Editing of all kinds through our computers is something more and more common, that is why files with unknown formats appear on our desktop or that until now we had not considered. For all this, you may have doubts and once again in Technology Guides we have come to help you.
Today we focus on DXF files, we are going to show you what it is and how you can open them to get the most out of it. Do not miss this explanation in which we are also going to offer you several free alternatives to edit all your DXF files.
What is a DXF file?
As we always say, we must start the house with the foundations, so it seems ideal that the first thing we do is precisely delve into the meaning of the acronym DXF. With these three letters we are before the acronym of English Drawing Exchange Format, essentially a computer-aided drawing editing format.
The idea is fundamentally to export between different programs the classic DWG file that is exported through one of the most popular computer drawing programs on the market, we are obviously talking about AutoCAD. So it is a bit clearer to us what these files are dedicated to.
Unfortunately AutoCAD has grown in functionalities over time and as a result we have found that DXF files have become quite limited, so we could say that DXF files fit the most basic operation of this type in terms of capacity. of drawings.
As an advantage, DXF files are based on an ASCII format, and even many alternatives have come up depending on the way they are shared, such as DWF files, so it is possible that we will find many similarities on the market.
How can I open a DXF file?
As we have said, DXF files are essentially intended to share content between different drawing computer editing programs, therefore, essentially to open a DXF file what we are going to need is a compatible drawing editing program with these types of files, which are the vast majority of them.
However, we must remember that The ASCII versions of the DXF format will allow us to open and edit them with any type of editor of the style el Memo pad that includes for example Windows in an integrated way.
How can I convert a DXF file?
For compatibility issues it is more than possible that we need edit a DXF file but this is not fully functional depending on what circumstance, or we simply want to export it to a broader compatible format. Don't worry because we also have the solution for that.
The first is for example to use the SCHEDULE compatible to open the DXF and convert it directly into the saving options of the file, in this way in Adobe Illustrator we will easily transfer it in SVG format, but we have many more types, we are going to put the most common ones just below these lines.
- Convert to DWG: We can do this easily with the trial version for fifteen days that it gives us AutoDWG completely free of charge, yes, we will limit its use to a single file and on a single occasion.
- JPG - PNG - BMP - EXE - ZIP - EDRW: With the program Edrawings Viewer we will be able to save a DXF file exported to all the formats that we have mentioned above and even to some more.
- PDF: The universal PDF format is a classic, so it could not be missing here, and we found perhaps one of the easiest alternatives to export, we are only going to need to use a website like DXFConverter.
Curiosities about DXF files
Although it seems to us something relatively modern, the reality is that DXF files exist no less than since 1982, although it has been improving and growing over time in order to maintain capabilities that allow it to remain a standard in the industry.
That is why we find, for example, some in ASCII format and others in binary format depending on their capabilities. As an advantage, there are some web pages like Scan2CAD y myDXF who are dedicated to sharing DXF files completely free of charge.
Free programs to open DXF files
We are going to focus on those software tools that will allow us to open and even edit DXF files completely free of charge, giving us a good hand when saving, especially if we are not going to give a very professional use to this type of files.
- QCad: Let's start with one of the most popular, it has been on the market for more than ten years and is a two-dimensional computer-aided design tool whose source code is completely free. Its graphical interface is quite simple and has multiplatform capabilities, in this case available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- DraftSight: Another very interesting alternative that we find in the market, it is also focused on two-dimensional assisted design, although it has extra functionalities that are paid. In this way we will be able to export our projects in formats as varied as .wmf, .jpeg, .pdf, .png, .sld, .svg, .tif, and .stl and even multi-page PDF. Until recently it was only compatible with Windows, but now it is also possible to enjoy it on macOS and Linux in "beta" phase.
- FreeCAD: Another especially attractive alternative for all users, also focused on the design of two-dimensional drawings and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. It has many similarities with QCad due to the fact that they share code. It is quite light so even older computers run it lightly and its user interface is inevitably reminiscent of AutoCAD. Of course, it only supports DXF and CXF file formats.
- FreeCAD: The last great free alternative to AutoCAD that we offer allows us to model in 3D and is based on OpenCascade. We have a multiplatform system for macOS, Windows and Linux and it is especially aimed at the world of mechanical engineering and product design.
We hope that everything you have learned with us about files in DXF format has served you well, in this way we want to continue improving your experience in the world of technology so that you do not have a single field to master.