Where is DWF then ?

[Phil Palmer]

Has anyone managed to find how we print out to the new Autocad DWF format.
Its mentioned in the help files - whats new for release 5.1

But I cant find it anywhere

anyone ?

[Wesley]

You need to install a dwf printer (like the pinebush pdf printer that you get with Revit).

...

Yes, ok, I know the next question...

There isn't one... :roll: :roll:
but it is supposed to be out RSN (Real Soon Now)!
Wes

[rodneyf]

Hi All,
I just went to the Autodesk web site and they now have the dwf writer up on the site. :o

Enjoy,

[Chad Smith]

Hi All,
I just went to the Autodesk web site and they now have the dwf writer up on the site. :o

Enjoy,

I've had a look on the Autodesk web site, and can't seem to find it.
Would you be able to post a link. :)

[beegee]

This looks like the link, but I havn't downloaded it yet to check.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=2787358

beegee

[beegee]

Yep,

That link works.

Just downloaded it .... now to find out what the hell it does. :?

beegee

[beegee]

OK, so now now I've had time to look at it, ..... that link is to the VIEWER not the WRITER :oops:

I don't know where the writer is .

beegee

[PeterJ]

DWF Creator for AutoCAD 2002 is there at the bottom of the page, but you have to have AutoCAD 2002 for it to work. It does not link to Revit, that I can see.

P

[PeterJ]

Try http://revit.autodesk.com/EN/5_1/DownloadEN5_1.htm

[beegee]

Peter,

You're not just a pretty face. :lol:

beegee

[ajayholland]

I've got both components installed and tested on a current project. It works. We've finally got the multiple-sheet linked document output. Copy drawing segments to the clipboard.

Apparently one can embed the viewer in Word, HTML and other formats. Will this take the load off of receivers of the docs who do not have the viewer installed?

-AJH

[ajayholland]

I tried out embedding the viewer in a Word doc. Not difficult, but I do not think this eliminates the need for the application.

One of the advantages touted at the 2004 AutoDesk Road Show was the ease of distribution of the viewer (vs. Volo View Express). The installer is about 2.4 megs, VVE's installer was about 10 times that size. When I have previously distributed DWF files via e-mail, I would include a link to the Adesk site.

Express viewer is only for DWF files. Viewing DXF or DWG (2004) formats now requires the full version of Volo View.

-AJH

[Allen Lacy]

A nice feature that Express Viewer has above PDF's is that when you click on a hyperlink, it takes you directly to the detail (or section, elevation, whatever) instead of just to the page.

[Scott D Davis]

A nice feature that Express Viewer has above PDF's is that when you click on a hyperlink, it takes you directly to the detail (or section, elevation, whatever) instead of just to the page.

That is what the PDF writer was supposed to do!

[ajayholland]

To re-state a point that has been made previously, one of the key issues is accessibility. DWF file recipients may not have the required network privileges to install the application. That's when they phone and say, "Send me hard copy!" It's easier than dealing with the IS department.

AutoDesk will have to do an excellent marketing job to capture a segment of the technical document user base, outside of existing Acad users.

OTOH, DWF-6 is implemented in Buzzsaw, and no doubt they intend for one product to promote use of the other.

-AJH

[Scott D Davis]

Ok, over on alt.cad.revit I just found out something really interesting about the DWF writer. It was a little embarrasing :oops: but oh well! That's how we learn! I was spouting off on the other NG that I couldn't print my Word doc to DWF with the same simplicity as I could to PDF. Well, I stand corrected!

The DWF writer adds a windows printer to your printer control panel, much like the Revit PDF writer. The big difference: You can print to the AutoDesk DWF writer from any application!

I just tried it....I printed a Word doc to DWF. I was CERTAIN that the DWF writer was limited to CAD files, but it's not. This all changes my view a bit on the DWF issue, but I still favor PDF's.....they are still the "Standard" in my book.

Well, I was gonna attach a DWF print of the ZoogDesign homepage....but DWF extensions are not a legal attachment! Zoog? I guess it's time to add DWF?

[PeterJ]

The compatability question remains the big one for me.

I have to send a drawing to a client for approval of some changes today. Am I going to whisk over a DWF? Of course not. I know that she, and the people she needs to put heads together with all have Acrobat reader.

P

[sbrown]

I will be training all of my clients and spec writers and consultants on DWF it is way better then pdf. the quality and file size is soooooo much better then pdf. I just printed my whole set to dwf. the file is a single file that contains everything, linkable and is only 11mb and the quality is perfect, exactly what I see on my revit screen. with pdf, I had all kinds of text problems and the quality was **** unless I bumped up the dpi and then the file size could be 5mb for one sheet.

Good job autodesk!!!!

not to mention couple dwf with buzzsaw and you got a great project management system. (we just need our contractors to get laptops at the site)

[aaronrumple]

One of the top demands we resellers wanted from DWF, was the ability to use it in AutoCAD/Revit and other adsk apps as a Xref/linked background. This would be very nice for consulting work. DWF might have to get a bit smarter to do this well though.

If it is as simple as a print driver, then even Microstation and ArchiCAD users could send backgrounds easliy.

[Charlie]

Just tried to install to NT system. Only works on win2K and up. Guess we won't be using it for a little while!

[sbrown]

You would notice a drastic increase in performance in revit if you switched to 2000, its a much better os.

[PeterJ]

OK Mr Brown, here is a challenge....

There is another thread running regarding sheets having the the ability to remind the printer to remember what size page to print them on. Did the 11MB job you printed to DWF include multiple sheet sizes? If so how did you get it all in one file? Can you queue printing several batches to one DWF?

P

[sbrown]

I don't thinnk you can do as you say. But why would you have a
construction set with multiple sheet sizes?

I would have one dwf for my spec book
and one dwf for my drawing set.

[gregcashen]

As it says in the other thread, some of us use 11x17 sheets for the floor plans for the assessor. Also, I forgot about this before, in pre-design stages, we will frequently issue 8.5x11 sheets for dock permits (we work on the water and dock permits take about a year to obtain, so we issue these prior to other design work).

It would just be nice to have all of this in one file, ready to print and of course, printing properly when printed to pdf or dwf.

Greg

[PeterJ]

Often we do detail sheets at A3, which is around 17 x 11 or thereabouts.

It stems from a tradition in a couple of offices I have worked in to do joinery details and so on at a smaller scale, but as a different case in point I recently published a set of stair details at A0 where everything else was at A1, and on a different job, published a drainage layout at 1:50 but in portrait so I could get a significant site feature to fit on the plan.

That's why I would want different sizes etc for a construction set.

[sbrown]

I'm not saying its not a good idea. When you did those sets did you submit them as one package or separate issues to separate people.

Typically the only odd sized sheets we would have are 11x17 rendering views and 8.5x11 addendum or rfi detail sheets, but they would be in both cases issued separately with no need for them to be in one file.

Unfortunately, I just learned the downside to dwf. the end user/viewer needs to have the same fonts installed on their computer that you use. This really burst my bubble, I was so impressed with the text quality over pdf, but if you have to send fonts along too, it makes it less ideal.

[christopher.zoog51272]

Unfortunately, I just learned the downside to dwf. the end user/viewer needs to have the same fonts installed on their computer that you use. This really burst my bubble, I was so impressed with the text quality over pdf, but if you have to send fonts along too, it makes it less ideal.

this is the exact reason why I still don't like dwf, other than that it'd be great. :D

[gregcashen]

I'm not saying its not a good idea. When you did those sets did you submit them as one package or separate issues to separate people.

We typically submit assessor's 11x17s at the same time as the rest of the set. This just seems like such a basic request. AutoCAD does it..and you can save the last print setup with each layout so it prints predictably. I hate to have to go in to each sheet and specify how it should print.

Also, I am a big fan of Revit-as-Document-Manager...these smaller sheet prints are using the same site/building and I would like to just reuse this existing data in all the drawings instead of copying a file and using it for different purposes.


Unfortunately, I just learned the downside to dwf. the end user/viewer needs to have the same fonts installed on their computer that you use. This really burst my bubble, I was so impressed with the text quality over pdf, but if you have to send fonts along too, it makes it less ideal.

Yeah. This is Poop [self-censored]. I use a font that I am pretty sure no one else I work with has. What about those that bought and use Graphite by Adobe? "No problem Mr. Engineer, all you got to do to view this dwiff is download the Express Viewer from http://www.autodesk.com/ExpressViewer/blahblahblah and fork out a coupla hundred bucks for the Graphite Font suite from Adobe"

I don't see it.

[sbrown]

Yeh, I was very dissappointed to learn of this short fall. I guess autodesk will tell us all to use arial and it will all be ok.

No but really, it is a great format much better than pdf in my opinion the zoom tool and linking and clean graphics, just got to get it to take you font.

[gregcashen]

Question...can you imbed fonts? If not, wouldn't this be a very elegant, simple solution? Adds a very small amount of file size compared to the size of a Revit file...

[ajayholland]

I note that under the printer properties>advanced the default setting is "embed all fonts".
Hopefully this is a bug, and not a design flaw. :cry:
Maybe the DWF Writer software was not really ready for release. Was there any formal announcement, other than on these newsgroups? Beegee, how did you come up with that link? And who is Tony Peach?
-AJH

[beegee]

Beegee[/i], how did you come up with that link? And who is Tony Peach?
-AJH

That link is to the Viewer, not the writer. forgetaboutit.

Hey , just who is Tony Peach and why does he keep bugging me .

beegee

[ajayholland]

OK, I see you can get to the link from the Revit download page. :oops:
Tony Peach, what about this font issue?
-AJH

[jbalding48677]

Tony Peach is the Product Manager for DWF. He is a good guy and knows all and is the man to discuss your issues with if you want something done. Be nice to him, you'll get more flys with honey...

[ajayholland]

Agreed, and thanks Jim for revealing Tony's official title. When the DWF Writer announcement appeared on alt.cad.revit it was nearly anonymous. After the presentation at the 2004 Road Show, I expected more fanfare. Tony certainly deserves a lot of credit for his product.

I'm interested in the direction that AutoDesk is taking with DWF and Buzzsaw, and the impact these tools could have on the profession. (Remember all that talk about the paperless office?)

To learn more, I dropped in on the Buzzsaw newsgroup. These are the highlights:

Express Viewer, which replaces Volo View Express, does not have mark-up capabilty. The stand-alone application for mark-up is Volo View, normally $300, but on sale through July for $49. Buzzsaw will soon add "Powered by VoloView" to its Project Point application, allowing Buzzsaw site members to mark up DWF drawings online.

For the full discussion check out "What's the Buzz?" on autodesk.buzzsaw
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=2999556

A. Jay Holland

[ajayholland]

I'm feeling somewhat accomplished because I took some time to understand how to link some multi-page DWF files to my internet site. I don't speak HTML, but I found an object-oriented editor (SiteSpinner) that made things pretty easy. 8)

The sample files are from a somewhat unique townhouse project on which I collaborated earlier this year.

Have a look: http://home.comcast.net/~ajholland/DWF1.html

-AJH

[PeterJ]

Can the DWF writer embed raster images? I ask because I was rather surprised last month to try and print to the Revit PDF writer only to be told it wouldn't allow me to select full colour as a print option - I had to use a third party pdf writer int he end as I had some captured renders on one page.

[ajayholland]

Peter:

I'm not sure I understand the problem you had with the PDFs. In print set-up you can only choose from B&W, 16, 256, or printer setting. In the Revit PDF Writer you can choose between colour & black & white, however in the DWF Writer there is no choice regarding colour. I assume that the printer setting choice means full colour (as displayed on the screen).

Anyway, I haven't had problems with either. I'm sending you a p.m. with some low-res samples attached.

A. Jay Holland

[PeterJ]

I got your two images and had a look, if anything the dwf file at only 5 Kb larger than the pdf was slightly sharper.

I'll need to look in more detail at the pdf printing thing but it is good to know about dwf's printing in colour.

Thanks

P