Difference between DXF and DWG exports

[Christiaan]

What are primary differences between DXF and DWG files? That is, why would anyone capable of opening either want one over the other?

[Guest]

Not much.

A DWG files is proprietary to AutoCAD. A DXF is an exchange file created for non-AutoCAD applications to write a similar file type.

There are some programs that cannot import DWG files but can import DXF files.

When DWG import/export is not supported, then use DXF. In almost all other cases, stick to dwg.

[Guest]

This website, although dated, gives an idea of differences:

http://www.relief.hu/h_dxf12.html

[Christiaan]

When DWG import/export is not supported, then use DXF. In almost all other cases, stick to dwg.

That's what I assumed, thanks.

[oldguy]

Perhaps a couple of other differences..

DWG is a binary file, hence much more compact, as versus the DXF which is ASCII text, and therefore much more bloated in size. "Why use DXF?". Theoretically, mind you, the programming to convert DXF to 'what-ever' is done within a full documented format - not a reversed-engineered one.

For more educational reading on DXF (NOT!) see

http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2007/04/autocad_2008_dx.html

Happing reading

[Christiaan]

DWG is a binary file, hence much more compact, as versus the DXF which is ASCII text, and therefore much more bloated in size.

Well, except that there are binary and text options for DXF exports from VW. Also, if I export a binary DXF and a DWG and then zip each of them up the binary DXF is the smaller file.

All extremely fascinating stuff.

[Guest]

In essence, the DXF file is not a compressed, in a non-technical sense, file format where the DWG offers objects to be defined using the native AutoCAD scheme.

In some cases .. and I emphasize SMALL ... the dxf has less information than the dwg file ... depending on the file version and software.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Katie