AutoCAD 2008

[mpkeane]

I am working on a Mac PowerBook, using OS 10.4.11, with VW Designer (Educational Version) 12.5.1. I am having trouble importing files sent by a colleague who is using AutoCAD Inventor 2008.

1) Trying to import a DWG file, I get the following error message: "Opening DWG Library Error 8: This DWG version is not supported"

2) Importing the same file saved as DXF I can import it but all the sheets are blank

3) A model made of the same drawing and saved as a DWF is not recognized at all by VectorWorks.

Is this a known problem? Is there a fix?

Thank you.

Marc

[Ray Libby]

VectorWorks 12 will only import up to AutoCad 2006 and older. Have them save the file in an older version. VectorWorks 2008 will import up to AutoCad 2008.

[jan15]

And DWF is a viewing-only format ? Autocad can't open it either. There's a viewer for it, a free download from Autodesk.

But it sounds like the DXF file they sent you is an older version, so you shouldn't be having problems with it. If using the viewer doesn't sort it out, tell us more about what you get when you import the DXF file, or post the file.

[mpkeane]

Thanks Jan

The Autodesk Viewer, unfortunately, does not run on Macs. At least, I cannot find one that does. There is a web-based viewer for DWF (http://freewheel.labs.autodesk.com)but I do not know of one that will run on Macs.

[jan15]

Sorry about that. I forgot. It's hard to believe, and hence to remember, that they don't make a Mac version of the viewer. I guess with their shoestring budget they can't afford any frills.

What about MacDwiff? at http://www.macdwf.com/

And I remember reading that CadViewer is supposed to read DWF's on a Mac, and generally on any kind of machine that has Java installed. Not true? http://www.cadviewer.com

Can you post the DXF file so we can open it and see what's going on?

[billtheia]

I've been using eDrawings to look at dwg files that I export. Works pretty well. Not sure if it does DWF though.

[oldguy]

Though not a free workaround....

If conversions and version compatiblility were issues, one workaround could involve installing asa Windows Virtual Machine (VM ware or Parallels) and running Autodesk's DWGTureView. This gives you a "true" DWG Viewer and Plotting *AND* included DWg Convert to save back to AutoCAD 2004 format.