Open DWG/DWF Files in Linux

[Duncan Lithgow]

On Sat, 2006-03-11 at 16:43 +0800, Charles Yao wrote:

>         Free Software:
>         QCad
>         http://www.ribbonsoft.com/qcad.html
>         Uses native DWG file format.
>         Claims to be a professional CAD application, IMHO _very_
>         optimistic. 
>         But it is a very good sketcher and comes along with well done
>         documentation (qcad-doc).
>         May be instaled via apt-get / synaptic.
It's good, I'd say it can be compared to AutoCad lt 2000. But it does
_not_ use DWG, from the main page: "DXF Format (DXF 2004, R12)"

DWG is an extremely complex format, the best hope for compatibility is
OpenDWG (see: http://www.opendesign.com/ - commercial organisation with
admirable aims. )

DWG is an evil format, now it's even weakly encrypted (see:
http://www.opendwg.org/News/040103.htm). If you want to open DWG files
from current versions of AutoCad you'll need something that supports
OpenDWG or real DWG, there must be a list somewhere on their site. Maybe
something from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DWG can run in wine...?

The only one I know of that runs on Linux (using wine) and is BricsCAD
( http://www.bricscad.com/ ) which I've heard is good. They don't offer
a .deb package, email them on linux at bricscad.com to encourage them to
make one. I tried to convert the demo with alien and didn't make it
work, you may have more luck.

Depending on the complexity of the drawings, especially if there is a
lot of printing information, you may have top stick with DWG, otherwise
get someone to export them in AutoCad to DXF format. I can do that if
you don't have too many files. 

Good luck, it's a real problem - so I'm very happy about the appearance
of BricsCad, please help me push them to make a .deb package.

Duncan

-- 
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