The DWFx format has been added to AutoCAD 2009. DWFx is based on the XML Paper Specification (XPS) format from Microsoft. You can view and print DWFx files using Internet Explorer 7 on Windows Vista and Windows XP (with latest updates for .NET).
In AutoCAD 2009 You can plot or publish to DWFx, attach DWFx files as Underlays, and read DWFx files using Markup Set Manager. You can still and will continue to be able to plot the older DWF format as well.
The soon to be released FREE Autodesk DWG TrueView 2009 will provide the ability to open and view DWG or convert to DWF or DWFx as well as much more including the much requested measuring/inquiry capability. See the Beyond the Paper posting DWG TrueView 2009 is cool.
The soon to be released and FREE Autodesk Design Review 2009 supports viewing, some editing, and markup for both the DWF and DWFx formats.
The free web service for viewing your 2D and 3D files from any operating system through a browser Project Freewheel (http://freewheel.labs.autodesk.com) now supports DWFx and the official Autodesk Freewheel (http://freewheel.autodesk.com/) perhaps in the future.
Why doesn’t Autodesk just combine TrueView and Design Review? It seems very redundant and not at all cost effective to have 2 programs that do the same thing.
Steve,
Great point and we do hear this but the two are different technology and user types for the most part. Thank you for your feedback. I am all for the all encompassing single “Über” application types myself.
Regards,
Shaan
Hello Shaan,
I’ve tried to open DWFx files many times with IE7 but i always have an error on the IE page who simply said that this program can’t show this web page.
I have the Microsoft .NET 3.0 Framework installed on a Windows XP home (french) and i have the xpsviewer.exe but impossible to open a DWFx file.
Do you have an idea please ?
Thanks
Eric
Eric,
It could be possibly one of two issues. There was an early .NET 3 that was re-released due to a problem which affected DWFx.
Have you installed Autodesk Design Review 2008 previously? Installing Autodesk Design Review 2008 will set your default for DWFx filetype to Autodesk Design Review by design. Uninstalling Autodesk Design Review 2008 can in error leaves the DWFx filetype associated with Design Review instead of IE.
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/viewxps.mspx
Also there are notes concerning DWFx in the ReadMe.
Regards,
Shaan
I’ve tried to instal Net Framework 3.5 but it doesn’t work.
I despair
Eric
PING:
TITLE: Catching up
BLOG NAME: Adrian Ford
I was out for most of last week so here’s a quick catch up on XPS-related stuff… While PDF still
Shaan,
I have uninstalled Design Review 2008 and Net Frameworks 3 SP1.
I have installed Net Frameworks 3 and Net Frameworks 3 SP1 again but i always have the same problem.
DWFx seems to be associated with IE.
I’ve tried to open DWFx document directly with XPSViewer.exe without sucess.
Thank you
Eric