DXF file creation

[LaszloK]

I always save my DXF files in R13 format since all of my vendors can read it. My first attemp at this using X2MR1 did not work well. The computer nearly froze and the resulting DXF file was 16MB. I repeated the same thing in X2SP1 and all was well including the resulting file size of 500K. Has any one else experienced this?

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

Laszlo,

That's strange - are their Solids in your part? That's the only thing I can think of that might make it grow so big.

Can you send me an MCX file or 2 (and the resultant DXFs if possible) so I can see what's going on here?

[LaszloK]

Hello Pete. I just zipped the bad dxf file, the good dxf file and the mcX file and put "30DI-FB-001 DIE.zip" in the Files_for_CNC_inc folder on the fTP site. There were solids in the file but not on the level that was being displayed. Also, the same file and method worked when I went back to X2SP1. Thanks for your help,

 

Laszlo

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

I think "...solids in the file but not on the level that was being displayed..." tells me what's going on.

We've had complaints from some customers that we aren't saving the entire file when writing out to the AutoCAD or IGES formats. We know write out everything.

In X2 MR2, we'll be expanding the File/SaveSome function to handle export to all of the CAD file types we can save as, and this is what you would then use to save only some entities.

I'm going to take a look at your files to make sure that it isn't something else, but that's my first guess.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

Until File/SaveSome works with the AutoCAD formats, your best solution is to do a File/SaveSome to an MCX file (just saving those things that you want to put in the DXF file) and then open that file and save it to DXF.

 

I also noticed that if you output as DWG you get a noticeably smaller (about 1/2 the size) file - it's a much more compact format.

Do you need to use DXF instead of DWG?

Also, do you need to output to R13? Later versions have better solids support.

[LaszloK]

Thanks Pete. Some of my vendors can only read in DXF files and since I am only sending 2D data th R13 output usually works best. When I tried newer versions, they could not open them due to their low tech translators.