Data Format - DXF

Purpose and General Description

The DXF format is the interchange file format for AutoDesk's AutoCAD package. The format has become a widely accepted format for the transfer of 3D geometries between different packages, not necessarily involving AutoCAD, and, for any given renderer format, a converter from DXF usually exists. DXF includes support for 3D objects, curves, text and associative dimensioning.

Packages/Toolkits that output it

In addition to the CAD systems that can export it, DXF can be converted to/from other formats.

from Wavefront OBJ files
MultiGen
Geometry Conversion Tools from Division's Dvs/Dvise VR system
Excel spreadsheets to DXF
InterChange converts from a large number of formats including: 3DS, Haines NFF, Sense8 NFF, Wavefront OBJ.

Packages/Toolkits that input it

The Silicon Graphics DXFtoIv converter (README and tar file)
MultiGen
Geometry Conversion Tools to Division's Dvs/Dvise VR system
DXF-IN for Visual Basic 2.5
to VRML - see the translators in the VRML Repository
InterChange converts to a large number of formats including: 3DS, Haines NFF, Inventor, POV, Renderman RIB, Renderware RWX, Sense8 NFF, VRML, Wavefront OBJ.

Functionality

Information on the DXF format can be found elsewhere as follows:

Format specifications for DXF 14 and earlier

FORMATS

Information last updated by JRG on 17 March 1998

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