Autodesk® DWF™ (Design Web Format)

DWF (Design Web Format) is an open, secure file format developed by Autodesk for the efficient distribution and communication of rich design data to anyone who needs to view, review, or print design files. Because DWF files are highly compressed, they are smaller and faster to transmit than design files, without the overhead associated with complex CAD drawings (or the management of external links and dependencies). With DWF functionality, publishers of design data can limit the specific design data and plot styles to only what they want recipients to see and can publish multisheet drawing sets from multiple AutoCAD drawings in a single DWF file. They can also publish 3D models from most Autodesk design applications.

DWF files are not a replacement for native CAD formats such as AutoCAD drawings (DWG). The sole purpose of DWF is to allow designers, engineers, project managers, and their colleagues to communicate design information and design intent to anyone needing to view, review, or print design information – without these team members needing to know AutoCAD or other design software.

More information on DWF is available online at www.autodesk.com/dwf.

Technology

DWF is a file format developed by Autodesk for representing design data in a manner that is independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create that design data. A DWF file can describe design data containing any combination of text, graphics, and images in a device independent and resolution independent format. These files can be one sheet or multiple sheets, very simple or extremely complex with a rich use of fonts, graphics, color, and images. The format also includes intelligent metadata that captures the design intent of the data being represented.

The DWF Technology centers around three components:

DWF Toolkit - free C++ libraries for developers.
DWF Viewer - free viewer for project team members who wish to view design data without knowing AutoCAD.
DWF Writer - free writer that allows anyone to create a DWF file from any application.

Free DWF Toolkit

DWF is an open file format. Autodesk publishes the DWF specification and makes available C++ libraries for any developer who wants to build applications around the DWF format, with the DWF Toolkit. Furthermore DWF is based on other industry standards such as ZIP/ZLIB, XML, JPG/PNG/bitonal-G4-Tiff, and HSF. So although there is no specific ISO standard for DWF itself, DWF is made from formats that are industry standards. More information is available in the Developer Center or from www.autodesk.com/dwftoolkit.

Free DWF Viewer

Autodesk DWF Viewer is a lightweight, free viewing application that enables all members of the project team to easily view and print designs shared electronically. Built around the DWF file format, DWF Viewer enables users to view and print complex 2D and 3D drawings, maps, and models published from Autodesk® design applications or from the free* Autodesk® DWF™ Writer.

Autodesk DWF Viewer is available as both a stand-alone application or as an ActiveX control that is embedded in Microsoft® Internet Explorer, providing an easy-to-use interface for even the novice user to master viewing and printing of design data. Use the ActiveX control to embed DWF files in other Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint® software, and customize the viewer in third-party applications.

Free DWF Writer

Free Autodesk DWF Writer software enables you to publish to DWF format from CAD applications that do not offer built-in DWF publishing, such as Bentley® MicroStation® or Dassault’s Solidworks® software. Autodesk DWF Writer is a certified Microsoft® Windows® system printer driver that enables you to quickly and easily convert files to DWF format. Simply create a DWF file by selecting Autodesk DWF Writer from the printer drop-down menu in any Windows application. The result is that the entire project team can standardize on a common file format to exchange and review designs and sheet sets, at no additional cost. The Autodesk DWF Writer requires one of the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003, Windows XP Professional or Home Edition, or Windows 2000.

Availability

History

The DWF format first appeared in 1995 as part of the unveiling of Autodesk's WHIP! Netscape Navigator Plug-in. The format was originally referred to as the Drawing Web Format, since DWF files were generated by the Autodesk Internet Publishing Kit - a free add-on package for AutoCAD R13. As the format grew in use beyond just AutoCAD, it was renamed to Design Web Format to capture its true value - an intelligent way to capture design data. Although originally a 2D only format, DWF has evolved to include 3D. Today DWF files are not generated by all Autodesk products. In addition, there are a variety of third party applications that make use of the format. "We've come a long way, baby."

Operating Systems

The DWF Toolkit is available directly from Autodesk for:

Windows,
Macintosh, and
Linux.

Through a combination of Autodesk and third party solutions, DWF viewing and writing are available on:

Windows,
Macintosh, and
Linux.

Languages

The free Autodesk DWF Viewer is available in:

French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese

Security

Protecting your intellectual property when sharing designs as a DWF file is essential. DWF files are basically electronic plots and, by default, include only what the designer intends to share. Layer information can be turned on or off; object properties or block attributes are not included unless published by the CAD user. For additional security, the DWF format has digital encryption and a password-protection feature that can be applied when publishing a DWF file from design applications.

Precision

DWF files are highly accurate when compared to paper but provide less data and accuracy than the original AutoCAD drawings (DWG files) from which they were published. By default DWF files are published at 400 dots per inch (dpi), similar to a printout, regardless of the virtual paper size you are plotting to. For example, a 300-foot-long building with a floor plan that fills 66 percent of the width of the page, equates to 4,000 * 0.66 = 2,640 dots at which the lines can end. In terms of precision, this means you can measure accurately to 300 feet/2,640 dots = 0.1136 feet, or 1.36 inches. One inch carries greater precision than you could be able to attain with a ruler and physical paper but is less precise than the original AutoCAD drawing because of compression algorithms applied to publish the AutoCAD drawing to the DWF format. When you require higher accuracy, increase the precision of your DWF file by changing the paper size or increasing the dpi setting. (Note that the DWF file size will increase when you increase dpi.) These settings are found in the Publish settings within Autodesk design applications.

Comparison between DWF and PDF

In a nutshell, the Portable Document Format (PDF) from Adobe is suited to text-based documents such as specifications; however, when it comes to design data, DWF has some decided advantages.

Looking at DWF versus PDF file formats reveals some commonalities between the two. Both formats produce self-contained files, support multiple pages, and provide copy, print, and password-protection functions, as well as raster and vector graphic support. With the purchase of Adobe Acrobat 6 Professional, users can publish files from AutoCAD, preserve CAD layers, and create redlines and comments as they can with the DWF format.

However, PDF falls short compared to the DWF format in several key capabilities. The Design Web Format, DWF, was designed specifically for sharing rich design data. On the other hand, PDF, or Portable Document Format, was designed for text-based document exchange. Today Autodesk provides a better format for distributing and sharing engineering design data with DWF files. The DWF format provides:

Accuracy, fidelity, and data richness. DWF is built to support real-world coordinate measurement with 2D and 3D viewing. DWF files can be produced at a much higher precision than PDF, which is required for accurate presentation and measurement of engineering designs.
Performance and scalability. DWF files are normally much smaller than PDF files - often 1/3 to 1/10 the size. DWF files transmit faster, load faster, and can be emailed more easily without hitting system limits. The DWF viewing software renders large models faster and enables real-time manipulation of large data sets through the use of spatial indexing software not available with PDF.
Efficiency and process. The DWF format supports advanced markup, measurement, and process-related features not available with PDF. DWF includes markup remarks, time stamps, history, and status information and supports standard engineering markup symbology to improve communication. DWF measurements reflect real-world units rather than paper distances on a viewport-aware basis without requiring user calibration. The Autodesk DWF Composer and AutoCAD applications make full use of DWF intelligence with markup browsing and round-trip markup.

Types of content

The DWF file format provides a means to securely share 2D and 3D designs electronically with anyone who needs them. DWF files are smaller, due to multilayered compression; smarter, because they retain rich design data; and easier to use than any other format, thanks to one-click publishing from AutoCAD® software and other design applications. Best of all, the DWF format is free!

The DWF Format is applicable across a variety of industries:

Building - floor plans, bid sets, transmittals.
Mechanical - parts, assemblies.
Infrastructure - maps, telecommunication, oil and gas pipeline layout.
Multimedia and Entertainment - highly rendered walk throughs.

Commercial DWF Software

DWF Viewers

Server Based (Java, small control, or zero-client)

AutoEDMS, AutoEDMS Anywhere, and AutoEDMS RM by ACS Software
AutoVue 18 Client-Server and AutoVue Professional 18 Client-Server by Cimmetry Systems
Dr. DWG NetView 2004 and Dr. DWG WebViewer 2004 by Dr. DWG
ArchiCAD 9 with Project Reviewer by Graphisoft
Brava! Enterprise J and Brava! Enterprise X by Informative Graphics
RxViewServer by Rasterex
ViewCafé 3.2 by Spicer Software
Tailor Made CADViewer by Tailor Made Software
VISIARC WebViewer 2004 by VISIARC

Unix/Linux Based

LX-Viewer by SourceForge Network

Windows CE / PocketPC Based

PocketCAD Pro 4.0, PocketCAD Viewer 4.0, and PocketCAD DWFview 4.0 by Arc Second
PowerCAD CE Viewer 5.5, PowerCAD CE Classic 6, and PowerCAD CE Pro 6 by GiveMePower
VISIARC System 1 by VISIARC

Windows Based

Autodesk DWF Viewer and Autodesk DWF Composer by Autodesk
Spinfire Professional 2004v2 and Spinfire Reader 2004v2 by Actify
Slick! View v8.5 and Slick! ViewPlus by CAD Systems Unlimited
AutoORG by CIDEON Software
AutoVue 18 Desktop, AutoVue Professional 18 Desktop, AutoVue Solid Model 18, and AutoVue Solid Model Pro 18 by Cimmetry Systems
Dr. DWG LiteView 2005 and Dr. DWG LightBox 6.0 by Dr. DWG
PowerCAD LT+ 5.2, PowerCAD Classic 6, and PowerCAD Pro 6 by GiveMePower
TurboViewer by IMSI
Brava! Desktop (DWG Version), Brava! Desktop (Standard Version), Free AutoCAD Viewer, and MYRIAD by Informative Graphics
Normica View and Normica V2000 by IT BASE
PowerView/CAD by Powervision Software
RxView R7 and RxHighlight R7 by Rasterex
Imagenation 7.5 by Spicer Software
CadViewer Enterprise Desktop Viewer by Tailor Made Software

DWF Tools

Collaboration and Document Management

Buzzsaw/ProjectPoint by Autodesk
archigate.net by Abvent
AutoEDMS by ACS Software
Net-It Central and ProjectDox by Informative Graphics
McLaren Enterprise Engineer by McLaren Software
PowerView by Powervision Software
Dv TDM by Practical Programs
QDMS Document/Drawing Control System and TeamBinder by QA Software
RxIndex by Rasterex
MyVISIARC by VISIARC

Search

Buzzsaw/ProjectPoint and Google Desktop Search plug-in by Autodesk
Discovery 3.0 by Docupoint
DWF iFilter by IFilterShop

Output and Creation

AutoCAD, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD OEM, AutoCAD Mechanical, Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Autodesk Building Systems, Autodesk Buzzsaw, Autodesk Civil 3D, Autodesk Civil Design, Autodesk Crisis Command, Autodesk DWF Writer, Autodesk Field Survey, Autodesk GIS Design Server , Autodesk Gmax, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Land Desktop, Autodesk Map 3D, Autodesk MapGuide, Autodesk Mobile Command, Autodesk Productstream, Autodesk Raster Design, Autodesk Revit Building, Autodesk Revit Structure, Autodesk Streamline, Autodesk Survey, Autodesk Utility Design, Autodesk Vault, Autodesk VIZ, and AutoSketch by Autodesk
Bluebeam Pushbutton Plus for AutoCAD and Bluebeam Conversion Server by Bluebeam
equivaQ 2005+ by equivaQ
Plot Station by eQuorum
AutoM8 v2.98 by M8Tools.com
multiplot Version 3 by MBR Solutions
DWFmaker by Software Mechanics
Plotstream by Triple R Technologies

Commercial Printing

HP Instant Print feature by HP
ReproCentral by Informative Graphics
Océ Client Tools 1.6.3 and Océ Repro Desk Server 1.6.3 by Océ
PlotWorks 5.5.1 PlotWorks Convert, PrintSuite, and Arcadia Plans by PLP
Argos Print Tracking by Sepialine
World Planroom by USRepro

Conversion and Publishing

AutoDWF by AAC Solutions
Spinfire Importer, Actify Publisher 2005, and Actify Server 2004 by Actify
Any DWF to DWG Converter and Any DWG to DWF Converter by AnyDWG
AutoDWG DWG to DWF Converter and AutoDWG DWF Importer for AutoCAD by AutoDWG
RePlot by CAD fx
AcroPlot Pro, AcroPlot Matrix, and AcroPlot Auto by CADzation
Discovery Express 3.0 by Docupoint
HiJaak Pro v5 and HiJaak Standard v5 by IMSI
Net-it Batch by Informative Graphics
Normica Batch-Exporter by IT BASE
FME Suite by Safe Software
ViewCompanion Pro and ViewCompanion Standard by Software Companions
CadXchange AutoXchange, CadBridge Pro, CadBridge, and Flat Out! by Tailor Made Software
Plot Vision V5.3 by Torro-Softworks

DWF Related Items

Applications

FMDesktop by Applied Spatial
CADWorx P&ID Professional by COADE
ScheduleFM by GraphicVision
On-Screen Takeoff by On Center Software
InTether Server, InTether Desktop, InTether Desktop Enterprise, InTether SecureCD, and InTether Sanitizer by Pinion Software
WinEst eTeam, WinEst Pro Plus, WinEst Pro, WinEst Virtual Takeoff, and WinEst Virtual Takeoff Pro by WinEstimator

Content

CADD Standards Intranet Resource Library and MapMaker by Advanced Micro Systems
engineering and property management by City of Charlotte Mecklenburg Land Development
dettagliCAD by Computer Tecnica Engineering
Dilbert's Ultimate House by Heartwood Studios
KCL CADalog by Kochman Consultants
FirstSourceONL by Reed Construction Data

References

Much of this information is available on the Autodesk web site. The organization of the information in this document was patterned after other Wikipedia entries.