TechDraw SaveDXF

This command exists up to version 0.18. Starting from version 0.19 it is replaced by TechDraw ExportPageDXF

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TechDraw

TechDraw SaveDXF
Menu location
TechDraw → Export page Dxf
Workbenches
TechDraw
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
0.18
See also
TechDraw SaveSVG, Draft DXF

Description

The Export page Dxf tool saves a drawing page as a DXF file

Usage

1. Select a Page in the tree view, if the document contains multiple pages.
2. Press the TechDraw SaveDXF button.
3. Select a location and file name.

Limitations

• Radial and Diameter dimensions will only export properly if they are "inside" the arc.
• Scaling is not supported. The DXF will be drawn in the actual size of the TechDraw page.
• Units are not supported. The DXF will be drawn in millimeters (mm). Dimension text will be shown exactly as displayed in TechDraw.
• TechDraw can't export a DraftView or an ArchView to DXF. These views are SVG elements generated internally by the Draft Workbench, so there is no geometrical shape to export. To export a view as DXF, it must have been created with TechDraw View or TechDraw NewProjGroup. For example, select an Arch SectionPlane, then use Draft Shape2DView to create a flat projection shape, and then use TechDraw View on this object. Alternatively, select the objects from the tree view or the 3D viewport, and export to DXF using File → Export.
• The title block of a page is an SVG template as well, so it will not be exported to DXF either.
• In general, TechDraw can only export to DXF those elements that are supported by the Import::ImpExpDxfWrite class of the Import Module.

Notes

• This function exports the R12 (AC1009) and R14 (AC1014) versions of DXF.
  • R12 is an older, simpler version of the standard, but should be readable by most other software.
  • R14 is the default version. It includes support for splines and ellipses among other things.
• There are 2 parameters that affect DXF output:
  • Tools → Edit parameters → BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Import → DxfVersionOut, valid entries are 12 or 14. Default is 14.
  • Tools → Edit parameters → BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Import → DiscretizeEllipses. If true, splines/ellipses are converted to polylines; if false, spline and ellipses are written as spline and ellipse objects. Default is false.

Scripting

See also: TechDraw API and FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

The SaveDXF tool can be used in macros and from the Python console by using the following functions:

TechDraw.writeDXFPage(page,filename)

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TechDraw

TechDraw

• Pages: Insert Default Page, Insert Page using Template, Redraw Page
• Views: Insert View, Insert Active View, Insert Projection Group, Insert Section View, Insert Detail View, Insert Draft Workbench Object, Insert Arch Workbench Object, Insert Spreadsheet View
• Clips: Insert Clip Group, Add View to Clip Group, Remove View from Clip Group
• Dimensions: New Length, New Horizontal, New Vertical, New Radius, New Diameter, New Angle, New Angle3Pt, New Links, New Balloon
• Decorations: Hatch Face using Image File, Apply Geometric Hatch to Face, Insert SVG Symbol, Insert Bitmap Image, Turn View Frames On/Off
• Annotations: Insert Annotation, Add Leaderline to View, Insert Rich Text Annotation, Add Cosmetic Vertex, Add Midpoint Vertices, Add Quadrant Vertices, Add Centerline to Face(s), Add Centerline between 2 Lines, Add Centerline between 2 Points, Remove Cosmetic Object, Change Appearance of Line(s), Show/Hide Invisible Edges, Add Welding Information to Leader

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• Import/Export: Export Page as SVG, Export Page as DXF
• Additional: Preferences; Hatching, LineGroup, Templates; TechDraw API, TechDrawGui API

User documentation

• Getting started
• Installation: Download, Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, AppImage, Ubuntu Snap
• Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties; Help FreeCAD, Donate

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• Unmaintained workbenches: Plot, Robot, Ship
• Deprecated workbenches: Complete, Drawing

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