Use DWG and DXF drawings

Besides of our own drawing file format (DRW), program also supports DXF and DWG file formats. You can select a file format from a list in the Open file dialog. Similarly, when saving a drawing you can select the file format.

One of our goals in developing has always been the best possible compatibility with the AutoCAD system.  As a result, the structure of the drawing database, i.e. the objects, the symbol and attribute structures, has been designed to enable flawless drawing interchange between AutoCAD and CADMATIC. The same kind of structures ensure there is no information loss when saving and opening DRW drawings in the dwg format.

Nowadays CAD drawings can be made with various CAD programs and in various ways. This positive thing creates also a possible problem: A drawing can be made in many different ways. This can be seen for example in colors, line widths, layers and attributes used in a drawing. That is why program has a functionality to convert many properties of a drawing when opening or saving it.

Convert multiple files

CONVERT

When you have multiple files that you want to convert, you can do this with the CONVERT command.

Do the following:

  1. Select the files you want to convert. Use Shift and Ctrl keys to select multiple files.

  2. Click Open.

  3. Select the target file format, the target directory and click OK.

The program will then automatically open all the selected files and convert them into the desired format.

Color and linetype conversion

You can define the corresponding linetypes and colors in the conversion file.

If no corresponding linetype is defined in the conversion file, the linetype and its definition will remain unchanged. If a corresponding linetype is defined in the conversion file, the name of the linetype will be changed, but its definition will remain unchanged.

If no conversion file is used or no corresponding colors are defined, object colors will remain unchanged.

The default conversion file COLORS.CNV contains the most common conversion definitions.

1=2

2=3

3=4

4=5

5=6

6=7

7=1

8=8

9=9

In color conversion it is possible to use wild characters as a mask i.e. *=9. This means that all not converted colors will be converted to color 9. Also layer colors will be converted. If you define a conversion for color 256 (by layer) the colors of layers will not be converted. This makes it possible to convert a drawing to back to using layer colors (*=256).

Conversion from AutoCAD DWF file

Sometimes saving the drawing in an older format gives a better result. You should keep in mind, however, that older file formats may not support all newer objects types.

Object types that program accepts fully or partially.

  • LINE

  • MLINE, converted to polylines

  • POINT

  • CIRCLE

  • ARC

  • TRACE, into a FILL object

  • SOLID

  • 3DSOLID, converted to FACE3DS if possible

  • BODY, converted to FACE3DS if possible

  • TEXT

  • MTEXT, into individual text objects

  • INSERT

  • XREF

  • ATTDEF

  • ATTRIB

  • POLYLINE

  • VERTEX

  • DIMENSION

  • 3DLINE, converted to a LINE object

  • 3DFACE

  • VIEWPORT

  • HATCH

  • BHATCH, associativity is lost

  • ELLIPSE

  • LWPLINE

  • PROXY (application specific object), converted to symbol

  • SPLINE

  • IMAGE

  • POLYGONMESH

  • POLYFACEMESH

  • MPOLYGON, converted to symbol

  • MLEADER, converted to mtexts and lines

  • REGION, converted to symbol

  • WIPEOUT

  • OLE2FRAME

  • SUBDMESH, converted to symbol

  • PDFREFERENCE

  • SURFACE, converted to symbol

DXF/DWG tables:

  • LTYPE linetypes

  • LAYER layers

  • VIEW views

  • DIMSTYLE dimension styles

  • APPID application IDs

  • STYLE Textstyles

  • VPORT viewports (name, lower corner point, upper corner point, centerpoint, snap-basepoint, snap-aperture, snap-angle, snap-mode, snap-style, grid spacing, gridmode, view height, view width factor, iso plane).

  • LAYOUT Layouts in print mode

  • GROUP Group of objects

Some of the newest dwg objects may not be available in DRW drawing.

Corresponding fonts between AutoCAD

Program has several fonts that resemble AutoCAD fonts.

CADMATIC Draw font

AutoCAD font

TEXT

TXT

TEXTM

MONOTXT

SIMPLEX

SIMPLEX

ISO

ISO

MODERN

ROMANS

MODERN2

ROMAND

ROMAN

ROMANC

ROMAN2

ROMANT

SCRIPT

SCRIPTS

SCRIPT2

SCRIPTC

GREEK

GREEKS

GREEK2

GREEKC

The above corresponding fonts are defined in the default conversion file COLORS.CNV. If you use this conversion file, the fonts will more or less look the same after the conversion.

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