Tab Files

A number of Tab files are used to determine how the various properties of the drawing elements are converted in the The Export Process to DXF/DWG/PDF. The Tab files establish relationships between the CADMATIC Hull fragments, dash patterns, fonts, hatches and pen numbers, and the AutoCAD layers, line types, text styles, hatch patterns and lineweight and color, respectively. Depending on the configuration, the Tab files can be adjusted to suit specific needs.

  • Tablayer – Specifies conversion of Hull fragments to AutoCAD layers.

  • Tabdash – Specifies conversion of Hull dash patterns to AutoCAD line types.

  • Tabfont – Specifies conversion of Hull fonts to AutoCAD text styles.

  • Tabhatch – Specifies conversion of Hull hatches to AutoCAD dash patterns.

  • Tablwcol – Specifies conversion of Hull pen numbers to AutoCAD lineweight and color.

Tab files are stored in the %ncghelps%\dxf directory. For each configuration there is a set of Tab files defined, each suited to the needs of a certain conversion.

The exact location of the Tab files must be specified with the %tabdash%, %tabfont%, %tablayer%, %tablwcol% and %tabhatch% environment variables in Label 1 or Label 4 in the configuration file dxf<configuration_name>.cfg. It is important to use the full path when defining the location. The %NCGHELPS% variable can be used as a prefix. For example:

{

STRING ncghelps_path

ncghelps_path=env(NCGHELPS)

environment TABFONT='^ncghelps_path/dxf/tabfontexpgeneral.dat'

environment TABDASH='^ncghelps_path/dxf/tabdashexpgeneral.dat'

environment TABLAYER='^ncghelps_path/dxf/tablayerexpgeneral.dat'

environment TABHATCH='^ncghelps_path/dxf/tabhatchexpgeneral.dat'

environment TABWLCOL='^ncghelps_path/dxf/tablwcolexpgeneral.dat'

}

Using Windows Fonts for DXF/DWG/PDF Import/Export

It possible to use the font mappings set in Drawings > Fonts > Windows Fonts instead of the fonts mapped in the file specified with TABFONT.

In this case, define TABFONT as follows:

environment TABFONT='auto'

Note that you must set the Drawings > Fonts > Font System setting to Windows Fonts for this to work.