A DWF file is a vector image that has special viewing properties when displayed in a web browser.  It's an electronic plot that can be scaled and moved within the browser window.  With the new plotting tools available in AutoCAD 2002, DWF files can be developed in color or in black and white, may contain pen widths, and be plotted to scale.

2. Decide if the DWF file represents model space or paper space.  If you want to make a DWF from model space objects, and if you have certain locations of your drawing that deserve special attention, consider saving views of your drawing.  DWF files stored named views, and allow clients to zoom to a particular named view.  The DWF view list is identical to the parent DWG file's view list.  To save a view, zoom and/or pan to the desired location, then run the VIEW command, and create a new view.  DView twists are saved only if the twist angle is equivalent to the angle of the plot, so only one twist orientation is available per DWF.

3. If you want to plot from a layout tab, select the layout you wish to plot, create viewports, set them to scale, set the DView Twist angle, and do other actions necessary to set up the layout.  Repeat for each layout tab you wish to convert into a DWF file.

4. Run the PLOT command, and click on the Plot Device tab.

5. Under plotter configuration, choose one of three existing DWF plot configurations.   DWF ePlots (Optimized for Plotting), to have a clear appearance on plots, will have a low vector resolution, but raster images will appear with high quality.  DWF eViews (Optimized for Viewing) will have a high vector resolution to appear clear on video monitors.  The Publish to Web (DWF) configuraton is the same as the DWF eView.

Note: If you want your DWF file to use the Whip! 4.0 Driver for viewing, create the DWF file in AutoCAD 2000 or 2000i, or create a PC3 file in AutoCAD 2002 that will use the R14 Classic DWF file format.  The other configurations listed above, if selected in AutoCAD 2002, will generate a DWF file that is only compatible with Volo View Express.

6. Under Plot Style Table, choose a pen assignment file (CTB file).

7. Choose whether to plot the current layout tab selected, or all paper space layouts.

8. The Plot to File box will automatically be checked.  Enter the location and file name you want to plot to.  The location may be a web page; enter your URL in the location box if you want to save your DWF file directly to the internet.

9. Click on the Plot Settings tab to change paper size, plot area, and scale.

10. The Plot Options in the lower-right corner of this dialog box will apply to DWF files.  Lineweights may be applied here if you need them.  Other options include plotting paper space last, using plot styles, or hiding objects behind solids in viewports.

11. Click on the Full Preview button to see your plot as it would appear on one's internet browser.  Right-clicking will provide a pop-up menu of zoom and pan options.   Note that plot options such as lineweights will be applied here.  Right-click and choose exit to go back to the plot dialog box.

12. Once the plot settings are correct, click on OK.  Your DWF files will be created.

First, follow steps 1 through 3 from the Save a DWF File list shown above.  The model tab and/or layout tabs need to be prepared before plotting.  Then run the Publish to Web command from the File menu, and follow the simple instructions in the wizard:

1. Choose whether to create a new web page, or edit an existing web page.

2. If creating a new web page, enter its location (or URL), and file name.  Also provide a description for the web page; it will appear on some web themes.

3. Select a type of file to post, DWF, JPG, or PNG.  Choose DWF to create Drawing Web Format files.

4. Select an HTML template, designed to show model and layout tabs for the project.  You will create one HTML page with different layouts from different drawings.

5. Select a theme of colors to use on your web page.  Extra themes may be created by making new HTML templates and color schemes.

6. The i-drop feature allows clients to drag-and-drop an image into AutoCAD to insert a block of the DWF file into the current drawing.  If you select i-drop, you allow clients access to an AutoCAD drawing they can modify.  If you want to keep your AutoCAD data off-limits to your clients, turn this feature off.

7. Select drawings and layout tabs to plot to the current web page.

8. Generate the web pages, preview them, and post to your web site.

1. Upload your DWF file to your web server.   The address of this file will be: <website.com>/foldername/<dwfname>.DWF.  If you plotted the DWF file directly to the internet with the PLOT command discussed above, then this step is complete.   If you want your clients to be able to download the full DWG file, save the DWG file in the same location as the DWF file on your server.

2. To verify that the DWF file is on the internet, view your DWF file through your web browser.  The DWF will fill the entire browser window.

• AutoCAD 2002 and the Internet
• Viewing AutoCAD DWF with the Whip! 4.0 Driver
• Viewing AutoCAD DWF files using Volo View Express
• Working with AutoCAD DWG files on the Internet