Design Web Format
Encyclopedia
Design Web Format is a 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 content to anyone needing to view, review, or print design information – without these team members needing to know AutoCAD or other design software.
The current AutoCAD file format
(.dwfx) is based on ISO/IEC 29500-2:2008 Open Packaging Conventions.
that captures the design intent of the data being represented.
The DWF technology centers on three components:
, XML
, and common image formats.
DWF files (since version 6.0) are a ZIP
-compressed container for the drawing files; despite the first few bytes of the file containing a DWF header, renaming a .dwf file to .zip will allow the component files inside to be viewed with archive compression software. Amongst various XML and binary files, is a PNG format thumbnail preview.
DWF can be interfaced with .NET Libraries.
Also, all Markups and Annotations created in Design Review can be imported to the original file when using Autodesk applications, such as AutoCAD, Inventor or Revit Architectural. This feature makes DWF the ideal format for design reviewing and collaboration processes.
that converts files to DWF format. 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.
which offers developers a web-based interface for viewing, querying, and manipulating DWF files.
.
The DWF Toolkit is available on Microsoft Windows
, Linux
, and Mac OS X
.
Third parties have created DWF tools on other platforms besides Windows; an example is the Mac OS X viewer McDwiff (http://www.macdwf.com/).
plug-in. The format was originally referred to as the Drawing Web Format, since DWF files were generated by the Autodesk Internet Publishing Kit. As the format grew in use beyond just AutoCAD, it was renamed to Design Web Format. Although originally a 2D-only format, DWF has evolved to include 3D. Today DWF files are generated by all Autodesk products. In addition, there are a variety of third-party applications that make use of the format.
As of March 3 2008 Portuguese Law (DL 60/2007; P. 216-E/2008 #8) requires all information regarding Urban and Building licensing, in all Municipalities in Portugal
, to be delivered and managed in PDF
when written, DWF when drawn.
This solution had already been adopted by the City of Lisbon
(Portugal's Capital) in 2007, making this town the first in the world to officially adopt DWF.
developed by Adobe Systems
to allow electronic exchange of any printable document, independent of the source application software, hardware and operating system.
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is an open, XML based file format. It is suitable for use both as a format for creating and editing drawings and as a format for viewing and publication. For instance, Inkscape
uses SVG as its native format, and both the Firefox and Opera
browsers natively display SVG.
File format
A file format is a particular way that information is encoded for storage in a computer file.Since a disk drive, or indeed any computer storage, can store only bits, the computer must have some way of converting information to 0s and 1s and vice-versa. There are different kinds of formats for...
developed by Autodesk
Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational corporation that focuses on 3D design software for use in the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media and entertainment industries. The company was founded in 1982 by John Walker, a coauthor of the first versions of the company's...
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
Data compression
In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
, 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
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...
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
.dwg
DWG is a binary file format used for storing two and three dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including AutoCAD, IntelliCAD and Caddie. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications...
). The sole purpose of DWF is to allow designers, engineers, project managers, and their colleagues to communicate design information and design content to anyone needing to view, review, or print design information – without these team members needing to know AutoCAD or other design software.
The current AutoCAD file format
File format
A file format is a particular way that information is encoded for storage in a computer file.Since a disk drive, or indeed any computer storage, can store only bits, the computer must have some way of converting information to 0s and 1s and vice-versa. There are different kinds of formats for...
(.dwfx) is based on ISO/IEC 29500-2:2008 Open Packaging Conventions.
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 metadataMetadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
that captures the design intent of the data being represented.
The DWF technology centers on three components:
- C++C++C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
libraries for developers - a viewer for project team members who wish to view design data without knowing AutoCAD
- a writer that allows anyone to create a DWF file from any application
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 ZLIBZlib
zlib is a software library used for data compression. zlib was written by Jean-Loup Gailly and Mark Adler and is an abstraction of the DEFLATE compression algorithm used in their gzip file compression program. Zlib is also a crucial component of many software platforms including Linux, Mac OS X,...
, XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
, and common image formats.
DWF files (since version 6.0) are a ZIP
ZIP (file format)
Zip is a file format used for data compression and archiving. A zip file contains one or more files that have been compressed, to reduce file size, or stored as is...
-compressed container for the drawing files; despite the first few bytes of the file containing a DWF header, renaming a .dwf file to .zip will allow the component files inside to be viewed with archive compression software. Amongst various XML and binary files, is a PNG format thumbnail preview.
DWF can be interfaced with .NET Libraries.
Design Review
Autodesk Design Review (http://www.autodesk.com/designreview) is a free viewing application that enables all members of the project team to easily view, measure, markup and print designs shared electronically. Built around the DWF file format, Design Review enables users to view and print complex 2D and 3D drawings, maps, and models published from Autodesk design applications or from the DWF Writer.Also, all Markups and Annotations created in Design Review can be imported to the original file when using Autodesk applications, such as AutoCAD, Inventor or Revit Architectural. This feature makes DWF the ideal format for design reviewing and collaboration processes.
DWF Writer
Autodesk DWF Writer software publishes the 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 Windows printer driverPrinter driver
In computers, a printer driver or a print processor is a piece of software that converts the data to be printed to the form specific to a printer...
that converts files to DWF format. 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.
Freewheel
In 2007, Autodesk introduced an online translator for DWFs called Freewheel (http://freewheel.autodesk.com/). Freewheel is a way to view a DWF file without downloading software. It is also a web serviceWeb service
A Web service is a method of communication between two electronic devices over the web.The W3C defines a "Web service" as "a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network". It has an interface described in a machine-processable format...
which offers developers a web-based interface for viewing, querying, and manipulating DWF files.
Platforms
Autodesk's DWF viewers (except for Freewheel) are all based on Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
.
The DWF Toolkit is available on Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
.
Third parties have created DWF tools on other platforms besides Windows; an example is the Mac OS X viewer McDwiff (http://www.macdwf.com/).
History
The DWF format first appeared in 1995 as part of the unveiling of Autodesk's "WHIP!" Netscape NavigatorNetscape Navigator
Netscape Navigator was a proprietary web browser that was popular in the 1990s. It was the flagship product of the Netscape Communications Corporation and the dominant web browser in terms of usage share, although by 2002 its usage had almost disappeared...
plug-in. The format was originally referred to as the Drawing Web Format, since DWF files were generated by the Autodesk Internet Publishing Kit. As the format grew in use beyond just AutoCAD, it was renamed to Design Web Format. Although originally a 2D-only format, DWF has evolved to include 3D. Today DWF files are generated by all Autodesk products. In addition, there are a variety of third-party applications that make use of the format.
As of March 3 2008 Portuguese Law (DL 60/2007; P. 216-E/2008 #8) requires all information regarding Urban and Building licensing, in all Municipalities in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, to be delivered and managed in PDF
Portable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
when written, DWF when drawn.
This solution had already been adopted by the City of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
(Portugal's Capital) in 2007, making this town the first in the world to officially adopt DWF.
Alternatives
PDF is an internationally recognized open file formatFile format
A file format is a particular way that information is encoded for storage in a computer file.Since a disk drive, or indeed any computer storage, can store only bits, the computer must have some way of converting information to 0s and 1s and vice-versa. There are different kinds of formats for...
developed by Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
to allow electronic exchange of any printable document, independent of the source application software, hardware and operating system.
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is an open, XML based file format. It is suitable for use both as a format for creating and editing drawings and as a format for viewing and publication. For instance, Inkscape
Inkscape
Inkscape is a free software vector graphics editor, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Its goal is to implement full support for the Scalable Vector Graphics 1.1 standard....
uses SVG as its native format, and both the Firefox and Opera
Opera (web browser)
Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software with over 200 million users worldwide. The browser handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent,...
browsers natively display SVG.
See also
- CAD
- DWG.dwgDWG is a binary file format used for storing two and three dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including AutoCAD, IntelliCAD and Caddie. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications...
- DXF
- EPaper (Portable Drawing)
- Scalable Vector GraphicsScalable Vector GraphicsScalable Vector Graphics is a family of specifications of an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic . The SVG specification is an open standard that has been under development by the World Wide Web Consortium since 1999.SVG images and their...
(SVG)
External links
- Adobe vs. Autodesk: This Is Getting Really Interesting
- New format DWFx based on XML Paper SpecificationXML Paper SpecificationOpen XML Paper Specification , is an open specification for a page description language and a fixed-document format originally developed by Microsoft as XML Paper Specification that was later standardized by Ecma International as international standard ECMA-388...