The Pros and Cons of Using the DXF File Format

Are you curious about whether you should be using DWG or DXF file format?

In this article, we’re going to break down the pros and cons of DXF files and how versatile this open-source file format is. Let’s dive into it.

What is DXF?

DXF stands for Drawing Exchange Format and has become the industry standard in the world of computer-aided design (CAD) for file sharing.

It was developed by Autodesk, the developer of AutoCAD, in 1982. DXF is open source in contrast with DWG, which is proprietary to AutoCAD.

Viewing DXF Files

For anyone who works with AutoCAD regularly, such as those in the fields of architecture or engineering, working with DXF files and the CAD programs that read them is a normal part of their day.

However, if you need to share DXF files with a client, they’ll need a way to view them if they don’t have access to AutoCAD.

DWG TrueView

DWG TrueView is only available on Windows OS, but you can use it to view, measure, and present your drawings easily. With an organized interface and search feature, it’s a useful tool for DXF file viewing.

Autodesk Viewer

Autodesk has its own online DXF viewer that allows you to view drawings on iPhone, Android devices, iPad, Mac, and Windows in your browser. You can read both 2D and 3D designs with Autodesk Viewer, which supports over 50 file formats.

Once you’re signed in to your Autodesk account, you can choose to upload DXF files from either your hard drive or cloud storage. From there, you can make comments, take screenshots, and manage your designs.

DXF Viewer for Mac OS

DXF Viewer is available in the Mac App Store and allows you to view DXF and DWG files on your Mac. It offers fast load times, the ability to view multiple files simultaneously, and will enable you to convert your DXF files to PDF.

Pros of the DXF File Format

Now that we’ve covered what DXF is and how you can view these files outside of a CAD program let’s talk about the pros this file format offers.

Exchange Data Between CAD Programs

Because the DXF file format is highly compatible across programs, it can act as a bridge between different CAD programs. Sharing designs with colleagues of varying skill sets, new and old software iterations, and various specialized CAD software is incredibly easy with DXF files.

Most Compatible Vector File

Unlike DWG files, which are not as widely supported, DXF files can be viewed or edited in a variety of GIS, CNC, and CAD software. A few examples include Adobe Illustrator, SolidWorks, and AutoCAD.

Ease to Parse

When we talk about parsing, we mean that processing and dividing DXF files into smaller components for specific programs is easy to do. You’ll also have the option to remove or keep hatches, fills, and other details when you convert different file formats to DXF.

Publicly Available

DXF is open source, which means you have the option of accessing the file specification online. Thus, DXF has been widely adopted and is appreciated by developers who are in charge of creating CAD programs.

Cons of the DXF File Format

There are plenty of reasons to love the DXF file format, but there are a handful of downsides. Let’s go over what those downsides are to give you a full picture of what you can and can’t do with DXF.

Doesn’t Support App-Specific CAD Elements

Some objects designed for specialized CAD software are either partially documented in the DXF specifications or unable to be represented in the format, like dynamic blocks in AutoCAD. You’ll have to keep this in mind so that you won’t lose data when transferring these files between programs.

They Can Become Large

While it is rare that a DXF file will become cumbersomely large, it is a possibility. This can happen if you have a multitude of hidden vector elements that are the same color as your background.

Compared to the same file in the DWG format, DXF files will typically be more extensive. This is because the DWG file format is created in binary and AutoCAD’s embedded compressing data versus DXF files that are designed with the ASCII text standard.

Line Widths

Because of the mass adoption of DXF, line widths aren’t included in the format’s standards. Occasionally, this can cause problems when using some CNC and CAD programs that can not handle line widths. In this case, it would be a good idea to see if your application allows you to turn off line width data before you export a DXF file to one of these specialized applications.

Creating DXF Files

If you’d like to start using DXF files, you can create them in various programs, including Adobe Illustrator, Autodesk Inventor, and AutoCAD; to name a few. To create a DXF file, you’ll want to go to the save drop-down menu and select either the ‘save as’ or ‘export to’ options and choose DXF (.dxf).

Converting DXF Files to Other Formats

If you need to convert your DXF file to another format, or vice versa, there are a few ways you can do so. You can use AutoCAD or Adobe Illustrator programs that support DXF importing and exporting, an online DXF file converter, or a DXF viewer with a conversion feature.

Here’s a list of file types you can convert a DXF file to:

Explore More File Types

The world of file types and their ability to be converted is vast. Are you interested in discovering more about document conversion? For more information on a variety of different file types and how to convert them, check out our blog.