The Industry Standard for AutoCAD drawing (DWG) and DXF Compatibility

As the developer of the milestone-setting Drawing Librarian and Block Librarian add-ons for AutoCAD, SoftSource has amassed years of expertise in documenting in detail and working with the DWG and DXF (Drawing eXchange Format) file formats from the inside out. In addition, SoftSource is the creator of DXE (Drawing eXchange Engine), the industry-standard AutoCAD read-write API, used by the world's largest CAD companies. This extensive knowledge forms the basis of SoftSource Vdraft's distinct advantage of direct read-and-write for both DWG/DXF file compatibility.

Direct DWG and DXF Read-and-Write

Vdraft uses DWG and DXF as its native file formats and reads and writes AutoCAD Release 2000 (R15) and earlier files, directly and entirely without translation. AutoCAD data/format integrity is guaranteed. Vdraft's compatibility quotient for both file formats remains unique to the industry--not even AutoCAD/AutoCAD LT can directly edit DXF files.

Compatibility Plus: Superior Multiple-Document Handling

In addition to benchmark file format compatibility with AutoCAD, Vdraft offers other significant advantages in handling files over and above AutoCAD's present, on-going implementation: the ability to work with multiple DWG and DXF drawings open in the same drawing space while just one instance of Vdraft is running.

For example, the following screen shot shows five complex DWG files being edited simultaneously:

Vdraft is designed around the Microsoft Windows MDI (Multiple Document Interface), which supports multiple documents open under one instance of the application. Thus, Vdraft's design represents a significant performance enhancement with the smartest possible use of system resources and overhead.

• More extensive backward-compatibility. Current industry readings indicate that Release 2000 (R15)-or-earlier compatibility (per Vdraft) is still the working preference of the vast majority of AutoCAD users. For users who need to work with drawings created in earlier AutoCAD releases or make them available to others using earlier versions, Vdraft includes a SAVE AS RELEASE command to save drawings in Release 14, 13, 11/12, 10, and 9 or Version 2.6 or 2.5 formats.

• Easy cut-/copy-and-paste between drawings. With the ability to work with multiple drawings open in Vdraft, a copy-/cut-and-paste operation between drawings becomes the quick and easy task it should be. What's more, copy-/cut-and-paste is equally effortless between drawings open in Vdraft or from Vdraft to a drawing open in AutoCAD.

• Superior previewing and management capabilities for drawing files, blocks, and Xrefs. Vdraft capitalizes on SoftSource's design expertise with products such as its award-winning Block Librarian, an add-on that has brought easy block viewing and management capabilities to several releases of AutoCAD. That same utility is built into Vdraft: the Open dialog box (see the previous graphic, above) contains a convenient preview window, as does the Block/Xref Manager dialog box (see the graphic at the right). The Block/Xref Manager also organizes block- and Xref-related tasks such as inserting blocks and Xrefs; writing blocks out to disk as files; presetting options for scaling, rotating, and exploding blocks upon insertion; and binding or detaching Xrefs. When compared to AutoCAD's block capabilities, Vdraft's implementation is a clear winner for overall stronger UI for block viewing, block insertion (direct, dynamic manipulation), and block management.

  

• Optimized for CAD and other complex graphics on the World Wide Web and the Internet. Vdraft is seamlessly integrated with SoftSource's popular Web plug-ins for CAD graphics, the Vdraft Internet Tools. These tools are designed to greatly enhance publication of and access to CAD drawings and other complex graphics, making it practical to transmit them across the Web and the Internet. The tools consist of two plug-ins offering the dynamic viewing capabilities of CAD to anyone with a compatible Web browser such as Netscape Navigator 2.0 (and newer releases) or Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 (and later releases). No CAD system needed! The Vdraft Internet Tools include a DWG/DXF plug-in for viewing AutoCAD and DXF drawings and an SVF plug-in (SVF is an acronym for Simple Vector Format). Both plug-ins include single-download navigational capabilities (for example, zoom, pan, and layer visibility control) and scaleable vector graphics. The DWG plug-in also features copy-/cut-and-paste from drawings displayed in the Web browser directly into Vdraft. The SVF plug-in features navigation via HTML hyperlinks, offering a host of elegant, new options for any application or context that requires detailed, structured information and the power of graphics.

Product Overview

DWG and DXF Compatibility

Windows Compatibility

Tools and User Interface

Easy Transition from AutoCAD

Customizing Vdraft

Value and Cost-Effectiveness Checklist

Product Fact Sheet

More Information. . .

Return to Vdraft's Home Page

softsales@softsource.com

© 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 SoftSource