yet again…
Sessions Planned;
After a brisk walk in close to 0 deg c temperatures, it was nice to get a warm welcome at the General Design mainstage. The AutoCAD platform group featured many wishlist responses that may be seen in future releases of AutoCAD. There was also a great demo of Impression.
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I then had a session on facilities management which raised some rather topical issues. Lots to consider when I get home. At lunch I spent most the time in the exhibit floor and managed to catch up with Architect/Writer Ed Goldberg and meet Roopinder Tara of Tenlinks.com. I also met Autodesk DWF Blogger Scott Sheppard for the first time which was great. There was some big DWF news with the announcement that Microsoft will support DWF in Windows Vista:
EXTRACT ONLY FROM:
PRESS RELEASE: Autodesk Unlocks Design Data for Windows Vista and XPS UsersLAS VEGAS, Nov. 30, 2006 - At Autodesk University, Autodesk, Inc, announced a collaboration with Microsoft Corp. to seamlessly integrate DWF technology with Windows Vista using the XML Paper Specification (XPS). This initiative will provide users with the ability to view and manage DWF detail-rich design information without requiring additional downloads of plug-ins or special viewing software..."
See Scotts Beyond the Paper Blog for the full release and his own post details on this:
AU Update: Microsoft Announces Support for DWF via XPS - Beyond the Paper
Just came out of an interesting session/discussion on BIM & the future of Architecture. As an outsider, I'm not an Architect, watching this technology impact their role in the whole construction process and how the profession is adapting to the new economic, technological & environmental demands that are arriving, ready or not, reminded me of the sort of discussion seen in manufacturing 15 years ago. BIM's drive, and need, for integration is smashing cross discipline barriers.
Tonight the entertainment is The Blue Man Group. Shaan has been hinting that something special is planned but given all I know about them is: The are Blue and are Men not sure what to expect!
Edited for Typos & photos added 09–12–2006
The patch that fixes the IE7 & DWF viewer conflict is out!
Beyond the Paper: Released IE7 Hotfix: Autodesk Design Review 2007 and Autodesk DWF Viewer 7.0
I’ve been a bit slow posting, having initially jumped the gun, that Randall Newton & Martyn Day have officially launched TeamDWF – complete with 
!
TeamDWF - TeamDWF is Official Now!
Today AECnews announces the official launch of TeamDWF…
+= OK?
Autodesk have released a Beta Hotfix for the “IE7 Breaks DWF Viewer” problem.
That’s one less reason not to install IE7…
H’mmm should I…
Beyond the Paper: Beta IE7 Hotfix: Autodesk Design Review 2007 and Autodesk DWF Viewer 7.0
In a continuing effort to provide high quality products, Autodesk has a beta Hotfix for Autodesk Design Review 2007 and Autodesk DWF Viewer…
Scott has an update on the “IE7 breaks Autodesk Viewers” situation:
Beyond the Paper: Internet Explorer 7: Hot Fix Under Consideration
We are investigating issues regarding Autodesk DWF Viewer 7.0 and Autodesk Design Review 2007 in regards to their interoperability with Internet Explorer 7…
UPDATE 26–10–2006: Scott has posted a fix for this on his Beyond the Paper DWF Blog:
See: Beta IE7 Hotfix: Autodesk Design Review 2007 and Autodesk DWF Viewer 7.0
I tried Internet Explorer 7 RC1 & struck problems only resolved by a full System Restore;
See IE7 Is Coming... is it ready?
Scott has posted the background on why DWF Viewer/TrueView users should avoid Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 RC1.
Autodesk DWF Viewer, Autodesk Design Review, and Autodesk DWG TrueView are not compatible with the Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. These three Autodesk applications use HTML as part of their menuing interfaces and are impacted by Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 operation. Uninstalling Internet Explorer 7 and reverting to Internet Explorer 6 does not restore Autodesk functionality, because the supporting libraries from the Internet Explorer 7 Release Candidate are left in place.
UPDATE 15–10–2006: Should you want to block the IE7 Auto-Update Microsoft have a toolkit;
Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 7
The Internet Explorer 7 Blocker Toolkit enables IT Administrators to disable automatic delivery of Internet Explorer 7 as a high-priority update via Automatic Updates and the Windows Update and Microsoft Update sites.
Robert Scoble has exclusive Adobe Acrobat 8 videos on-line. He interviews Rick Brown, Adobe’s director of product management for its knowledge worker business unit, about the future of Adobe Acrobat and the key features of Acrobat 8 then gets a quick demo.
Breaking News: Adobe announces Acrobat 8 (exclusive videos) « Scobleizer - Tech Geek Blogger
Adobe just released Acrobat 8 and last week I got an exclusive look at it through my camera lens when Rick Brown, Director of Product Management of the Knowledge Worker business unit gave me a demo…
This line from Roberts own post was interesting:
Is this important? Well, Adobe makes quite a bit of profit off of the Acrobat line and Microsoft is gunning for that profit big time.
I’d say Microsoft aren’t the only ones…
The movies are Quicktime .mov format* & quite large 135mb for the demo, 96mb for the interview.
*Pity as I think freebie Quicktime viewer is awful & I ain't paying for pro.
I was reading Nelson Minar’s blog about how someone smart resorted to doing something the hard way because the easy way wasn’t obvious. The task was copying Favorites from one PC to another & the solution was re-creating the shortcuts by hand! Nelson showed an easier way(!) which is to copy the favourites folder from one computer to another. That’s one solution but not the only one…
I.E. has another way to transfer Favorites hidden on the File menu under Import/Export. You can export Favorites to an HTML page which can be used with any machine/browser combination (even a Mac) or Imported (using the same IE function) to re-create the Favorites on another Windows PC. It’s brilliant but why is there no reference to it on the I.E. Favorites Menu, even it’s “Organise Favorites” option? I’m no usability expert but that’s where I’d expect to find them not hidden under File>Import/Export. I only found out about this function when my CAD dealer sent me some favourites in the form of a HTML page!
This also struck a chord as I recently watched another user struggle with a hidden function that should be better exposed. I was showing a novice DWF Viewer user how easy it is to move objects & slice 3D DWFs with the Toolbar Fly-out or Right Click tools.
This led to the, rather obvious, question; “How do I remove/reset all these changes?”
I struggled to explain why you can’t do this from the same Toolbar/Right Click interface but have to:
This led to the simplest solution, just close the DWF and re-open it. Not the “correct” method but hiding functions where you least expect them can lead to strange solutions from users…
Inspired by: Nelson's Weblog: tech / bad /Syncing Favorites - Computers make life easier?
The site is fine but launching a marketing site with content, articles & news being updated without RSS RSS is now alive and well at TeamDWF is not the brightest move, especially with the tag line “Extending the reach of design data”. If RSS is there I can’t find it
But not to my feed-list….Now it is!
UPDATE 30–08–2006 – RSS ON THE WAY: As per the comments Randall has advised RSS is coming to the “release version” of this site!
UPDATE 30–08–2006 – RSS IS THERE!
This is an interesting combination of Search, DWF and Freewheel to find and render/view DWFs from a link. The only downside is it seems some sites, or maybe older DWF’s, display “not valid”. The actual DWF is fine so suspect fire-walls, or similar, are blocking Freewheel.
DWF-This-Link! Bookmarklet
What does it do?
DWF-This-Link! bookmarklet converts your DWF file links on your web page to thumbnail preview images (rendered on the fly). Visitors to your web page can click the thumbnail image to view the DWF using the Project Freewheel DWF Viewer.UPDATE 28–08–2006: Scott explains the Not Valid response
Beyond the Paper: Project Freewheel: The requested DWF is not valid.
Old enough to remember real turntables, vinyl that scratched and replacing worn needles…
Old enough to have purchased, and still use, a first generation CD player
Old enough, that I don’t need to be reminded by a DWF Blog 
Beyond the Paper: Orbit versus Turntable
“For people old enough to predate compact discs, the word "turntable" conjures up an image of a spinning vinyl record with a diamond needle dragging across its rippled surface producing sound. (It's amazing that ever worked.)
Although some people misbelieve that the turntable command works like the old record player turntable, the differences between turntable and orbit are more subtle than that.”
Just got home from an Auckland Autodesk User Group meeting, Omar Awny (Senior Applications Sales Engineer Application Engineer Manager from Autodesk Australia) gave a great presentation of all the nice things to be found in AutoCAD 2007 and DWF Design Review. He also mentioned a few websites that may be of use to AAUG members and readers here;
Shane Beaman, Ingram Micro New Zealand (Autodesk NZ), delivered Omar + Beer and Pizza, Salesoft CAD Solutions provided the venue and projector. Thanks to all for a great meeting.
25-07-2006 - Corrected to show Omar's new title
A few weeks ago I blogged about Autodesk Labs Project Freewheel. It allows viewing of DWF files with no viewer download/install. Scott has a post with the detail on how the magic happens.
Autodesk Labs have announced “Project Freewheel”:
Beyond the Paper: DWF Freedom and Independence
Today is the 4th of July - the day Americans celebrate their independence. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence. Here we are 230 years later, and you don't have to be an American to celebrate this day. Autodesk customers worldwide can celebrate the unveiling of the Project Freewheel Technology Preview….
Freewheel is a web based service to allow DWF viewing with a selection of web browsers & operating systems and no local viewer install. It operates in two modes:
To quote the Freewheel site:
“The service works by down-loading the DWF you specify (by URL) from the source web server to an Autodesk server which renders the content and delivers the result to a user's web browser. The Autodesk server may analyze, process, report on, and cache the DWF data provided to it. 3D, password protected, and DRM (measure-disabled and print-disabled) DWF files are not currently supported.”
This DWF, posted in April 2004 as a DWF Writer demo, is displayed below using Freewheel. It’s a very old file (created in 1983 using AutoSketch 2.1) being displayed with some very new technology 
For the current restrictions/limitations or more information regarding the Freewheel visit:http://dwfit.com/
They say it's a visual world and that is the theme of the 2007 releases. Creating, editing, navigating around and rendering AutoCAD 3D has been made significantly easier, heck it’s just plain fun!
To achieve this the AutoCAD has had a significant overhaul and this core benefits all the “Desktop” vertical products. This post covers a few of the new visual features you’ll experience while working in the AutoCAD environment.
Continue reading "It's a visual world... - AutoCAD and Architectural Desktop 2007" »
Autodesk "DWF Evangelist" Scott Sheppard has a new Blog "Beyond The Paper" about everything DWF.
http://blogs.autodesk.com/beyond_the_paper
(Posted from Orlando, Florida)
I found this discussion group post by Scott Sheppard [Autodesk] interesting. He explains how DWF DPI (dots per inch) influences file precision, especially for measurement with Composer, and why you can set DPI to huge values, in image terms, without greatly impacting file size.
Extract from Autodesk DWF Discussion Group - Increase Precision on Measuring Tool?.
The precision of a DWF Composer is based on the DPI settings of the ePlot pc3 driver in AutoCAD. You should not think of this value in printer/plotter terms. The human eye can discern about 1200 dots per inch. This is fine for visual information, but what you want in your DWF file is something where you can get precise measurements. Do not fear setting the DPI value to a high value. You are not saving more dots. The DWF file will increase in size by a small percentage, but not drastically.
By setting a high precision value, you are really affecting the numbers that get stored in the DWF file. For example, for a line that goes from (1,1) to (2,2), AutoCAD could save the points as (1,1) and (2,2). On a piece of paper that goes from (0,0) to (3,3), you have a sense at where this line would appear on the page.
On the other hand, you could represent that same line as going from (1000,1000) to (2000,2000) on a piece of paper that goes from (0,0) to (3000,3000). You can see that AutoCAD is still only saving two points of data for the line - it's just a question of what the values in the DWF file are. By having a larger coordinate system, measuring portions of the line can be more precise.
Nice DWF Viewer tips from Mark
Autodesk DWF Viewer deployment tips from Jimmy Bergmark.
Early attempts with Pocket PC’s for on-site CAD mark-up struggled to cope with memory capacity and performance limitations.
DualCor Technologies, Inc have announced The DualCor cPC – a combination Tablet PC and Windows Mobile Hand-held device which promises to solve that by offering portability, connectivity and power.
It uses twin Operating Systems, XP Tablet PC & Windows Mobile, with twin processors; 1.5 GHz and 400 MHz. This allows full XP applications to run, working as a Tablet PC, but when “off” it reverts to the Mobile OS with full time connectivity, instant on and claims long battery life. Both OS are supported by a 127mm (5”) 800x400 Display, 40GB HD, 1GB RAM + 1GB Flash + full connectivity, allowing it to function as a desktop replacement, in a tiny 165 (6.5") x 83 (3.3") x 30 (1.2") mm package!
So, how would it go with Design Web Format (DWF) 2D/3D CAD data and Autodesk Composer (DWF View/Mark-up) or maybe even a full CAD application?
We can only wait and see but the spec looks good enough to justify testing. I can’t see it as a CAD Desktop replacement, the likely hitch is graphic performance, but as a device to take your CAD Model, in DWF or native format, on the road to site/client/meetings it has great appeal. Add MindManager (for presenting project information) and ActiveWords InkPad (ease of operation) and you’d have a stunning presentation tool. Perhaps it’s worth the cost (said to be us$1500 retail) just to see peoples reaction to CAD/BIM presented from your hand.
If the DualCor cPC lives up to the preview it’s going to be huge, even though it’s small.
If you weren’t aware of Design Web Format (DWF) before Autodesk University 2005 by the time it finished you knew it didn’t just mean Disney World Fun.
From the “Connect the Dots” banners in the promenade linking the Dolphin/Swan to the giant “Dots” floating in the lagoon it was apparent that DWF was big at AU 2005. If that wasn’t enough there was always the risk of being mugged by a DWF, invariably when Shaan Hurley had his camera pointed at you… (he got me, but I got him)
In September 2004 I blogged about a free MindManager for AEC Add-In. This allowed Autodesk Design Web Format (DWF) files to be integrated into MindManager Maps. It was a technology demonstration from Mindjet rather than a release candidate product but showed the potential of combining CAD and Map information to manage a project.
The MindManager for AEC Add-In has been updated for MindManager Pro 6 and is now available from Mindjet Labs. Mindjet Labs showcase examples and prototypes Mindjet have developed internally for extending MindManager. Again it’s a technology demonstration rather than fully fledged application but well worth a download if you use DWF and MindManager.
So what’s new?
MindManager 6 introduced a new object in the form of a Business Topic. These allow “containers” of information from external sources to be integrated into the map retaining a link to the source. The DWF Topic converts a standard MindManager Topic, with hyperlink to a DWF file, into a Smart Map Part.
From the DWF Topic you can open the DWF, change sheets, copy and print using a small integrated DWF Viewer component. It uses the DWF viewer installed on your system and offers all the controls seen in the full application in a compact interface. It’s ideal for quickly opening a DWF, to print or a quick image copy/paste. For more involved viewing you can still launch the full viewer from the topic hyperlink icon or right click>Full view in the viewer component.
The image below shows a simple project using the DWF Topic combined with other smart topics. As I work on multiple projects gathering key information like this in a simple accessible format makes finding “the right stuff” easy and fast. I tend to only add info that’s “vital” and let the structure grow as the project demands rather than having any template or rigid structure.
The Project topic has a link to the project folder on the server. The appointment & contact are smart part links from Outlook, the Budget is a spreadsheet topic and the DWF File shows the drawing(s). You can rapidly access any of them with a simple click. This is a nice way to collect information related to a project and it’s easy to share with other MindManager users with the application/viewer or anyone via export to Web/Office formats.
Creating a DWF Topic is simple:
(Click these images for full size view)
Using the DWF Topic:
Installation:
Download Free MindManager for AEC Add-In ~ Mindjet Labs (Installation Requirements in extended post)
NOTE: This is a technology demonstration from Mindjet Labs. The current build may not handle 3D DWF’s or have some problems depending on your combination of graphics drivers/hardware. Read the notes on the download page. If you have any comments after trying the add-in use the Give us feedback link on the download page to report back to Mindjet Labs.
Continue reading "Combine DWF + Mind Maps with MindManager for AEC" »
There are new versions of the freebie DWF Viewer and DWF Writer applications.
Many of the new viewer features are aimed at exploring 3D DWF models although improvements to operation, integration, and 2D DWF viewing haven’t been forgotten. I’ll start with the Viewer and it’s new 3D features as they are powerful and the most fun!
Slice and Dice!
With a 3D DWF you can slice a section though the model for a better look inside. The screen-shot (click for full-size) shows a section through an ADT house model. The section is live and you can drag the “section plane” around with the “triad” axis object. You can add up to six sections at any time. Right click on the Section name in the views pane to access display/control options for each section view.
Raise the Roof!
If a section is not enough just pull the model apart for a better look. Click the move button then select & drag model elements out of the way. In the screen-shot (click for full-size) the blue roof slab has been lifted to look into the interior. You can reset the model to make good all your demolition by selecting elements/groups in the Content Browser Model tree then Right-click>Reset.
Not everything new is 3D focused. Many existing functions and interface features have been refined:
. Yes, the page change buttons which went missing in 6.0 are back!Not everything I wished for is there, I’m still hanging out for better navigation of Architectural DWF’s but there is more than enough in here to make the DWF Viewer worth a download.
There is also an update to the companion free DWF writer. It allows applications without built in DWF publishing to print a DWF via File>Print then selecting DWF Writer as your printer. It also adds one click “Publish to DWF” tool-bars to I.E. and Microsoft Office applications. With OpenGL enabled applications (mainly CAD) you can even “DWF Write” a 3d model DWF.
To update existing DWF Viewer installations just launch the viewer & you should be prompted to update. If not force an update from the menu Help>Check for updates.
Learn more about DWF, inc sample files, from: www.autodesk.com/dwf
More details on Shaan’s AutoCAD blog: Between the Lines: New Autodesk DWF Viewer 6.5
This is an old article (July 2005) which, for some reason, just showed up in my “Most Viewed Articles” RSS feed from Architecture Magazine . It’s one of those silly “we’re better than you, no you’re not…” articles but still worth a read if you haven’t seen it.
For CAD I prefer DWF and we use it on the intra-net but still sometimes need PDF. Sometimes there is someone in the project who can’t/won’t view DWF. In a corporate world of locked down managed users a viewer is more than a download/install away even if it’s free.
Although DWF claim to be approaching 10 million viewer downloads in the article they mention 500 million “PDF Readers”. In both cases how many of those are active, and for PDF how many are viewing CAD documents, is probably impossible to estimate.
The other obstacle for DWF is perception and education. For many “PDF” has become a generic term for ”sharable document”;
Last week I got an email from a Project Manager asking “why this PDF plan is all blocky and unreadable when zoomed really close. Is there something wrong with my settings?”. I made a DWF of the same file with much higher resolution and nearly 1/2 the file size; problem solved. They were issued a PDF, although had DWF Viewer, because they specifically requested “a PDF plan”…
So, will PDF use for CAD die?
I think it unlikely although it can happen, remember once…
“Portable Music Player = Walkman”…
Prompted by Shaan's post on DWF precision I’ve been testing to see what impact increasing the DPI has in “real world” conditions. So far I’ve found ramping the DPI up to fairly huge values does increase the DWF file size, but not as much as I expected, and seems to have only a slight impact on plot file sizes.
We draw on A1 sheet at 1mm = 1 AutoCAD unit typically with a 1:200 viewport. For a real world comparison I created a DWF from a store layout at various resolutions then measured a known length in Autodesk Composer aiming for better than 1mm precision. The file has a lot of AEC Mv Blocks (shop fittings) and AEC Spaces (departments) with solid hatch fills. The table below shows the results using the DWF6 ePlot.pc3.
| DPI | DPI Factor | File size KB | File Size | Length (mm) in AutoCAD | Length reported in Composer | Accuracy | Plot File to Hp800 Plotter MB |
| 400 | 1 | 84 | 1.00 | 25446 | 25000 | 98.25% | 1.56 |
| 101600 | 254 | 102 | 1.21 | 25446 | 25400 | 99.82% | 1.61 |
| 1016000 | 2540 | 158 | 1.88 | 25446 | 25446 | 100.00% | 1.69 |
It was a bit of a concern that the file size nearly doubled but it seems this is because the initial file was so small. Publishing a 20 sheet drawing set for our office (Site, Building, Fit-out Plans and Elevations) with lots of hatch fills resulted in the file growing from 2.5 MB @ 400 DPI to 3.0 MB @1,016,000 DPI. Multi-sheet Store Layout sets, about 1 MB @ 400 DPI, grew by 10–20%.
While this increase is noticeable its not a bad trade off for better than 1mm precision over large distances.
PS: Wow, the table pasted from Excel into BlogJet worked fine!
