Anyone using DWFs to exchange info?

[tsturm]

I was wondering if anyone was using DWFs to exchange data to and from their consultants?

Last I heard was that Plotmaker could not read a DWF. Is anyone getting this to work?

My understanding is that DWF is simliar to PDF in that the information contained in the file cannot be changed. but the difference is that it is more CAD like than a PDF.

comments?

[Djordje]

tsturm wrote:
Last I heard was that Plotmaker could not read a DWF. Is anyone getting this to work?

It can, BUT not of the latest flavour. Autodesk is developing the DWF, and the latest version (not sure at the moment which one it is) cannot be read as the 2004 and 2005 DWGs cannot.

tsturm wrote:
My understanding is that DWF is simliar to PDF in that the information contained in the file cannot be changed. but the difference is that it is more CAD like than a PDF.

Falling for Autodesk propaganda, huh? It is no more CAD than PDF - heck, PDF has layers now! - BUT they are working hard to establish it as a de facto standard (sounds familiar?) for the CAD exchange. Look into the Other products forum for examples of files done in Revit, AFAIR posted by Scott, that were posted as DWF - the interface (when you download the viewer) is strangely similar to Acrobat reader. I wonder why ...

There is extensive discussion on this on UpFront eZine website.

[tsturm]

Djordie

When you say that PDF has layers, then does that mean that I can send to someone a file of my floor plan and they can shut off layers to print something else out?

How is this done? and With what PDF reader?

[Anonymous]

PDF's advantage is that it is the electronic equivalent of paper (there is a paper size and therefore a scale inherent in a pdf drawing if its created to scale). PDF can have multiple "pages", bookmarks, layers and AC markers can be hyperlinked to detail or s/e drawings on other sheets if created with the Amyuni PDF writer printer driver.

DWF on the other hand, is really just a stripped-down CAD (DWG) file. Of course, dwf's can be used for exchanging electrnic markups between cad files in either AutoCAD or ArchiCAD.

In my office we exchange PDF files with our consultants for review and for printing full size drawings and we don't exchange electronic markups. We've used PDF files in our workflow for at least 5 years. We use them for plotting/printing in both color and black & white, record drawings & archiving, & email/web distribution. We found that they are extrememly compatible and easy for anyone to use for viewing and printing on any device....highly recommended over dwf if it suites you.


regards,

[stefan]

One remark on scale. Although most non-CAD users can read and print PDF-files, they have to make sure that the Adobe Reader application is set to print at 100% and that the printer driver itself is also not rescaling anything.

To make PDF-printing easier, the default settings are "stretch to fit", which is fine for printing brochures and manuals, but is a problem when expecting true-to-scale CAD-prints.

Oh, and most non-CAD users can only print on A4 (or letter size for you Americans). So that means your CAD-drawings need to be stripped of all excessive detail.

[tsturm]

Thanks to all for your input on the difference of DWF and PDF.

I would like to add another question on this same topic.

Djordie stated that PDFs have the ability to include the layer structure.

How can a receiver of a PDF CAD file shut off some of the layers to print out what they would want to see.

I know this may not be the best way to do it however, could send to a consultant a PDF with all layers in it and let them shut off.